Do all founders need to be full-time to raise funding?

Yes, all core founders must be working on the startup full-time. Investors need to see that you are 100% committed before they invest millions of dollars, and it signals to future employees that you are all-in.

What's a standard equity split for co-founders?

For two or three founders starting at the same time, a near-equal split (e.g., 50/50, 45/55, or 33/33/33) is the standard. A large, unexplained disparity like 80/20 is a major red flag that suggests a future blow-up.

What if we don't have deep domain expertise in our market?

If you don't have professional experience, you must 'earn' founder-market fit. You can do this by conducting hundreds of customer interviews and shipping product updates weekly to prove you have a unique, hard-won insight.

How much of our own money should we invest?

There's no magic number, but investors expect to see you have skin in the game. Investing a personally meaningful amount—often between $5,000 and $25,000 per founder—is a powerful signal that you are betting on yourself.

Is it a red flag if co-founders haven't worked together before?

It's a risk factor, but not a deal-breaker. You must overcompensate by demonstrating clear roles, a solid decision-making framework, and exceptional chemistry in investor meetings.

Do all founders need to be full-time to raise funding?

Yes, all core founders must be working on the startup full-time. Investors need to see that you are 100% committed before they invest millions of dollars, and it signals to future employees that you are all-in.

What's a standard equity split for co-founders?

For two or three founders starting at the same time, a near-equal split (e.g., 50/50, 45/55, or 33/33/33) is the standard. A large, unexplained disparity like 80/20 is a major red flag that suggests a future blow-up.

What if we don't have deep domain expertise in our market?

If you don't have professional experience, you must 'earn' founder-market fit. You can do this by conducting hundreds of customer interviews and shipping product updates weekly to prove you have a unique, hard-won insight.

How much of our own money should we invest?

There's no magic number, but investors expect to see you have skin in the game. Investing a personally meaningful amount—often between $5,000 and $25,000 per founder—is a powerful signal that you are betting on yourself.

Is it a red flag if co-founders haven't worked together before?

It's a risk factor, but not a deal-breaker. You must overcompensate by demonstrating clear roles, a solid decision-making framework, and exceptional chemistry in investor meetings.

How VCs Evaluate a Founding Team: The Ultimate Guide

A deep-dive into how investors evaluate founding teams. Learn the signals of an A-team, the red flags that get you passed on, and how to prove you're.

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