Co-Founder Profile & Gap Mapping Template
Founder Alignment
Pre-Seed
KEY OUTCOMES
A structured and data-driven co-founder selection roadmap, ensuring complementary skills, aligned responsibilities, and a strong partnership foundation.
CREATED BY
Kendra Garagan
Founder
@
Kenergy
1-3 HOURS
TO COMPLETE
THE OVERVIEW
This template helps founders define who they need as a co-founder by mapping out missing skill sets, personality fit, work styles, and long-term expectations. It also includes a framework for evaluating potential co-founders and tracking outreach efforts.
WHAT PROBLEM IT SOLVES
Finding the right co-founder is one of the most critical and challenging steps in building a startup. Many founders either struggle to identify the skills and expertise gaps they need to fill or fail to align with their co-founder on key areas like vision, work style, and equity expectations. This template provides a structured approach to mapping out what a founder needs in a co-founder and helps ensure alignment before making a long-term commitment.
WHAT'S INSIDE
Co-Founder Role & Skills Needed: A structured table to map out missing skills and determine the expertise required Ideal Co-Founder Profile: A framework to define core strengths, experience, work style, and personality fit Search & Outreach Strategy: A system to track outreach efforts across different channels (LinkedIn, founder networks, referrals, etc.) Alignment & Decision Framework: Key considerations before making a final decision, including a trial project and equity discussion
BEFORE YOU BEGIN
Be clear about your own strengths and weaknesses as a founder. Identify what you bring to the table and what gaps you need to fill in a co-founder.
IDEAL FOR
Solo founders looking for a technical or business co-founder
Startups preparing to bring on a co-founder before fundraising
Early teams who want to ensure strong co-founder alignment before formalizing commitments
THE BENEFITS
Helps founders identify skill gaps to find the right co-founder
Prevents misalignment issues by outlining vision, goals, and expectations early
Streamlines the co-founder search process with structured evaluation criteria
Provides a data-driven approach to choosing a co-founder instead of relying on gut instinct
CREATOR TIP
Be brutally honest about your own strengths and weaknesses as a founder. Identify what you bring to the table which will help identify what gaps you need to fill in a co-founder.
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