Ask entrepreneurs about important early factors in the success of their startups and many will say that finding a really good co-founder is key. Founder2be is an organisation looking to make that process easier by taking an approach similar to online dating.
The website acts as a matchmaking service for entrepreneurs. Founder2be users create profiles, sharing information like their location; skills; availability; previous projects; startup and fund-raising experience; ability to contribute seed funding, and co-founder preferences. The site then offers up potential suitable matches. Users can also post up product ideas, helping to find a match with he right interests and skills.
Although launched in Finland, Founder2be is taking a global approach by partnering with other organisations in a Global Alliance Program. This is designed to help co-founders meet each other and form startups within business incubators, accelerators, student societies and other entrepreneurship organisations. Current partners are situated across Europe, plus a number of others doted around the world in places such as South Korea and Australia.
Founder2be was launched earlier this year by Oliver Bremer (a former Nokia employee mentioned in our story about how the mobile giant’s decline is spurring a new wave of startups in Finland) and Frank Haubenschild. So far, two companies have emerged from the programme – business productivity outfit Ziliot, plus another currently in stealth mode.
The organisation is currently looking to find new partners in Africa and Europe, including the UK. It is also planning a series of offline events.
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