Partnerships

A genuine technical co-founder for the right early-stage products - not a contractor.

A Technical Partner, Not Just a Developer

For the right early-stage products, we invest our engineering expertise at a reduced cost in exchange for equity or revenue share. We become a genuine technical co-founder - involved in product decisions, committed to the long term, and with our success directly tied to yours - rather than a contractor who delivers a build and moves on.

This is not a discount. It is a different kind of engagement where we take on risk alongside you because we believe in the product and the team behind it. That means we are selective about the partnerships we take on, and we will be honest if we do not think a partnership is the right structure for your situation.

Partnership engagements are typically structured around reduced development fees in exchange for equity, a revenue share arrangement, or a combination of both. The specific structure depends on the stage of the product, the expected development investment, and what makes sense for the business model. We discuss this openly during the initial conversation.

Who This Is For

Founders with a strong product vision and clear market opportunity who need a technical partner to build it
Early-stage startups where development budget is limited but the product potential justifies a partnership structure
Founders who want a technical co-founder invested in the outcome rather than a contractor delivering to a specification
Products at an early stage where the technical decisions made now will determine the business's trajectory
Founders who are fully committed to driving the business - sales, marketing, customers - and need a partner to own the technology
Founders committed to a long-term relationship through pivots, iteration, and the realities of building an early-stage product

What We Look For

A Problem Worth Solving

The best products solve a real problem for a specific set of people who are currently underserved. We look for clarity on the problem, evidence of the market, and a product approach that addresses the problem in a way that is genuinely better than what currently exists.

A Committed Founder

Partnership works when the founder is fully invested in making the business succeed - not exploring an idea as a side project. We need to know that the person driving the business side of the product is as committed to its success as we are to building it.

Complementary Skills

The best partnerships combine strong technical delivery with strong commercial execution. We look for founders who bring domain expertise, commercial capability, customer relationships, or other skills that complement the technical contribution we make.

Realistic Expectations

Early-stage products are hard. Most of them do not succeed in their initial form - they pivot, they take longer than expected, they require more investment than anticipated. We look for founders who understand this and have a realistic view of what building a product involves.

Long-Term Alignment

We are not looking for a quick build. Partnership means being involved in the product for years - through the pivots, the hard decisions, and the moments where the original plan needs to change. We look for founders who want that kind of long-term technical relationship.

How Partnership Engagements Work

1
Initial Conversation

Tell us about your product, the problem it solves, your target market, and where you are in the journey. We will have an honest conversation about whether a partnership structure makes sense and what it might look like.

2
Assessment and Due Diligence

If the initial conversation is promising, we conduct a more thorough assessment of the product opportunity, the market, and the proposed equity or revenue share structure. This is a mutual process - you are assessing whether we are the right technical partner as much as we are assessing whether the product is the right partnership.

3
Partnership Agreement

We agree the equity or revenue share structure, the scope of the initial development work, and the ongoing involvement in product decisions. This is documented in a partnership agreement that protects both parties and is clear about expectations on both sides.

4
Build and Grow Together

We build the product, make technical decisions together, and evolve the product based on what we learn from real users. Our ongoing involvement depends on the stage and needs of the product - from intensive development in the early stages to lighter-touch technical oversight as the product matures.

Frequently Asked Questions

It depends on the stage of the product, the scale of the development investment, and what structure makes sense for the business model. Equity stakes in early-stage partnerships typically range from 5% to 50% depending on the development contribution. Revenue share arrangements depend on the revenue model and the ongoing involvement. We discuss this openly during the assessment phase - there is no standard structure that applies to every partnership.

Pivots are normal in early-stage product development. We expect them and structure our partnership agreements to accommodate them. If the product pivots in a direction that changes the nature of the technical work significantly, we discuss what that means for the partnership - openly and in good faith. We are not looking for an exit when things get hard.

Yes - most partnership agreements include a buyout provision that allows the founder to purchase the equity or revenue share at a fair value if the business reaches a stage where that makes sense. The terms of any buyout are agreed at the outset rather than negotiated at the point of exercise.

Partnerships are not only for completely unfunded products. Some founders have seed funding that covers part of the development cost but want a technical partner with long-term skin in the game rather than a purely commercial contractor. We are open to hybrid arrangements that combine a reduced commercial fee with a smaller equity stake.

Related Pricing

Hire Us

Day rate engagement for ongoing work
Bespoke Projects

Fixed-scope, fixed-price project delivery

Got a product idea?

Tell us about your product, your market, and where you are in the journey. We will tell you honestly whether a partnership makes sense.

Let's Talk

Free consultation · No commitment · Response within 24 hours