How to Find the Right Tech Partner for your Startup
You already had a wonderful moment of revelation. You have a great idea, but you don't know how to take it to the market.
It's ok; the same thing happens to most business founders who do not have technical skills and want to develop some technological project. To turn your idea into a solution, it is clear that you need someone who has the specialized knowledge that can help with your startup business. But finding the right partner is not always easy. So here are a few recommendations to find the best developer for your startup.
4 Tips for Software Development for Startups >
1. Define the project scope
You must know your project better than anyone. Even if the technical aspects are difficult for you, it's still important to know your company’s needs and ambitions by heart. It is also essential to be clear about the business model and the resources you require. If you can't present your project clearly to a potential partner, they will not be interested in providing help with your startup business.
2. Have a good presentation for the project
It may sound a bit like Shark Tank. Still, even if you don't have anything developed yet, it's good to have a sales presentation that goes over your project's most important goals and needs. In addition, the reactions of the partner candidate to your presentation may be your first indicator of whether or not they are a good fit for you.
3. Do a detailed search for partner candidates:
There are several ways to do this search for help with your startup. Google can be useful, but, at the same time, very broad. Try to use portals specialized for finding companies, such as GoodFirms or Clutch. There you can find detailed information about the companies such as qualifications, expertise, past projects, reviews, prices, and location. This information can help you decide if a company has the expertise you need, prices that fit your budget, and the ideal conditions to work with you.
4. Don't sign with the first one you liked
Ideally, you should analyze between three and five companies before deciding on one. Then, contact them to see if they are interested in your project. If you are just one more customer for them—if they don’t show sincere excitement for your idea—it’s better to let them go.
Here’s a tip: When you start talking to the different developers for startups, find out about flexible payments or ways to negotiate. Startups can be unpredictable, and you don't know what can happen to your budget in the future. For example, some companies are willing to negotiate part of the profits of the final product or other forms of non-cash payment.
5. Make sure they have technical expertise
You may not know much about technology, but try to make sure that the people you hire understand what you need. Don't let a nice presentation or technical words convince you. Instead, do some research and ask questions. The best developer for your startup will be able to understand your needs and clearly articulate how they can help.
In these cases, many people recommend that you look at the case studies or portfolios of the companies. But even these don’t always show you the full picture. Test some of the company’s apps yourself as a measure of whether they can help with your startup business.
6. Keep in mind the importance of communication
Communication is one of the decisive factors that can make your project live or die. It helps to consider how your ally communicates, how often you want the reports, and how involved you want to be in the development of your project. For example, if you like to keep up to date, you’d probably prefer calls over emails.
7. Analyze their work methodology
Photo by Gautam Lakum on Unsplash
The workflow is also something you must consider when finding a developer for a startup. Most companies offer different packages and “levels of compromise” between the team and the client. These levels can affect the speed at which development is done. For example, a dedicated team will take less time than if you hire a team by the hour. It will also be different if you hire a staff augmentation team to work directly with your internal team (if you have one).
Conclusion
Finally, remember that “haste makes waste.” It’s best to take your time to find the perfect technological ally to help with your startup business. Interest, understanding, and communication are needed if you want the project to be successful and go to market on time.
