Starting an AI company with friends is an ambitious move. Leveraging your background in web development and digital projects, here is a structured guide to getting your venture off the ground.
1. Define the “Why” and the “Who”
Alignment is critical before writing code. AI is a broad field; focus is your greatest asset.
- Role Attribution: Define clear owners for CEO (vision/sales), CTO (architecture), and UI/UX roles.
- The Problem Statement: Don’t just build “AI for X.” Identify a specific bottleneck in industries you know well—like SEO or web hosting—and use AI to solve it.
2. Technical Stack & MVP
Use your existing experience with Supabase, GitHub, and VPS services to build a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) rapidly.
- Model Selection: Decide between using established APIs (like Gemini or OpenAI) or hosting open-source models on your own infrastructure.
- Wrapper vs. Engine: Determine if your value lies in a superior UI/UX for existing models or in fine-tuning models for niche datasets.
- Rapid Prototyping: Use your HTML and PHP skills to build a functional front end quickly to test the core utility.
3. Legal and Operations
Mixing friendship with business requires formal structures to protect both the venture and the relationships.
- Incorporation: Decide between an LLC or a C-Corp based on whether you intend to seek outside venture capital.
- Founders’ Agreement: Document equity splits, 4-year vesting schedules, and exit protocols.
- Intellectual Property (IP): Ensure all contributors sign agreements stating that the code belongs to the company.
4. Market Fit and Scaling
- Avoid the “AI Add-on” Trap: Build something with “defensibility”—unique data or a proprietary workflow that larger platforms cannot easily replicate as a minor feature.
- Beta Testing: Leverage your network in the web development and SEO space to secure your first 10 core users.
- Schedule a “Founder Alignment” meeting to discuss equity and roles.
- Audit your collective data for any unique datasets that could give your AI a competitive edge.
AI Startup Launch Kit
A comprehensive guide for founding an AI company with colleagues and friends.
Phase 1: Strategic Roadmap
Starting an AI company with friends leverages established trust to move fast. Here is your transition plan from creators to a formal startup.
1. Define the “Why” and the “Who”
- Role Attribution: Assign clear owners for CEO (strategy/sales), CTO (AI architecture), and CPO (product/UX).
- The Problem Statement: Focus on a specific bottleneck in familiar industries like SEO or web hosting.
2. Technical Stack & MVP
- Infrastructure: Utilize your experience with Supabase, GitHub, and VPS services for rapid deployment.
- Model Selection: Choose between LLM APIs (Gemini/OpenAI) or hosting open-source models (Llama).
- Rapid Prototyping: Use HTML/PHP to build a functional front end focused on core AI utility.
3. Market Fit & Scaling
- Defensibility: Avoid “AI Add-ons.” Build proprietary workflows or utilize unique datasets.
- Beta Testing: Leverage your existing network in the web development space for your first 10 users.
Phase 2: Founders’ Agreement Template
This document protects your personal relationships and defines the legal structure of your venture.
[Startup Name] Founders’ Agreement
1. Ownership & Equity: Ownership is subject to a 4-year vesting schedule with a 1-year cliff.
- Founder A: [Name] — [Percentage]%
- Founder B: [Name] — [Percentage]%
2. Roles:
- CEO: Strategy, fundraising, and external partnerships.
- CTO: AI architecture, technical stack, and infrastructure.
3. Intellectual Property (IP):
4. Decision Making: Most operational decisions require a majority vote (>50%). Critical structural changes require unanimous consent (100%).
5. Departure: Includes Right of First Refusal (ROFR) and provisions for “Good Leaver” vs “Bad Leaver” scenarios.
Next Steps for the Team
- Founder Alignment Meeting: Discuss equity splits (e.g., 33/33/33 or based on capital contribution).
- Data Audit: Identify unique datasets you control that could train or prompt your AI more effectively.
- Legal Incorporation: Decide between an LLC or a C-Corp based on your funding goals.
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