# Technical co-founder

Concept · [Technical basics](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/technical)

Also called: technical cofounder, tech co-founder, co-founder, cofounder, founding engineer, non-technical founder

A founding partner who can build the product themselves and who makes the technology decisions. They share [ownership](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/equity) of the company, not just a [paycheck](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/payroll).

**For example:** One [founder](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/founder) knows the restaurant business and finds customers. Her technical co-founder builds the ordering system. Each holds [equity](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/equity).

## Connects to (10)

- [CTO](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/cto): Chief technology officer.
- [Equity](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/equity): Ownership in a company.
- [Vesting](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/vesting): Earning your shares bit by bit over time instead of all at once.
- [Contractor vs employee](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/contractor-vs-employee): A contractor is an outside person or firm you pay for a defined piece of work, and they decide how to do it.
- [Software engineer](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/software-engineer): A person who designs, writes and maintains code for a living.
- [Founder](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/founder): A person who starts a company and owns part of it from the beginning.
- [ACT House](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/act-house): A Tulsa accelerator with an investing arm.
- [Gray Owl Coffee](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/gray-owl-coffee): A worker cooperative coffee shop and roastery in downtown Norman.
- [Fractional CTO](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/fractional-cto): A part-time chief technology officer.
- [Technical advisor](https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/technical-advisor): An experienced engineer or technology leader who gives a startup occasional advice on technical choices, such as what to build on and whom…

Map view: https://ecosystem.samcarlton.com/technical-co-founder