co-op your product

Most of the founders I talk to did one of three things to build their prototypes - they either hired a co-op, hired a contractor, or hired an agency.

If you can’t find someone to build your prototype for free (ie a technical co-founder), you might be surprised to learn that the co-op is going to be your best bet 80% of the time.

Co-ops or interns are eager to build things and get experience. They won’t require changes to the statement of work or expensive redesigns. It’s a win-win - they get experience and you get flexible, inexpensive development.

An agency is always going to be the most expensive and least flexible option. A contractor is great if you’re building something technically complex, but most of the time your prototype is not going to qualify.

As you get traction (and hopefully funding), you will need technical maturity. This is where needs start to diverge. But when you’re just starting out trying to validate an idea, you’ll probably be best served by contacting your local university or college and asking about their co-op program.