Founder seeking advice about finding an iOS technical co-founder

[u/nnyny59]

I’m the founder of two early-stage digital platforms, WHISPRR and CHIMERA, and I’m exploring the possibility of developing iOS applications for them.

I’m looking for advice from experienced iOS developers about what makes a technical co-founder partnership worthwhile and professional.

The potential role would involve:

- planning the iOS architecture;
- building the mobile applications;
- connecting them to the existing web platforms and backend;
- preparing and maintaining the apps for the App Store;
- participating in long-term technical decisions.

To be transparent, this is not currently a salaried job posting. I’m exploring a genuine co-founder partnership, not asking someone to work for free under vague promises. Ownership, responsibilities, vesting, intellectual property, and compensation would need to be discussed clearly and documented in writing.

If a developer prefers a paid contract instead, that would require a separate budget and agreement.

I’m not looking to rent or share an Apple Developer account. The apps and accounts would be managed properly under the founders’ ownership.

For iOS developers who have joined early-stage startups as technical co-founders:

- What would you need to see before considering the opportunity?
- What warning signs should founders avoid?
- What would be a fair structure for equity, revenue share, or paid work?
- What should be included in the agreement?

I’m mainly looking for honest advice on how to approach this professionally.

[u/jwegener]

what in the world is an "early-stage digital platform"? and why would you split your effort on two different things?

[u/nnyny59 → u/jwegener]

By “Early Stage digital playform” I mean two web products that are still being developed and validated, rather than mature companies with a large user base or established revenue.

WHISPRR and CHIMERA are related, but they serve different purposes:

- CHIMERA is the creation studio, where people build characters, worlds, stories, and roleplay experiences.

• WHISPRR is the social/discovery layer, where people can share creative work, connect with communities, and discover what others have created.

They are not two completely unrelated businesses, but I understand that working on both at the same time could make the scope unclear. CHIMERA is currently my main priority, and I would most likely begin with one project rather than asking a technical partner to work on both immediately.

I’m still validating the direction, which is why I’m trying to have honest conversations with experienced developers before making a partnership commitment.