When it comes to building a startup, few decisions are as make-or-break as choosing the right co-founder. Beyond sharing a vision, a co-founder can be the difference between riding out inevitable storms — or sinking before even leaving the harbor.
It’s not just about complementary skills but about matching ethics, energy, and ambition, says Archana Jahagirdar, Founder of Rukam Capital, who has a stark warning for entrepreneurs on the stakes involved.
Stressing how pivotal this relationship is in a startup’s formative years, Archana Jahagirdar, Founder of Rukam Capital, sounded a note of caution for entrepreneurs.
“A wrong co-founder can kill your startup faster than a bad market,” the investor warned in a post on LinkedIn.
Explaining her point further, she wrote, “Forget product, forget market, forget even funding. The #1 reason startups fail is co-founder conflict. Not because people hate each other — but because they never aligned on two things: 1. Ethics. 2. Energy. You don’t need the same skills or background.”
“But if one person wants to chase headlines and secondaries, and the other is okay living modestly to build long-term value — it will fall apart. If one person’s up at 7 am building decks and chasing customers, and the other checks out after lunch — you won’t survive the tough days. This is not just about founders,” she warned.
“At Rukam Capital, this is how we think about hiring too. Low energy, misaligned values? Doesn’t matter how smart you are. It won’t work,” Jahagirdar said.
“Startups aren’t built by ideas. They’re built by conviction that matches — in character, in ambition, and in effort,” she added.
Her post sparked a wave of agreement and personal reflections from founders and professionals alike.
“Startup founding is often a marriage of convenience but alignment on vision is non-negotiable. It’s absolutely critical for co-founders to share a clear, committed direction and work relentlessly toward it,” wrote a user.
A founder commented, “Absolutely true. Alignment on ethics and energy sets the foundation for everything else. Skills can be learned, but values and drive are what hold a team together during the toughest phases. This applies not just to co-founders but to every hire in a growing startup.”
“Totally agree — co-founder chemistry is the invisible foundation nobody talks enough about. You can pivot product or find new investors, but misaligned values or energy? That’s a slow fracture. I’ve seen teams with complementary skills fail because they weren’t rowing in the same direction emotionally and ethically. Startups are marathons, not sprints — having that shared mindset and grit is everything,” a third agreed.
