“Building up a company is a long-term commitment. Many even compare the partnerships between cofounders to marriage. One critical factor in choosing a cofounder is ascertaining whether you have professional chemistry. It’s a complex assessment that an entire industry has sprung up to help solve, from Y Combinator’s cofounder matching service to startups like MVP Match.

But how do founders really meet the right person to work with? From grade school side hustles to an impromptu running club, Sifted chatted to five founders about how they found their business partner.”

“With the rise of remote work, freelancers and startup entrepreneurs have spoken out about the loneliness that comes with being self-employed. Social and networking events at coworking spaces provide a potential remedy — as well as opportunities to meet cofounders and collaborators.

For Phoebe Smith, CEO of creative production hub HeLo, workspace Second Home was the key to jumpstarting a collaborative project with design studio Superbright. She’s now raising money for Ukraine through a digital art installation auctioning off a series of NFTs.

‘It’s easy to get started with people at Second Home because you already feel very connected, and so the barriers are removed somewhat, and you can just get going,’ Smith says.”