When Mohamed (Mo) Zamzam decided to leave his well-paid corporate job at 38 to build a startup, he knew one thing with absolute certainty: he couldn't do it alone. What followed was a masterclass in finding, vetting, and building with the right co-founder, a journey that took him from failed attempts with family members to discovering his perfect business partner in an unexpected place.
Mo has also shared his journey on CodeBase’s Ideas to Impact podcast, powered by Techscaler — which you can listen to or watch below — and explored his reasons for joining Techscaler, along with the programme’s impact on Neuron so far, in his founder case study. Now’s your chance to see how it all connects.
Why Co-Founder First, Idea Second
"Co-founder is the first thing," Mo states emphatically. "The ups and downs that you meet along the way - you really need someone there that is committed to the cause. On days where you're down and low, they are the energy that pulls you back up and it works vice versa."
This isn't just motivational speak. For Mo, a systems architect with 20 years in enterprise tech, the math was simple: he understood enterprise sales and technology positioning, but he wasn't a builder. He needed someone who could actually create what he envisioned.
But more importantly, he recognised that the emotional rollercoaster of startup life requires a true partner. "You'd never get that kind of commitment to the cause or energy to keep going unless you're a co-founder."
The False Starts: When Family and Skills Don't Align
Mo's first instinct was logical - recruit his technically-minded brother. "Obviously we're family and you wouldn't trust anyone else more than you would trust your family member on such a venture."
But trust wasn't enough. After weeks of trying to convince his brother to join, Mo learned his first hard lesson: alignment on risk appetite matters more than blood relations. His brother wasn't ready to give up a well-paid job for the uncertainty of startup life.
Other attempts failed for different reasons. One potential co-founder was "more on the business development side" - meaning both were essentially salespeople without building capabilities. Others came from completely different industries, creating misalignment from the start.
The Breakthrough: Finding Shiv Through Techscaler
Frustrated by traditional networking, Mo took a strategic approach. He joined Techscaler’s early-stage accelerator, First Steps (now Catalyst), reasoning that everyone in the programme was already committed to starting something - making it the perfect hunting ground for co-founders.
On the very first day, he met Shiv. The conversation flowed naturally, but more importantly, their backgrounds were perfectly complementary:
- Shiv: Product management background, technical and hands-on, startup veteran focused on customer experience and building
- Mohamed: Enterprise sales expertise, corporate background, vision and partnership development
"He's worked in startups all his life. I worked in corporate all of my life," Mo explains. "He is a hands-on builder... I am selling to prospect users, prospect businesses, the vision, the idea."
The Vetting Process: Time and Commitment Testing
Even with obvious skill complementarity, Mo and Shiv didn't immediately dive in together. The relationship building took weeks, with multiple meetings both inside and outside the programme.
The key was alignment testing across multiple dimensions:
Vision Alignment: "We were never in a disagreement around where the future is headed. I think both him and I were in agreement that we wanted to start a business in the AI space."
Ambition Alignment: "We were both aligned in terms of the ambition to build something that is of large scale."
Commitment Testing: Mo faced a crucial hurdle - proving his dedication while maintaining a full-time job and executive MBA studies. Shiv was already working full-time on his idea, creating an imbalance that needed addressing.
The Four Pillars of Co-Founder Compatibility
Based on Mo's experience, successful co-founder partnerships require alignment across four critical areas:
1. Trust and Values
Can you rely on this person when everything goes wrong? Do you share fundamental beliefs about how business should be conducted?
2. Risk Appetite and Commitment Level
Are you both willing to make the same sacrifices? This test has proven challenging even for people like Mo's brother, who brought both technical expertise and close family connections to the situation.
3. Complementary Strengths
Your skills should add up to a complete founding team. Mo brought enterprise sales and vision; Shiv brought product development and hands-on building.
4. Shared Ambition
You need alignment on the ultimate goal. Both Mo and Shiv wanted to "build something that is of large scale" - not just a lifestyle business or quick flip.
The Process: How to Actually Find Your Co-Founder
Mo's successful approach offers a replicable framework:
Cast a Wide Net: "You just need to be open minded and meet people, go and attend events, networking events, be out there and be willing to speak to as many people as you come across."
Be Strategically Open: "When you speak to them, be as open minded and open in discussions as possible because you never know what will come exactly."
Choose Your Hunting Grounds: Rather than generic networking events, Mo targeted Techscaler because everyone there was already committed to starting something.
Test Over Time: Don't rush the decision. Mo and Shiv met multiple times over weeks, observing how their conversations flowed and whether disagreements emerged.
Prove Your Commitment: When Shiv was already full-time and Mo wasn't, Mo had to demonstrate his dedication through actions, not just words.
Red Flags to Avoid
Mo's failed attempts reveal common co-founder traps:
- Similar skill sets: Two business development people or two pure technical people without complementary abilities
- Misaligned risk tolerance: One person ready to quit their job, the other wanting to stay safe
- Industry misalignment: Backgrounds so different that you can't leverage each other's networks and knowledge
- Commitment imbalance: One person all-in while the other is testing the waters
The Long Game: Why This Approach Works
A year after finding each other, Mo and Shiv have:
- Raised pre-seed funding from VCs
- Built a team of four full-time employees
- Achieved ISO 27001 certification
- Landed paying customers across multiple countries
- Established a clear product-market fit process
Most importantly, they've weathered the inevitable ups and downs together. "There have been many [ups and downs] in this past year alone," Mo reflects. "You really need someone there that is committed to the cause."
The Bottom Line for Founders
Mo's advice is unequivocal: find your co-founder before you fall in love with your idea. The right partnership can pivot between business models, adapt to market feedback, and persist through the inevitable valleys of startup life.
But finding that person requires patience, strategic networking, and honest self-assessment of your own strengths and weaknesses. Most importantly, it requires time - time to test alignment, commitment, and compatibility under pressure.
As Mo puts it: "You'd never get that kind of energy to keep going unless you're a co-founder." In the brutal world of startups, that energy - and the person who provides it - might be the most valuable asset you ever acquire.
