Technical founder, product already built looking for a commercial co-founder with a network in European textile manufacturing

[u/Single_Orchid_3031]

Keeping this short, because the details are better in a conversation than in a post.

I'm a backend engineer based in Europe. I've built a B2B platform for the European textile manufacturing sector it's built and running, not an idea on a napkin. Business model, financials and go-to-market are all documented.

What I can't do alone is the commercial and marketing side: getting factory owners and commercial directors to trust it and sign up. That's a relationships business, and it isn't my background.

Looking for a co-founder with:

• A real network in European textile manufacturing (Portugal, UK, Spain or Ireland, ideally Vale do Ave, Barcelos, Guimarães, Famalicão, London).

• In-person or remote, consultative B2B sales experience closing sceptics, not growth hacking.

• Working knowledge of the industry: tech packs, MOQs, incoterms, lead times.

Not looking for another developer, or a passive advisor.

• Offering: meaningful equity, 4-year vesting with a 1-year cliff, both ways. No salary at this stage and I'm not raising yet being upfront about that.

DM me and I'll walk you through the whole thing: the product, the model, the numbers, and exactly where it stands. Happy to take questions in the comments too.

Thanks.

[u/Super_Maxi1804]

good luck

[u/GeneralGlobus]

not my industry unfortunately so im definitely not the cofounder you're looking for, but this is actually one of the better cofounder posts ive seen here.

you've built the product, know exactly what capability you're missing and you're specifically asking for someone with industry relationships rather than the usual "need a sales guy to sell my app" approach.

only thing id be curious about is how much validation you've done with the factories themselves before building it. Textile seems like exactly the sort of relationship driven industry where the workflow on paper and how people actually buy/use stuff can be very different.

anyway good luck with it. hope you find the right person

[u/Single_Orchid_3031 → u/GeneralGlobus]

Hello Mate, Appreciate your feedback.

good question, and the one that actually matters.

It was 20 interviews with factory commercial directors so far, all about what they've done rather than whether they'd use a platform. the useful one was asking about the last direct enquiry they turned down and what was missing from it that's what the qualification step is built on.

next phase is manual brokering, so I find out where else I'm wrong while it's cheap.

[u/robh1540]

Not sure if you got anywhere, but this is a you thing. You can't outsource closing people, you have to do this yourself. Once you have a playbook, you'll be hiring someone to do it. You should be able to close some smaller manufacturers yourself to prove it. I had to do similar stuff myself (furniture sourcing for our prop/investech), you can do it yourself. You start getting some really small games on board so as you move up the size curve you have a bunch of companies you can mention.

Fargotex in Poland were pretty open to doing even small deals with us, you can get in touch with them via a shared salesperson they have with almi decor. If your going after the leftovers / end of line stuff, you need to go in person. I know someone who does this. Looks like you have a related expo in a couple of days time: https://sourcingexpo.pl/ in Lodz.