Defining Roles and Responsibilities for Co-Founders
Takeaway: Clearly defining roles and responsibilities on day one transforms a passionate group of founders into a high-functioning executive team, eliminating ambiguity and enabling focused execution.
In the earliest days of a startup, founders wear countless hats. The same person who is optimizing a DNA sequence in the morning might be taking out the trash in the afternoon and pitching a VC in the evening. This all-hands-on-deck mentality is essential for survival. However, as the company grows, this lack of structure quickly becomes a liability, leading to duplicated work, critical tasks being dropped, and confusion over who has the final say.
Formalizing roles and responsibilities isn't about building a rigid corporate bureaucracy; it's about creating clarity, accountability, and speed.
Beyond Titles to Functional Ownership
This exercise is more profound than simply handing out C-suite titles. It's about assigning clear ownership for the company's core functions. Even if one person holds multiple roles at the start, you need to know who is ultimately accountable for each area of the business. For a typical synbio startup, these primary functions include:
The Visionary & Fundraiser (Typically the CEO): This person is the external face of the company. They are responsible for setting the overall vision and strategy, leading fundraising efforts, recruiting the team, and serving as the ultimate decision-maker.
The Technical Lead (CTO or CSO): This founder leads the science and technology. They are responsible for the R&D roadmap, managing the lab and scientific team, hitting technical milestones, and solving the core scientific challenges.
The Operator (COO or Head of Ops): This founder is the internal engine that makes the company run. They manage day-to-day operations, including finance, lab setup, HR, legal, and translating the CEO’s strategy into a concrete operational plan.
This strategic exercise is then legally formalized after incorporation, when the Board of Directors officially appoints the corporate officers (e.g., President/CEO, Secretary, Treasurer/CFO), granting them the legal authority to act on behalf of the corporation.
Create a "Who Owns What?" Matrix
One of the most effective ways to do this is to sit down as a team and create a simple chart. List all the critical business activities down one column and the founders' names across the top. For each activity, mark who is the primary owner (P)—the person who is 100% accountable for getting it done—and who needs to be consulted (C). For example:
Fundraising Pitch Deck:
Founder A (CEO): P (Primary Owner)
Founder B (CSO): C (Consulted)
Founder C (COO): C (Consulted)
Lab Safety Protocols:
Founder A (CEO): C (Consulted)
Founder B (CSO): P (Primary Owner)
Founder C (COO): C (Consulted)
Hiring First Scientist:
Founder A (CEO): C (Consulted)
Founder B (CSO): P (Primary Owner)
Founder C (COO): C (Consulted)
Negotiating Lab Lease:
Founder A (CEO): C (Consulted)
Founder B (CSO): C (Consulted)
Founder C (COO): P (Primary Owner)
Setting Annual Budget:
Founder A (CEO): P (Primary Owner)
Founder B (CSO): C (Consulted)
Founder C (COO): C (Consulted)
This simple exercise instantly clarifies lanes and eliminates ambiguity. It establishes who has the final say in a given area, which prevents decision-making bottlenecks and ensures that someone is always responsible. Investors will also look for this clarity; it gives them confidence that you are not just a group of brilliant scientists, but a professional and organized executive team ready to build a scalable company.
Disclaimer: This post is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, or financial advice. Reading or relying on this content does not create an attorney–client relationship. Every startup’s situation is unique, and you should consult qualified legal or tax professionals before making decisions that may affect your business.