When evaluating a team member, there are a few key things to evaluate: 1. Does the team member have a complementary goal and ability to take on risk? If you are looking for a big exit, and your partner wants to make a nice living, your interests will not be aligned. Are they going to quit and work full time, like you? 2. Do all your team members have the skills to take the business where it needs to go? What's missing? 3. How connected are you to your suppliers, customers, sources of finance, accrediting bodies or other key relationships? Can your cofounder fill in those gaps?

First of all, focus on the product, rather than the technology. When it comes to product, you need to identify a real customer pain or problem that is being unaddressed. The best source of inspiration are problems that you face for which you cannot find a solution. To evaluate if this is a real problem, find others who have it. A good place to start for identifying how important a problem is to solve is with Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs. The needs nearer the bottom are generally easier to sell: Thus, Sex, Food and Medicine are easier to sell than lectures on morality. After you have identified a real problem and solution, it is time to validate whether there is a business you can build around the solution. Let me know if you want to walk through evaluating your idea.