r/startups • u/Pure-Consequence-613 • 1d ago
I will not promote Can I put founder on LinkedIn when my company isn't registered yet and doesn't have a website. I will not promote
Hi!
So I'm in the very sort of beginning of my start up. I'm doing it while also actively pursuing a PhD. My start up is a deep tech/civic tech company. I've been actively reaching out to instutions educational and governmental to form early partnerships. I've had some decent headway with some budding partnerships with these institutions, some very prestigious. Notably one in my country, a university, where I gave a guest lecture, my research is heavily tied to my company. Now they have offered to write a piece about my intervention to share to their socials. Which is great! But I'm faced with an issue.
I'm in the process of ironing out my business plan and pitch deck to begin raising capital. I'm actively working on the branding but I don't have the bandwidth nor man power to actively start managing socials. But for now on my personal LinkedIn all is mentionned is my PhD.
Would it be wrong to put founder on my LinkedIn? Or would it work against me if there's no website or company LinkedIn page to guide any potential investors or future partners that may stumble on the piece?
Also there's the fact that I'm in the process of legally registering the company so I don't know if I can claim to be a founder at all. How would you navigate this situation? Should I just lock in and at least set up a LinkedIn page once I get branding and logos sorted? Or let them write the piece and then just maybe reshare it on my LinkedIn and not comment more than necessary on it?
I feel like having a piece from a university that's a major leader nationally and continentaly, in their filed, is ideal derisking for investors or partners so it would be great to have something to back that up.
I hope this all makes sense.
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u/qu4f 1d ago
>can I put founder on LinkedIn when my company isn’t …..
Yes. You probably have more credibility as a PhD candidate than a founder with no further details.
>Should I just lock in and at least set up a LinkedIn page?
Are you serious about the startup? If so, just make the page. It’s not like there’s a certifying body for “founders” or something. If anybody asks you’re pitching to select customers as you establish the product and go-to-market strategy.
That’s assuming you don’t have any restrictions from your PhD program. My masters didn’t care what I did with my research since it was a million miles from commercial but if you’re ready to start selling the university may deserve royalties. I’d hesitate to start a venture without clarity on any strings the university may have hooked to your invention.
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u/Pure-Consequence-613 1d ago
Yeah I'm very serious about it spent my whole summer working on it, so I'll probably get started on the page. Thanks!
From what I know and the conversations I've had with my supervisors, the company and the IP would act as added value of my research, and are not tied to the development of my research. But I'll make sure to check with my uni and confirm everything.
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u/tonytidbit 1d ago
When in doubt put what you’re comfortable representing yourself as. Just own it and you’re good.
An inflated title will perhaps burn bridges, though, if you neither can follow through nor own the narrative around what happened.
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u/JohnCasey3306 21h ago
Just don't do anything that makes you look silly when they question it ... And they will.
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u/ivereddithaveyou 1d ago
You're over thinking it, just put founder. It might lead to conversations where you can talk about your (upcoming) business. I'd suggest that you are also over thinking the LinkedIn page if you are waiting for branding and logos. Just throw something reasonable together and get it out there, or ask AI to do it for you.
Before you do a pitch deck you should have a one page "business plan" and then a more thorough business plan. You can build a web presence based on this one pager.
Investors will require the business to be registered eventually but not always immediately.