Solo Founders Don’t Pay a Tax

Author

Kieran Ryan
January 27, 2026

When a solo founder can convince a VC they’re a great investment, they don’t pay a tax. The VC doesn’t demand more equity to counter the perceived risk of a solo founder.

Peter Walker, Head of Insights at Carta

For years, the Valley has pushed a harmful narrative: many investors won’t take you seriously unless you have a co-founder.

The data says otherwise.

Solo founders are raising substantial amounts of capital on similar terms to companies with co-founders.

In the full post, we break down dilution, round size, and valuations by stage, differences in round timing, and how ownership quietly compounds in ways most solo founders overlook.

Solo, together.

— Julian, Kieran, & The Solo Founders Team