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We are going to create a biotech spin-off from our University, now we need a website, with professional design and flyers and the like. Right now we are negotiating some contracts but still do not have funds to pay to designers/web creators for a professional website and the flyers. We were considering the option to tell the designers to work for us, and in case we get some contracts, they will get some money, proportional to our income.

I am not sure this is the right way to proceed, so could you recommend?;

  • a) what is the most appeable way to present to the designers their contribtuion to our project
  • b) in case they are interested, which legal things should we take care of (we are in Spain)
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Basically you want to offer them equity or preferred shares? And if you want to do a biotech startup it has to be funded somehow doesn't it? – Karlson Dec 11 '12 at 20:38
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As a web designer, I would strongly advise: Don't. You won't get taken seriously if you ask to pay on success of the company. I would strongly recommend raising funds to pay a web designer. – andy Dec 12 '12 at 16:36
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Can't you find some university program / class that can assist here? Perhaps a fellow student that wants to expand (create?) their portfolio and would lend a hand? – jimg Dec 18 '12 at 19:31

1 Answer

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Too many other factors affect the success of your venture to expect craftspeople to work for such an uncertain payout.

If you absolutely have no money I definitely endorse trying to get students/teachers involved -- they can work for free, or at least for class credit.

But if you're spending money on anything, that is, if you have any money to spend, then you need to consider marketing as an equal to product development and manufacture and spend accordingly.

Finally, you can get inexpensive web work done through such sites as elance.com, guru.com and the like.

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