Meaning & use
co-founded
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“co-founded” is a form of “co-found”.
Meaning
verbtransitive
Started an organization, company, or group together with one or more other people.
Grammar: Takes an object: co-founded a startup. Often used in the passive: was co-founded by.
Patterns
- co-found something
- co-found something with someone
- be co-founded by someone
She co-founded a software company with two classmates in 2018.
The charity was co-founded by a group of local teachers.
They co-founded the club to help new students settle in.
Word forms
| third person singular | co-founds |
|---|---|
| past tense | co-founded |
| past participle | co-founded |
| present participle | co-founding |
Common combinations
- co-founded with
- The bakery was co-founded with her sister.
- co-founded by
- The museum was co-founded by a wealthy collector.
- co-founded a company
- He co-founded a company that makes electric bikes.
Synonyms and how they differ
- established
- Can mean started something alone or with others; co-founded always implies at least two founders.
- set up
- More informal and general; co-founded is more formal and specific to joint creation.
Word family
- co-founder noun
- A person who co-founds something.
- co-found verb
- To start something together with others.
Commonly confused: co-founded or founded?
co-founded vs founded
Founded means started by one person or group; co-founded specifically means started jointly by two or more people.
Practice
The company ______ by three engineers in a garage.
Choose one answer.
The passive 'was co-founded' fits because the company is the receiver of the action. 'Co-founded' alone would need an active subject like 'The engineers co-founded the company.'
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “co-founded”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.