[nostrademons]

1. Interesting product or service. I like to work on cool problems.

2. Team that I like and trust. Implicit in this is that it's people I know; I can't imagine working with non-technical strangers on a business idea.

3. Non-technical founders know what they don't know and don't try to trivialize it. They don't all have to be hackers, but they do have to realize that you need hackers to get a web startup off the ground.

4. Fills in gaps in my skillset and covers areas I'm weak in. I'm more than happy to have someone else do the dealmaking, the people-stuff, the legal minutiae, the graphic design, and the drumming-up-business part.

5. Offers fair equity. Doesn't need to be a majority, but you're dreaming if you think you can get away with 5-10% (some dot-coms in the first boom tried that, with predictable results). If there's one other founder I'd want at least 35-40% (assuming he did almost all the non-technical work), if there're two others I'd want at least 25-30%, if there are multiple I'd want equity on par with what the other "primary" participants are getting.