How to Write a Eulogy for Your Co Founder - Eulogy Examples & Tips

Losing a co founder hits in a way that is personal and public at the same time. You are grieving a person who shaped your work life, your daily routine, and possibly your future. You may also be speaking to investors, employees, customers, and family members. This guide helps you write a thoughtful eulogy that honors the human being behind the role and respects the business context. We explain terms you might see, give clear structure to follow, and offer ready to use examples you can adapt.

Who this guide is for

This article is for founders, CEOs, early employees, board members, or close friends who have been asked to speak about a co founder at a funeral, memorial, company all hands, or celebration of life. It is especially aimed at people who want something usable and honest without corporate speak. If your relationship with the co founder was complicated, there are examples for that too.

What is a eulogy and why it matters

A eulogy is a short speech that honors a person who has died. It is a chance to share memories, to name what the person meant to you and to others, and to help the community grieve. For a co founder the eulogy also plays a role in framing the legacy of the company and giving coworkers permission to feel both loss and gratitude.

Terms and acronyms you might see

• Cofounder A person who helped start a company with one or more partners.
• All hands A company meeting where everyone is invited to hear updates and ask questions.
• Board The group of people who oversee the company at a governance level. The board may need to coordinate messages about the passing.
• PR Short for public relations. The PR team or person helps shape public messages about sensitive events.
• IP Intellectual property. This includes product code, designs, and proprietary know how that can have legal importance after someone dies.
• NDAs Non disclosure agreements. These are legal contracts that protect private information. Speak with legal before sharing sensitive details.

How long should a eulogy for a co founder be

Keep it focused. Aim for three to seven minutes when speaking at a funeral or memorial. If you are addressing a company all hands, a short acknowledgment of two to five minutes may be better and can be followed by a longer recorded tribute distributed to staff. The best eulogies balance human detail with an awareness of the audience.

Before you start writing

There are practical steps that make the writing and delivery easier.

• Check with family Ask the family what they are comfortable with companies saying publicly. They may want certain private details left out.
• Coordinate with leadership Talk to other founders, the board, HR, and PR about timing and tone. Decide who will speak and what will be shared company wide.
• Decide the venue Will you speak at a funeral, a memorial, a company all hands, or a hybrid event? Tone and length will change depending on the place.
• Collect material Ask colleagues, friends, and family for one memory each. Short, specific stories are gold.
• Respect legal needs If the co founder owned specific company equity or IP, confirm with legal that the remarks will not create confusion about ownership or ongoing business matters.

Structure that works for a co founder eulogy

Good structure gives you permission to be human and keeps the audience engaged. Use this simple shape.

• Opening Say who you are and your relationship. Mention why you are speaking now.
• Short life sketch Give a quick portrait of the person outside their job. Think family roles, hobbies, and core personality traits.
• Co founder story Tell one or two startup era stories that reveal character. Focus on moments that shaped the team or product.
• Impact and values Summarize what they taught the company and the people around them.
• Closing and call to memory Offer a way for people to honor the person, such as sharing a memory in a company channel, making a donation, or planting a tree.

Writing the opening

Start simple. Your opening buys you time and centers the room.

Opening examples

• Hello everyone. I am Maya and I was lucky to call Alex my co founder and my friend for ten years.
• Hi. I am Omar. I started the company with Priya when we had more caffeine than sleep. I am honored to remember her today.
• Good afternoon. I am Sam, chief product officer. I worked with Jamie since our first demo, and I want to share a few memories and say what Jamie meant to this team.

How to write the life sketch for a co founder

Don't make it a CV. A life sketch should quickly tell the person as a human beyond titles and milestones. Include what they loved, a hobby, or how they showed up for people.

Life sketch templates

• [Name] grew up in [place]. Outside work they loved [hobby], they were a parent to [names], and they collected [quirky thing].
• [Name] studied [field] and later channeled that curiosity into building products that helped [who or what]. They were the kind of person who would [small human detail].

Anecdotes that matter in a startup context

Stories from the trenches are what people will remember. Pick moments that reveal grit, generosity, or the way they made tough choices.

Good anecdote examples

• The first investor meeting that went wrong and how they turned a humiliating demo into a joke and a later term sheet.
• The overnight bug fix where they refused to sleep until customers were back online and then brewed coffee for the whole team at dawn.
• The time they refused to fire someone and instead mentored them until the person became a key engineer.

Addressing complex or strained business relationships

Not every co founder relationship is pure. If your partnership had tension, you can still be honest and kind. The goal is to acknowledge reality without turning the eulogy into a board room dispute.

Examples for complex relationships

• We did not always agree. We fought about strategy and we argued late into the night. Still, those arguments forced us to build better products and to defend our customers.
• We split equity early and later patched things together. In the end we learned to trust each other with what mattered most.
• Even when we disagreed publicly, [Name] was the first to volunteer when a teammate needed help. That showed their core values better than any meeting could.

Using humor the right way

Light, human humor works well for a crowd that knew the person at work. Avoid jokes that could embarrass family or confuse people who did not work at the company.

Safe humor examples

• [Name] believed a product roadmap was a living thing which meant it was sometimes a suggestion rather than a plan. They would laugh at our version control for roadmaps.
• They had a ritual of naming every server after a cartoon character. We still have Scooby in production because nobody could bear to rename it.

What to avoid when writing a co founder eulogy

• Avoid long lists of metrics and funding rounds without stories. People want the person, not a press release.
• Avoid revealing private legal or medical details. Check with family and legal counsel first.
• Avoid corporate spin. Honest warmth beats marketing language.
• Avoid blaming or public airing of disputes. This is not the time to settle business scores.

Full eulogy examples you can adapt

Below are full examples following the structure above. Replace bracketed text with your details and speak from the heart.

Example 1: Warm and human, 3 to 5 minute version

Hi everyone. I am Tom. I met Riley at a hackathon and twelve coffee fueled months later we had a prototype and a plan. Riley grew up in Portland and was a talented maker who loved vinyl records and weekend bike rides. They were the person who always made time to explain a tricky bit of code to a new engineer and who celebrated every small win like it was a company milestone.

I remember one night in year two when the product crashed the night before a big demo. Riley sat in the office with error logs spread out like evidence and refused to leave until we had a fix. At three in the morning they ordered dumplings for the team and said we would get it right together. That night we did not just fix a bug. We became a team that trusted each other in crisis.

Riley taught us how to care about craft and people at the same time. They pushed for cleaner code and kinder onboarding. We will miss their laugh, their stubborn kindness, and the way they insisted our product be useful for real people. Please join us in signing the memory book on the table or adding a note to the memory channel if you are remote. Thank you, Riley, for building with us and for building us.

Example 2: Short company all hands version

Hello everyone. I am Priya, CEO and co founder with Marcus. Marcus was the engine behind our product and also the person who kept the office plants alive. Today we are heartbroken. Marcus believed deeply in fixing what was broken rather than moving on. He taught us to be persistent and to treat user feedback like gold. We will be holding a virtual memorial this Friday and a shared document is open for memories and messages. For now let us remember Marcus by doing the work he loved with the same care he showed us.

Example 3: Complicated relationship, honest and respectful

My name is Jen. I was operational lead and co founder with Noah. We had a partnership that was intense and not always smooth. We pushed each other, sometimes too hard. In recent years we found a better rhythm and Noah became a steady presence for the team he once challenged. He leaves a company that is stronger because of his stubborn insistence that the product actually solve a problem. I am thankful to have had the ride with him and I will miss our late night strategy debates. Thank you Noah for everything you taught me and this team.

Example 4: Remote founder tribute for distributed teams

Hi all. I am Lucas, remote lead and co founder with Ayana. Ayana was the glue in our distributed team. She started every week with a short video that made people laugh and feel seen. She believed presence was not about being in an office but about noticing people. Even across time zones she would remember birthdays and ask about small wins. We will hold a synchronous remembrance next week at 10 a m PT and a record of memories will be kept in the shared folder for those who cannot attend. Please add even one line if you have a memory to share.

Fill in the blank templates

Pick a template and add your details. Read it out loud and trim anything that feels like corporate speak.

Template A: Classic heartfelt

My name is [Your Name]. I co founded [Company Name] with [Name] in [year]. Outside work they loved [hobby] and were a [family role]. One memory that shows who they were is [short story]. [Name] taught us [value or lesson]. We will miss [what people will miss]. Thank you for being here and for holding their memory.

Template B: Short company message

Hello. I am [Your Name], co founder. Today we are grieving the loss of [Name]. They were the person who [small achievement or habit]. We will be gathering at [time or place] to remember them and to share memories. Please use [internal channel or document] to leave notes.

Template C: Honest and measured for a complicated history

I am [Your Name]. My relationship with [Name] was not always easy. We disagreed about many things and yet together we built [what you built]. In the end we found a way to respect each other s strengths. If I could say one thing to them now it would be [short line you want to say].

Practical tips for delivery

• Choose a clear voice Speak simply. Save complex business context for separate communications like a letter to investors.
• Use printed notes or index cards Large font and short bullets make it easier to keep going if you get emotional.
• Mark pauses Put a note where you want to breathe or allow the audience a moment to react.
• Practice with a colleague Running the opening a few times helps steady nerves and sets the pace.
• Keep the audience in mind If family is present, address them with warmth. If speaking at a company meeting, include practical next steps and points of contact for grief support.
• Be mindful of tech For a remote memorial test your camera, mic, and internet. Have a backup like a phone hotspot ready.

What to say about the company and the future

People will want to know what happens next. Keep business updates separate from the eulogy when possible. Use the eulogy for human remembrance and follow up with a formal note from leadership about operations, ownership, and continuity. This keeps the moment emotionally honest and practically useful.

Sharing the eulogy and sensitive information

Before posting the eulogy publicly check with the family and legal counsel. Sensitive details about contracts, funding, or health should not be included without permission. If the family agrees, consider sharing a recorded version with staff and a separate public statement for customers and media.

How to include readings, music, or product moments

Short readings that mattered to the co founder are meaningful. If they loved a particular song, play a short clip. If they were proud of a product milestone, mention a single moment that captures their approach. Avoid long product timelines in the eulogy itself.

After the eulogy

Expect people to want to talk. Provide a private space for close family and colleagues to gather after the talk. Offer resources like the employee assistance program or local grief counseling for staff who might need it. Collect memories in a shared document or memory book so people who cannot speak publicly still have a way to contribute.

Checklist before you speak

• Confirm the venue and who else is speaking.
• Talk to family about content and permissions.
• Coordinate with HR and PR for company communications.
• Print your speech and a backup copy.
• Practice out loud at least three times.
• Have a plan for technical failures if you are remote.
• Decide how you will signal if you need another person to finish your remarks.

Glossary of useful terms and acronyms

• Cofounder A person who helped start a company with one or more partners.
• All hands A meeting where everyone in the company is invited to attend.
• Board Group of people who guide major decisions and oversight for the company.
• PR Public relations, or the team who helps manage external messaging.
• IP Intellectual property, meaning code, designs, patents, and proprietary knowledge.
• NDA A legal agreement that keeps information private. Short for non disclosure agreement.
• EAP Employee assistance program. A company benefit that offers counseling and support services.

Frequently asked questions

How do I balance company updates with a personal eulogy

Deliver the eulogy as a human remembrance and follow up with a separate company update. If you must combine them, keep the business part brief and clear and return to human stories as soon as possible.

What if I was not close to the co founder but was asked to speak

Be honest about your relationship and focus on what you witnessed. Short, sincere remarks about their impact on the team are appropriate. You can also offer to read a statement from family if you prefer not to speak personally.

Can I include product milestones in the eulogy

Yes when they illustrate the person s values. Use one or two product moments to show character. Avoid turning the eulogy into a company history lecture.

Should I record the eulogy for the company archive

Ask the family before recording and sharing. If they approve, a recorded version can be a comfort to teammates who were not present and a historic record of the person s voice and presence.

How do I handle tears while speaking

Pause, breathe, and look at your notes. The room will wait. If you cannot continue, have a trusted colleague ready to step in and finish a sentence or the closing line.

Who else should speak at a company memorial

Consider a small mix of people: a family member, a close colleague, and a leader for practical updates. Keep total speaking time reasonable so people can reflect without getting overwhelmed.