Ask HN: How to spread risk as tech co-founder?

I’m considering helping non-tech co-founders with their idea. The ones I have spoken to are pre-funding. I’d likely be architecting and building MVP/version 1.

I’d be working at this full time so would be looking for a wage within a year - what is the best way to hedge my bets pre-funding? Work with two 20hrs/week each? Or work on one at a time and look to fail fast within a couple months?

I don’t want to burn my co-founder relationship by suggesting something that is uncommon.