This happened about two years ago. 


My college professor had an idea for a startup and recruited me and two friends (Friend A and friend B) to get the idea going. We submitted it to an startup incubator program of 1 year duration and we got accepted, so we started working pretty serious in this project. I've had just got out off college, so I decided to commit full time to this project.

It's worth to take note that there was no contracts signed by any of the parties. We were just a bunch of friend that counted with each other's and willing to make something work.

At that point, my professor talks to everyone that it's important for us to stick together and don't abandon the project because that was the only way the project would work out. He emphasizes this to me, since I already had abandoned a startup before that I started with friend A and friend B.

Ten months passes by and three things happen:

1 - I became the key member of the startup, as I was the one most thecnicaly capacitated member able to build a prototype and had the most "spare" time to do it.
2 - I start distrusting the viability of the project
3 - I noticed that I was working on something I was not passionate about

So after some back and forth toughts about leaving the startup afraid of the reaction of my colleagues, I finally muster the courage to do it. And as expected, the reaction wasn't that great.

My professor and friend A called me an asshole for doing it. Friend B was kinda ok with it, since we actually had talked about that between us and he was thinking in leaving the team too.

Since friend A and my professor was so upset with me, I offer to work for them for free part time for 2 months(which was the remaining time for the incubation program to finish) so I can help them build a prototype for the project and help train and find someone to replace me. I also say I'm giving up all my shares of the startup and I would take zero money of future income they would make with the prototype I was helping to make.

They're still not happy with it, but I had made my mind and there was no way I would keep working on something that was making miserable for what it would look for the rest of my life. So after some time of them trying to reason with me for me staying on the group, they finally take the deal and I compromise to work for them for those two awful and awkward next months.

And so I did.

During that time I also believe my professor kinda of abused of my offer and pushed some extra work for me that was not planned for the prototype. He also called me on for delaying a deliver during a week while I was really busy taking care of my girlfriend who we found out had a tumor on her knee and pretty much couldn't walk. Still I delivered what I promised latter.

Friend A and friend B were actually pretty cool to me during those months and kinda acted as if nothing had happened. I can say friend A was upset with me, though(which was pretty understanble).

After those two months I finally was free for that slave-kinda period that sucked so much and finally could spent my time on my new projects.

A few months latter I hear from friend B that they ended the startup. Which was not a surprise for me actually.


 Tl Dr:

So... AITA for abandoning a startup with my friends after I compromised with them, even though I offered working for them for free for a while and giving up any future income?


