So you want to build a machine learning startup? Here's what you must do first - BizWest

For example, Bates said a founder has to decide if they're going to hire a data-science team to run the project, have existing engineers work on it in their spare time or outsource the project to an outside data-science team. While using existing engineers might be the most attractive and affordable option, Bates warns against that option, as it runs the possibility of your engineers not having the background to fully understand the algorithms and issues that come up. As to deciding between building a team in-house or outsourcing, one thing to consider is if the project could exist without machine learning. If it's crucial to the identity of the project, it's worthwhile to invest in building a dedicated in-house team.