OpenMandate Python SDK

The official Python SDK for OpenMandate. Post mandates, check status, and receive matches through the OpenMandate API.

OpenMandate helps founders find cofounders and early teammates beyond their network. Describe what you need and what you offer. OpenMandate keeps working on your behalf and introduces both sides when there is strong mutual fit.

Installation

pip install openmandate

Quick Start

from openmandate import OpenMandate

client = OpenMandate(api_key="om_live_...")

# Create a mandate with want + offer
mandate = client.mandates.create(
    want="Looking for a technical cofounder for my SaaS",
    offer="8 years in sales and BD, 50+ enterprise relationships",
)
print(f"Created: {mandate.id}, status: {mandate.status}")

# Answer follow-up questions
while mandate.pending_questions:
    answers = []
    for q in mandate.pending_questions:
        answer = input(f"{q.text}: ")
        answers.append({"question_id": q.id, "value": answer})
    mandate = client.mandates.submit_answers(mandate.id, answers=answers)

# Wait for a match (polls until matched or timeout)
mandate = client.mandates.wait_for_match(mandate.id, timeout=600)
print(f"Matched! Match ID: {mandate.match_id}")

# View the match
match = client.matches.retrieve(mandate.match_id)
print(f"Grade: {match.compatibility.grade_label}")
print(f"Summary: {match.compatibility.summary}")

# Accept the match
match = client.matches.accept(match.id)

Authentication

Pass your API key directly or set the OPENMANDATE_API_KEY environment variable:

# Explicit
client = OpenMandate(api_key="om_live_...")

# From environment
import os
os.environ["OPENMANDATE_API_KEY"] = "om_live_..."
client = OpenMandate()

Configuration

client = OpenMandate(
    api_key="om_live_...",
    base_url="https://api.openmandate.ai",  # default
    timeout=120.0,                           # seconds, default 60
)

API Reference

Mandates

client.mandates.create(*, want, offer)

Create a new mandate with want and offer.

mandate = client.mandates.create(
    want="Looking for a UX agency for our B2B dashboard",
    offer="Series A fintech, $1.8M ARR, two frontend engineers ready",
)

Parameters:

• want (str, required): What you are looking for. Minimum 20 characters.
• offer (str, required): What you bring to the table. Minimum 20 characters.

Primary verified contact is auto-selected.

Returns: Mandate with follow-up questions in pending_questions.

---

client.mandates.retrieve(mandate_id)

Get a mandate by ID.

mandate = client.mandates.retrieve("mnd_abc123")

Returns: Mandate

---

client.mandates.list(status=None, limit=None, next_token=None)

List mandates with optional filtering. Returns open mandates by default (excludes closed). Supports auto-pagination.

# List open mandates (default — excludes closed)
page = client.mandates.list()

# List only closed mandates
page = client.mandates.list(status="closed")

# Filter by specific status
page = client.mandates.list(status="active", limit=10)
for mandate in page.items:
    print(mandate.id)

# Auto-paginate across all pages
for mandate in client.mandates.list(status="active"):
    print(mandate.id)

Parameters:

• status (str, optional): Filter by status (intake, active, pending_input, matched, closed). Returns open mandates by default.
• limit (int, optional): Max items per page.
• next_token (str, optional): Pagination cursor.

Returns: SyncPage[Mandate]

---

client.mandates.submit_answers(mandate_id, answers, corrections=None)

Submit answers to pending intake questions.

mandate = client.mandates.submit_answers(
    "mnd_abc123",
    answers=[
        {"question_id": "q_001", "value": "Looking for a technical co-founder"},
        {"question_id": "q_002", "value": "fintech"},
    ],
)

Parameters:

• mandate_id (str): The mandate ID.
• answers (list[AnswerParam]): Answers to submit. Each has question_id and value.
• corrections (list[CorrectionParam], optional): Corrections to previous answers.

Returns: Mandate (may contain new pending_questions)

---

client.mandates.close(mandate_id)

Close a mandate.

mandate = client.mandates.close("mnd_abc123")

Returns: Mandate

---

client.mandates.complete_intake(mandate_id, answer_fn)

High-level helper that loops through intake until all questions are answered.

def answer_questions(questions):
    """Automatically answer all pending questions."""
    return [
        {"question_id": q.id, "value": f"Answer for: {q.text}"}
        for q in questions
    ]

mandate = client.mandates.complete_intake("mnd_abc123", answer_questions)

Parameters:

• mandate_id (str): The mandate ID.
• answer_fn (callable): Receives a list of Question objects, returns a list of AnswerParam dicts.

Returns: Mandate with no remaining pending_questions

---

client.mandates.wait_for_match(mandate_id, timeout=300, poll_interval=5)

Poll a mandate until it reaches matched status.

mandate = client.mandates.wait_for_match("mnd_abc123", timeout=600)

Parameters:

• mandate_id (str): The mandate ID.
• timeout (float): Max seconds to wait. Default 300.
• poll_interval (float): Seconds between polls. Default 5.

Returns: Mandate with status matched

Raises: APITimeoutError if timeout elapses

---

Contacts

client.contacts.list(limit=None, next_token=None)

List your verified contacts.

for contact in client.contacts.list():
    print(f"{contact.contact_value} ({contact.status})")

Returns: SyncPage[VerifiedContact]

---

client.contacts.add(contact_type, contact_value, display_label=None)

Add a new contact. Sends a verification code.

contact = client.contacts.add("email", "work@example.com", display_label="Work")
# contact.status == "pending" — check email for OTP

Returns: VerifiedContact with status: "pending"

---

client.contacts.verify(contact_id, code)

Verify a contact with the OTP code.

contact = client.contacts.verify("vc_abc123", "12345678")

Returns: VerifiedContact with status: "verified"

---

client.contacts.update(contact_id, display_label=None, is_primary=None)

Update a contact's label or set it as primary.

client.contacts.update("vc_abc123", is_primary=True)

Returns: VerifiedContact

---

client.contacts.delete(contact_id)

Delete a contact. Cannot delete your last verified contact.

client.contacts.delete("vc_abc123")

Returns: dict

---

client.contacts.resend_otp(contact_id)

Resend the verification code for a pending contact.

client.contacts.resend_otp("vc_abc123")

Returns: VerifiedContact

---

Matches

client.matches.list(limit=None, next_token=None)

List matches. Supports auto-pagination.

for match in client.matches.list():
    print(f"{match.id}: {match.status}")

Returns: SyncPage[Match]

---

client.matches.retrieve(match_id)

Get a match by ID.

match = client.matches.retrieve("m_abc123")
print(match.compatibility.grade_label)

Returns: Match

---

client.matches.accept(match_id)

Accept a match.

match = client.matches.accept("m_abc123")

Returns: Match

---

client.matches.decline(match_id)

Decline a match.

match = client.matches.decline("m_abc123")

Returns: Match

---

Error Handling

All API errors inherit from OpenMandateError. HTTP errors are mapped to specific exception classes:

from openmandate import (
    OpenMandate,
    BadRequestError,
    AuthenticationError,
    NotFoundError,
    ValidationError,
    RateLimitError,
    APIError,
)

client = OpenMandate()

try:
    mandate = client.mandates.retrieve("mnd_nonexistent")
except NotFoundError:
    print("Mandate not found")
except BadRequestError as e:
    print(f"Bad request: {e.message}")
except AuthenticationError:
    print("Bad API key")
except ValidationError as e:
    print(f"Validation failed: {e.message}")
except RateLimitError:
    print("Slow down!")
except APIError as e:
    print(f"API error {e.status_code}: {e.message}")

Exception Hierarchy

OpenMandateError
  APIError (status_code, code, details)
    BadRequestError (400)
    AuthenticationError (401)
    PermissionDeniedError (403)
    NotFoundError (404)
    ConflictError (409)
    ValidationError (422)
    RateLimitError (429)
    InternalServerError (5xx)
  APIConnectionError
    APITimeoutError

Async Usage

The async client mirrors the sync API exactly:

import asyncio
from openmandate import AsyncOpenMandate

async def main():
    async with AsyncOpenMandate(api_key="om_live_...") as client:
        # Create a mandate
        mandate = await client.mandates.create(want="Looking for a technical cofounder", offer="8 years in sales and BD")

        # Submit answers
        mandate = await client.mandates.submit_answers(
            mandate.id,
            answers=[{"question_id": "q_001", "value": "Technical co-founder"}],
        )

        # List with auto-pagination
        async for mandate in await client.mandates.list(status="active"):
            print(mandate.id)

        # Wait for match (async polling)
        mandate = await client.mandates.wait_for_match(mandate.id)

        # Accept match
        match = await client.matches.accept(mandate.match_id)

asyncio.run(main())

Context Manager

Both clients support context managers for automatic cleanup:

# Sync
with OpenMandate(api_key="om_live_...") as client:
    mandate = client.mandates.create(want="Looking for a technical cofounder", offer="8 years in sales and BD")

# Async
async with AsyncOpenMandate(api_key="om_live_...") as client:
    mandate = await client.mandates.create(want="Looking for a technical cofounder", offer="8 years in sales and BD")

Types

All response models are Pydantic v2 BaseModel instances with full type information:

from openmandate import Mandate, Match, Question, Compatibility

mandate: Mandate = client.mandates.retrieve("mnd_xxx")
mandate.id          # str
mandate.status      # "intake" | "processing" | "active" | ...
mandate.category    # str | None
mandate.contact_ids        # list[str]
mandate.pending_questions  # list[Question]
mandate.intake_answers     # list[IntakeAnswer]

match: Match = client.matches.retrieve("m_xxx")
match.compatibility        # Compatibility | None
match.compatibility.grade       # str ("good", "strong", "exceptional")
match.compatibility.grade_label # str ("Good Match", "Strong Match", "Exceptional Match")
match.compatibility.strengths  # list[Strength]

Requirements

• Python 3.8+
• Dependencies (installed automatically): httpx, pydantic, anyio