Ways to Connect With Venture Capitalists

How to Network with VCs in Silicon Valley (from my personal experience) After attending 300+ events in the last 2 years, I’ve seen firsthand what actually works when building relationships with VCs in Silicon Valley. Here’s how to do it right: 1. Don’t pitch first – Leading with your deck is a mistake. Build a real connection before asking for anything. 2. Warm intros win – Cold outreach rarely works. Get introduced by someone they trust. 3. Be where VCs are – Industry events, private dinners, invite-only summits—real conversations happen in the right rooms. 4. Bring value – Share market insights, make relevant introductions, and be genuinely helpful. Relationships go both ways. 5. Play the long game – A “no” today doesn’t mean “never.” Keep them updated, stay relevant, and nurture the connection. Silicon Valley moves fast, but real relationships take time. Make them count. What’s been your best approach to networking with investors?

Instead of asking investors for 30-minute calls, try this: After years on the investor side, I’ve seen countless ways founders try to connect with investors, and many fall flat. Not because they lack potential, but because they’re missing a clear, intentional strategy. Here are four practical ways to build genuine, value-driven relationships: 1️⃣ Add them on LinkedIn and build in public Let us see your journey! Share your wins, your learnings, what you're building. Give us a reason to care. When investors see consistent, tangible progress from afar, it creates a natural sense of interest,  that "I need to know more" feeling. 2️⃣ Send a message that sparks curiosity Whether it’s an email or a DM, lead with a compelling blurb that hints at your progress and how it connects to your goals. Investors are human, give us a reason to be genuinely curious about what you're building beyond a future ask. 3️⃣ Ask if you can add them to your investor update This is one of the most underrated tools. A brief, quarterly update (3-5 bullet points) on your key milestones keeps you on their radar without demanding a meeting. It builds a powerful narrative over time, showing consistent progress. (and if you don’t have an update yet... that’s something worth fixing first.) 4️⃣ If possible, meet them in person. Nothing beats face-to-face. Investor relationships grow faster at events, conferences, or even casual meet-ups. Show up prepared, be ready to share what you're building, and just be yourself. Real-world interaction makes a huge difference. Scheduling a call “just to keep them in the loop” can easily backfire, especially if you're not fundraising yet. Investors are people too, with full calendars and limited bandwidth. Empathy goes a long way! Want some extra tips on how to write truly compelling blurbs that get attention? DM me! #Fundraising #InvestorRelations #StartupStrategy

LinkedIn isn't just for job hunting. It's a goldmine for startup founders looking to raise capital and connect with investors. Here are some tips for leveraging LinkedIn for fundraising: 1. Optimize your profile Make sure your profile screams "fundable founder." Highlight your achievements, your startup's traction (if applicable), and your vision. Use a professional headshot and craft a compelling headline. 2. Build a strategic network Connect with investors, other founders, and industry experts. Don't just add connections randomly - be thoughtful and engage with their content. 3. Share valuable content Post regularly about your industry, startup journey, and insights. This builds credibility and keeps you top-of-mind. 4. Use LinkedIn's search features Find investors interested in your space. Use filters like "Venture Capital" or "Angel Investor" combined with your industry keywords. 5. Engage before pitching Comment on investors' posts, share their content, and build a relationship before asking for a meeting. 6. Leverage mutual connections Ask for warm introductions from shared connections. People are more likely to respond to a referral. 7. Use LinkedIn InMail strategically When you do reach out, keep it concise and personalized. Show you've done your homework on the investor. 8. Join relevant groups Participate in discussions in startup and investing-focused groups. This can lead to valuable connections. 9. Utilize LinkedIn Events Host or participate in virtual events. It's a great way to showcase your expertise and meet potential investors. 10. Track your efforts Use LinkedIn's analytics to see who's viewing your profile and engaging with your content. This can give you insights into interested parties. Remember, fundraising is about relationships. Use LinkedIn as a tool to build genuine connections, not just as a pitch platform.

Over the last 120 days, I've helped 50+ founders dial in their fundraising strategy to raise millions in venture capital. Here's one piece of crucial advice I give over and over again: STOP cold emailing VCs. START hunting for warm intros. Here's why: VCs are drowning in pitches — they use warm intros as a filter. Unless you have a rolodex of top tier VCs who are one text, DM, or WhatsApp message away from a meeting... Then you need to play the game differently from all the inbox spammers (aka your competition). Here's what you should do instead:  1. Make a list of 20 VCs you'd kill to pitch. 2. Find out who they know. Who they've invested in. Who they respect. 3. Work backwards. Instead of chasing VCs, chase the people who know them. 4. Provide value first. Don't just ask for intros. Find ways to help these connectors. 5. Start before you need to raise. Building these relationships takes time. This is exactly what I did to raise Haven's $1M seed round this past April. I've spent years building a close network of founders, investors, and operators. That way, when I needed to raise, I already had a list full of warm intros waiting. THE TAKEAWAY Your network is your most valuable asset as a founder. And if cold outreach is your only option to get in front of a VC, then you're doing something wrong. Start investing in relationships today to create massive leverage tomorrow.

Of the 87 VC meetings I had in 2022 for our pre-seed, 75 of them came by way of a warm introduction. Here's how you use your network to get warm introductions to the funds you want to meet with. Venture capital runs on warm introductions. It's one of the biggest reasons underrepresented founders struggle to raise VC - they either waste time sending cold emails or they don't know how to use their networks to get warm introductions. Don't underestimate your network! You'll be surprised at how many people want to see you win and are willing to support you. 𝟏. 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐚 𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 I've shared the how behind this before, but before you raise you should have a spreadsheet of 250-300 funds with the following information: 1. Name of fund 2. Website 3. Investor name(s) 4. Who can intro? Columns 1-3 should be populated for every fund and investor on your list 𝟐. 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐞𝐝𝐈𝐧 Search each investor's name on LinkedIn and see who you're connected to that's a mutual connection. You only need to meet with ONE person from each fund, so if each fund has a team of 3 people, chances are that you have at least one mutual connection between the two of you. Ideally, this is a 1st level connection, but 2nd level is okay too. 𝟑. 𝐔𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐞𝐭 Once you find the mutual connection(s), add them to your spreadsheet in the "Who can intro?" column. 𝟒. 𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐬𝐤 Reach out to the mutual connections to ask them if they can introduce you to the investors. You can do this via email, text, or even DM; pick whatever channel you have the most direct line to the person in. When asking for an intro, be direct. A lot of people with connections to investors are used to getting requests for intros, so you don't need to warm them up or ask for a call before you ask for the intro (use your best judgment here, though; if you think a call would be good then go for it). To ask for an intro, send the mutual connection a forwardable email that they can pass along to the investor without having to make any edits. Include your company's one-liner, traction, and a link to your pitch deck in that email. 𝟓. 𝐑𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐭 Run through 20-25 funds at a time, knowing that you'll get meetings with 25-30% of the funds you ask for intros to. You have people in your corner cheering you on. Let them help you by opening up their networks to you. I write to help underrepresented founders get funded in my weekly newsletter Finessing Funding. You can subscribe at the link in the comments 👇🏾 #fundraising #blackfounders #vc