Warm introductions: why they work and how to ask.
An introduction from someone an investor trusts is a small endorsement. It moves your email from the pile to the short list.
The short answer
Ask people the investor already trusts, such as founders they backed or co-investors, to introduce you. Make it easy: send a short forwardable email, ask the introducer to check with the investor first, and follow up yourself within a day.
Warm introduction · Trusted path
- Ask introducer
- Investor opts in
- Intro email
- Meeting
Cold email · Open path
- Find the right partner
- Short email
- Follow up
- Maybe a reply
Who makes a good introducer
The best introducer is someone whose judgment the investor relies on: a founder in their portfolio, a co-investor, or an operator they have worked with. A loose connection who barely knows the investor adds little. An introducer who knows your work adds the most.
The forwardable email
Write the email your introducer will forward. Keep it to a few lines: what you do, the proof that matters most, what you are raising and why this investor fits. Attach or link your deck. The introducer should not have to rewrite anything.
Asking well
- Is this investor active at my stage and in my sector?
- Did I ask the introducer to check with the investor before sending?
- Is my forwardable email short enough to read on a phone?
- Will I reply within a day and thank the introducer either way?
Terms to know
Double opt-in
The introducer asks the investor first, then connects you only if they agree.
Forwardable email
A short, self-contained note about your company written for someone else to forward.
Will your deck survive the forward?
An introduced investor often opens your deck before replying. Upload it and we tell you what a first-time reader will miss.
Questions founders ask
Do cold emails ever work?
Yes, especially with investors who say publicly that they read them. A specific, short email with real traction can earn a meeting without an introduction.
Should I ask my introducer to vouch for me?
Ask them to say only what they believe. An honest, specific line from someone who knows your work beats a generic endorsement.
Sources
Sources: common US startup fundraising practice. Not legal or financial advice.
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