Build in public so investors find you, send short targeted cold emails, join accelerators and founder programmes, meet operator angels in your industry, use events that let you pitch, ask portfolio founders rather than investors, and use discovery platforms. Avoid paying unregistered finders a percentage of your raise.
- Many investors now source deals from public building, content and platforms.
- Targeted cold emails work when they are short and specific.
- Founders in an investor's portfolio are often the best route in.
- Paying someone a success fee to find investors can raise broker-registration issues in the US.
- Discovery networks let investors signal interest before a meeting.
What are the seven routes?
- Build in public. Share progress, numbers and lessons. Investors follow founders before they invest. See the signals investors trust.
- Targeted cold email. Short, specific and sent to investors who back your stage. See cold emails to investors.
- Portfolio founders. Ask founders an investor backed, not the investor. They know whether you fit, and their intro carries weight.
- Accelerators and programmes. Structured access to many investors at once.
- Operator angels. People who built in your industry often invest small amounts and open doors.
- Pitch events and demo days. Useful when investors in the room match your stage; check what you may say publicly. See testing the waters.
- Discovery platforms. Profiles, pitch videos and signals of interest let investors find you.
What should you avoid?
Paying someone a percentage of the money they help you raise, unless they are a registered broker-dealer. In the US, transaction-based fees are a hallmark of broker activity and can create problems for the company as well as the finder. Read who can introduce you to investors before agreeing to any success fee.
How does OBridge fit?
OBridge is built for this problem. Founders post their build and progress as short videos; investors discover them in a feed and can mark a company Investable, a private, no-amount signal that they want a closer look. No warm intro needed to be seen. For the full process, read how to raise a pre-seed round.
How do you ask a portfolio founder for an intro?
Hi Jonas, I'm building invoice matching for logistics teams (52 weekly teams, growing 37% a month). I saw [Fund] backed you at pre-seed. Would you be open to a 10-minute call so I can ask what working with them is like? If it seems a fit afterwards, I'd be grateful for an intro, but no pressure either way.
Ask for advice first, intro second. Founders introduce people they have spoken to, not strangers.
What makes building in public work?
- Consistency: weekly posts beat occasional viral ones.
- Specifics: numbers, screenshots, decisions and mistakes.
- A clear "what we do" in your profile, so new readers understand quickly.
- Care with fundraising language: talk about the company, not the round, unless your exemption allows public solicitation. See can you post about your fundraise?
How do you get value from programmes and events?
Choose programmes whose investors match your stage, prepare a short version of your pitch, and follow up within 48 hours with a specific next step. At events, aim for a few good conversations rather than many business cards, and ask each person who else you should meet.
How do you measure which route works?
Track every conversation by source: cold email, portfolio founder, event, platform, content. After the first wave, double down on the routes that produce second meetings, not just first ones.
Frequently asked questions
How can I meet investors with no network?
Build in public, send targeted cold emails, ask founders in investors' portfolios for intros, join programmes and use discovery platforms.
Do investors respond to cold emails?
Some do, especially when the email is short, specific and clearly matches their stage and sector.
Can I pay someone to introduce me to investors?
Paying a percentage of funds raised to an unregistered person can raise US broker-registration issues. Get legal advice before agreeing to any success fee.
Are pitch events worth it?
When the investors attending match your stage and sector. Check the rules on public communications for your round.
Let investors find what you're building.
OBridge is an early-access discovery network for founders and investors. Post your build, share your progress, and let verified investors mark you Investable — a private, no-amount signal of interest, not an offer or a commitment.
Join the waitlist →Sources and further reading. SEC, Exempt offerings; Y Combinator Library.
Educational material, not legal, tax or investment advice. Rules and figures change; confirm with qualified counsel or a tax adviser in your jurisdiction before acting. Last updated October 6, 2026.