Recommended Process
With a systematic process, founders can find investors and access most of them on their pipeline. The below write-up provides a brief overview of what a systematic process may look like to build access.
Preferred Path (1)
The first path reflected in dark purple refers to direct intro pathways based on the user’s immediate network. After adding and cleansing data sources, users can see intro pathways for each investor on their pipeline.
These intro pathways are based on the user’s direct connections, helping to find business investors through their network. These connections can range from college friends that may have become VC-backed founders to existing investors that may have co-invested with a target investor. Since these intro pathways are of a direct nature, they should be viewed as the preferred path of least resistance.
Secondary Path via Portfolio Founders (2A)
The second path reflected above refers to building access via portfolio founders. Most investors have backed thousands of founders. After adding and cleansing data sources, users can see all the portfolio founders for a given investor that the user is directly or indirectly connected with.
If users have strong relationships with their existing investors, they can leverage these connections to find venture capital investors and build access to portfolio founders. An introduction request with a portfolio founder that has raised from your target investor should be quick and seamless. Users can then use this conversation to learn about the investor’s process and potentially check-in for an introduction, effectively finding investors for a startup.
In the event that users do not have any portfolio founders that are connected and/or accessible, then it may be best to cold email portfolio founders that users may have the highest common ground with.
Secondary Path via Metal (2B)
Metal’s user base primarily consists of founders that have raised multiple venture rounds before and that have several institutional investors on the cap table. After the first week of August, the platform will inform users about the existence of other founders on the platform that have previously raised from their target investor(s). Users can then undergo a verification process and request introductions with such founders, helping them find an angel investor or other relevant investors.
As an example, if one of your target investors is First Round, the platform would indicate that there are “X” other active founders on the platform that have previously raised from the investment firm. Users can then submit key information to get verified and can then request an introduction with the other founder.