How to find investors for a pre-seed, seed or Series A startup

Set the raise before you search

Write a one-page plan. Include round, sum, runway, country, sector, progress and next goal. Runway is how long cash lasts.

Pre-seed, seed and Series A give a rough stage, not proof of fit. Match new investor deals to your stage and goal. British Business Bank says to know investor questions and the finance the firm needs. Do not set a made-up sum. [2]

Use leads with care

A list, post or introduction is a lead, not proof of fit. Check the investor’s site, portfolio and news. Talk with them if you can. One old deal does not show their plan now.

Check seven points. Does the investment thesis fit your market? An investment thesis is the kind of firms an investor wants. Do they invest at your stage? Is the likely cheque enough? Can they invest in your country and deal type? Do they lead, follow or co-invest? Is their timing right? Are there conflicts to raise?

Fit beats fame. A good investor may know your customer or market. YC says founders should study investor interests before meetings. [1]

Keep a research sheet

Use one row per investor. Note firm, source link, date, thesis, stage, public cheque range and country. Note lead or follow style, new deals, conflicts and who decides. Add the introduction path and next task. Mark facts checked, part checked or not checked.

Add two founder notes. Say why the fit is good. Say why you may not go on. This stops a long list from being a fame test. Techstars says to sort names by fit. It also says to check portfolios, cheque size and lead or follow style. [3]

Check the sheet each week. Drop weak fits and fix old facts. Focus on a few prepared talks.

Choose the contact path

A warm introduction can add context. Do not ask the person who helps to back claims they cannot check. If there is no link, send a short direct note. Avoid bulk email and outreach tools. They hide fit and make it hard to learn.

Give a shareable brief. Include the firm and customer need. Add product progress and the founder team. Add place, round, use of cash, goal, timing and fit reason. Ask for a talk. Share only files that suit the stage.

YC says to use a brief business note for researched outreach. It also says to make next steps clear after a meeting. [1]

Use meetings to check fit

Use the first meeting to test fit. Ask how they see your stage, whether they lead, follow or co-invest, who decides, what proof they need, and about conflicts and timing.

Use the same facts in each talk. If the work moves on, use a controlled data room. Mark what is new, early or not yet there. Being ready means knowing what investors seek and being set for funding. [2]

Interest is not a yes. After each meeting, agree the owner, files, steps and time. Stop talks when fit, process or contact is poor.

Keep legal and service limits clear

Research can help you get ready. It does not replace legal, tax or financial advice. Funding rules, investor eligibility and document validity vary by country. Get qualified local advice before you accept or sign terms.

Due diligence means checks before investing. Master Collective uses AI-assisted checks before relevant introductions. These checks are not complete investor due diligence or regulated advice. An introduction is not a recommendation, investment decision or promise of funding.

For US-style venture deals, NVCA model documents are a start. NVCA says they need changes for the facts and are not legal advice. Do not use them as rules in other countries. [4]