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How a non-US founder (me) met US investors.
April 2020 - I knew 0 angels and VCs
May 2021 - I have an active list of 400+ investors
A thread on the strategies I used to gather up investors for our pre-seed and seed round at @AvionSchool
April 2020 - I knew 0 angels and VCs
May 2021 - I have an active list of 400+ investors
A thread on the strategies I used to gather up investors for our pre-seed and seed round at @AvionSchool
1/ Find a friend to make the 1st intro 
In our case, it was @fplaza who runs PayMongo and ended up raising a round from Stripe, Bedrock, Founders Fund, Peter Thiel and Y Combinator.
He made the intro over to a foreign angel who invested in their seed. The ball's rolling...
In our case, it was @fplaza who runs PayMongo and ended up raising a round from Stripe, Bedrock, Founders Fund, Peter Thiel and Y Combinator.
He made the intro over to a foreign angel who invested in their seed. The ball's rolling...
2/ Always ask for referrals 
With our 1st angel lead, we got an offer that we didn't take at that time. As a value-add investor, he offered to make intros over to 3 other investors in his network. We leveraged ourselves with that.
1 lead -> 3 leads -> 9 leads
(Ideally...)
With our 1st angel lead, we got an offer that we didn't take at that time. As a value-add investor, he offered to make intros over to 3 other investors in his network. We leveraged ourselves with that.
1 lead -> 3 leads -> 9 leads
(Ideally...)
3/ Twitter is a lead bank for investors
Chances are you don't know any names. You know the Sequoia, a16z and Lightspeed, but there are 1000+ firms out there that will gladly write you a check
Check the following lists. Reach out via email. It's usually firstname@domain.com
Chances are you don't know any names. You know the Sequoia, a16z and Lightspeed, but there are 1000+ firms out there that will gladly write you a check
Check the following lists. Reach out via email. It's usually firstname@domain.com
4/ Build relationships > Pitch your idea 
You’re not from the US, and the chances they’ll want to invest is much lower. Focus on trying to get to know them, see how you can bring value to them (ex. Insight, intros ++).
They’ll likely ask about your business anyway.
You’re not from the US, and the chances they’ll want to invest is much lower. Focus on trying to get to know them, see how you can bring value to them (ex. Insight, intros ++).
They’ll likely ask about your business anyway.
5/ Search for investor database lists 
Here are my two favorite lists:
(1) @DocSend Active VC list: https://www.docsend.com/index/active-vc-list/
(2) @ybelyayeva No Warm Intros Required: https://airtable.com/shrsDIW1FMuA5cI9P/tblaahhCCc2v0065Q/viwdm9nLc4Aj3sHJO?blocks=hide
These combined will give you a list of >600 investors.
Here are my two favorite lists:
(1) @DocSend Active VC list: https://www.docsend.com/index/active-vc-list/
(2) @ybelyayeva No Warm Intros Required: https://airtable.com/shrsDIW1FMuA5cI9P/tblaahhCCc2v0065Q/viwdm9nLc4Aj3sHJO?blocks=hide
These combined will give you a list of >600 investors.
6/ Keep track of everyone you reach out to 
List down all the names of the investors that you've reached out to. In particular, you want to keep track of those that have shown interest in investing.
This will help you keep track of who to send updates to.
List down all the names of the investors that you've reached out to. In particular, you want to keep track of those that have shown interest in investing.
This will help you keep track of who to send updates to.
7/ Be consistent with sending out updates 
Investors get numerous emails each day. The reality is that their deal flow is almost always bad. They'll want to find the hidden gems that pop up in their inbox.
Keep sending an update until they're convinced it's you.
Investors get numerous emails each day. The reality is that their deal flow is almost always bad. They'll want to find the hidden gems that pop up in their inbox.
Keep sending an update until they're convinced it's you.
That's it for now...
If you want more content that's just like this then...
Follow me ( @riveravictor)! I tweet advice and stories on what it takes to build a VC-backed startup as a non-US founder
If you want more content that's just like this then...
Follow me ( @riveravictor)! I tweet advice and stories on what it takes to build a VC-backed startup as a non-US founder
More information on the startup I'm building 
https://www.techinasia.com/ycombinator-pours-125k-philippine-edtech-firm-avion-school-software-developers
https://www.techinasia.com/ycombinator-pours-125k-philippine-edtech-firm-avion-school-software-developers
TL;DR
1. Find a friend to make the 1st intro
2. Always ask for referrals
3. Twitter is a lead bank for investors
4. Build relationships > Pitch your idea
5. Search for investor database lists
6. Keep track of everyone you reach out to
7. Be consistent with sending out updates
1. Find a friend to make the 1st intro
2. Always ask for referrals
3. Twitter is a lead bank for investors
4. Build relationships > Pitch your idea
5. Search for investor database lists
6. Keep track of everyone you reach out to
7. Be consistent with sending out updates
