How to Get Warm Intros to Investors (With a Forwardable Email)

The best way to get warm intros to investors is to ask your mutual connection for a double opt-in intro. They privately check that the investor is open to meeting you, and only then make the connection. Make it easy with a short forwardable intro email the connection can pass along without rewriting it. If the link is weak, or the connector couldn't vouch for you specifically, a sharp cold email often works better than a lukewarm intro.

What counts as a warm intro to an investor, and is it really better than cold?

A warm intro to an investor is a connection made by someone the investor already knows and trusts. That person explains why your company is relevant. Forwarding a deck with "thought of you" is not the same thing.

It tends to work for three reasons:

• Trust transfer: the investor's existing relationship with the connector reduces uncertainty about who is asking.
• Filtering: the connector chose to pass this along instead of forwarding every pitch they receive.
• Social proof: a respected founder, co-investor or former colleague signals that the company deserves a look.

I'm not going to quote a statistic on how many deals come from warm intros. The figures that circulate come from secondary write-ups, and none are specific to pre-seed or seed rounds. No neutral benchmark exists, so treat the advantage as a mechanism, not a guarantee.

A warm intro earns you a look. It does not earn a meeting, a term sheet or a check.

If you don't have a strong network, you can still find second-degree routes: portfolio founders, co-investors, former colleagues, alumni, accelerator communities and advisers.

How to get warm intros to investors through LinkedIn mutual connections

Start with the investor's profile and work outward.

1. Open the investor's LinkedIn profile.
2. Check the mutual-connections link or section.
3. Search your first-degree contacts for people who know the investor.
4. Review second-degree paths: people connected to one of your connections, shown with a "2nd" label.
5. Pick the most credible connector, not the nearest one.

What you see depends on account settings, the other person's network visibility and LinkedIn's own product rules. Don't assume you'll see the same mutual-connection information as someone else.

LinkedIn is only one source. Check these too, in rough priority order:

1. Portfolio founders who have raised from the investor.
2. Co-investors who regularly work with the investor.
3. Former colleagues or executives the investor knows well.
4. Accelerator, alumni or community contacts with a genuine relationship.
5. Advisers and operators the investor respects.

Rank each candidate on three things: how well they know the investor, how well they know your work, and how credible they are in your space. Portfolio founders are often the strongest pick, because the investor has already trusted them with capital. Don't ask someone just because LinkedIn labels them "mutual."

Track your asks in a simple table so you never approach two people about the same partner:

Connector	Relationship to you	Relationship to investor	Asked	Response	Outcome
[Name]	[How you know them]	[How they know the investor]	[Date]	[Status]	[Intro / no / next step]

What is a double opt-in intro?

A double opt-in intro means both sides agree before they are connected. The sequence:

1. You ask the connector.
2. The connector privately asks the investor whether they're open to meeting.
3. The investor says yes or declines.
4. Only after a yes does the connector send the direct email introduction.

It protects the connector's reputation and respects the investor's time. A blind or cc'd intro puts the investor on the spot: they have to reject or ignore you in front of someone they know, and the connector is left managing the awkwardness.

No source I found establishes who coined the term, so treat it as a widely used networking practice. Investor-facing guidance commonly describes the same pattern: the connector forwards a short blurb and gets permission first.

If the investor declines or doesn't reply, thank the connector and move on. Don't ask them to chase.

How do I write the forwardable intro email?

An intro request email has two parts: a short note to the connector with an easy out, and a self-contained blurb they can forward unedited. I raised $6.3M for my previous company, Challenge App, and now angel invest. From both sides, the requests that get acted on are the ones where the connector has almost nothing to do.

The blurb needs six things:

• Who you are.
• What the company does.
• One proof point.
• The stage and target of the round.
• Why this investor.
• A specific ask, usually a 20-minute call.

Keep it factual and short, about 100 to 150 words once filled in. Don't attach a deck. Include a link only if the connector or investor expects one, and send the deck when it's requested.

Subject-line options for the note to your connector:

Possible intro to [Investor name]?

Would you be open to forwarding this to [Investor name]?

[Company] - [specific investor fit]

Quick intro request: [Company]

Example, part 1: note to the mutual connection

Subject: Possible intro to [Investor name]?

Hi [Connector name],

Would you be comfortable checking whether [Investor name] is open to a 20-minute conversation about [Company]? I've included a short blurb below that you can forward as-is. No worries at all if it isn't a fit or you don't know them well enough to make the ask.

Why it works:

• "Would you be comfortable" gives the connector control and doesn't make the intro an obligation.
• "Checking whether [Investor name] is open" asks for a double opt-in, not a surprise intro.
• "20-minute conversation" makes the ask concrete.
• "Forward as-is" reduces the connector's work.
• "No worries at all" gives an explicit, respectful out.

Example, part 2: the forwardable blurb

Hi [Investor name],

I'm [Founder name], founder of [Company: one-line description].

We've [traction proof point].

We're raising [round: stage and target].

I'm reaching out because [why this investor].

Would you be open to a 20-minute call next week?

Best,
[Founder name]

Why it works:

• The greeting makes the note usable without editing.
• The founder line says who is writing and what the company does.
• The traction proof point gives a concrete reason to care.
• Stage and target let the investor judge mandate and timing.
• "Why this investor" shows relevance, not mass outreach.
• A 20-minute call is a bounded, low-friction ask.
• No attachment keeps the first message light.

How should I follow up, and what do I do when the intro lands?

No published standard says how long to wait after an unanswered intro request, and I won't invent one. Send one polite nudge to the connector after a reasonable pause, and paste the forwardable text again so they don't have to dig for it. If nothing happens, stop. Try another connector or write to the investor directly.

When the intro does land:

1. Reply promptly.
2. Thank the connector.
3. Move the connector to bcc.
4. Answer the investor directly.
5. Offer two specific time slots.
6. Send only what's asked for.

Example reply:

Thanks for making the connection, [Connector name]. Moving you to bcc.

Hi [Investor name], great to meet you. I'd be glad to share more about [Company]. Would [time option 1] or [time option 2] work for a 20-minute conversation?

After the meeting, close the loop with the connector whatever the outcome. A short update protects the relationship and makes the next intro easier to ask for.

When does a cold email beat a weak intro?

A cold email beats a weak intro when the connector can't add anything to your case. An intro is weak when:

• The connector barely knows the investor.
• The connector doesn't know your work.
• The connector would only say you "seem nice."
• The investor has no obvious reason to trust the connector's judgment about your company.

A weak intro can mean a lukewarm endorsement, delays, and a lost chance to make your own case. Cold outreach is most defensible when you have a strong match with the investor's stated thesis, relevant traction, a specific reason to write to this investor, and a short message tailored to their stage, sector and check size.

Run this checklist before you ask anyone:

• Would this person vouch for me specifically?
• Does the investor know and respect them?
• Can I show relevant proof without relying on them?
• Is there a clear reason this investor should care now?

If you answer no to the first two and yes to the last two, write directly. If the connection is real but loose, you can mention it without asking for an intro:

I noticed you've worked with [Mutual contact] and are active in [sector]. I'm building [Company], which [specific proof point]. Would a short conversation be relevant?

I'm not giving you a cold-email response rate. The only figure I found came from a source I wouldn't rely on, and no reliable benchmark exists. Treat cold email as a targeted channel, not a volume game. If you need to build a targeted list, HeyEveryone can match you with investors by stage, sector and region and show a free preview of your top 10 matches.

What mistakes get an intro request ignored?

The common failures:

• Asking people who barely know you.
• Vague asks like "any investors" or "pick your brain."
• Long emails and multiple attachments.
• Asking for many intros at once, or mass-blasting.
• Nagging after a clear lack of interest.
• Ignoring the investor's stage, sector, geography or check size.
• Making the connector rewrite your pitch.
• Asking for a direct intro without first checking the investor's interest.

Here is how to fix the most common ones:

Weak request	Better version
"Do you know any VCs?"	"Would you be comfortable checking whether [Investor] is open to a short call?"
Long pitch deck attached	A short forwardable blurb
Surprise cc to the investor	Connector checks first
"Can you pick their brain?"	"Could you ask whether they're open to discussing our [stage] round?"
Generic company description	One-line description plus one proof point
Repeated reminders	One polite follow-up, then stop

FAQ

Can I ask for an intro if we aren't close?

Yes, if you acknowledge the limited relationship and make the request easy to decline. The connector must know enough about your work to vouch for it credibly. A bare LinkedIn connection usually isn't enough.

Should I cc the investor on the first email?

No. Ask the connector to check privately first. A surprise cc forces an interaction and removes the connector's ability to give a genuine endorsement.

How long should I wait before following up?

No published standard exists, so treat it as etiquette. Send one polite nudge with the forwardable text included again, then stop.

Is it okay to ask for several intros to the same firm?

Only if the people have different, credible relationships with different partners. Never have multiple people approach the same partner at once. Coordinate and choose the strongest path.

What if the connector says yes but never sends it?

Send one concise reminder with the blurb attached again. If nothing happens, move to another connector or write to the investor directly.