The whole fundraising process usually starts with analysing all available funding sources for your startup with all their pros and cons. If a VC fund seems like the best way for your startup to get funded you probably wonder what should be your next steps - luckily there are many startup guides and insightful articles, explaining how to get venture capital funding for your business.
But before you will dig into details on creating a successful connection with the right venture capital firm, I bet you seek an answer where you actually can find VC funds. In order to help you succeed, let’s check out some ideas where to find the best VC fund for your startup!
Matchmaking platforms for startups and investors
Matchmaking platform is an all-in-one online place, usually with embedded tools that connects startups, investors, business angels, VC funds, accelerators and corporates and help them manage fundraising, deal flow and relations with investors, mentors and stakeholders.
Matchmaking platforms like Vestbee are a great place to start fundraising that if done right, can definitely help your startup to attract the leading VC funds. So make sure to perfect your pitch deck and create a professional startup profile with crucial information about team, product, target audience, competitors, go-to-market strategy, business model and fundraising that will be accessed by relevant investors from the platform or shared by you with selected VC funds.
Startup events and competitions
Competitions and events organized for startups and scaleups are a great opportunity to present business projects to the wide network of VC funds, attract partners, investors and clients, expand the professional network, get business knowledge and learn about the latest market trends. Startup challenges usually offer cash prizes (sometimes even an investment) for the winner and open many doors for media exposure and recognition among the leading market players. Startup events often target specific region, vertical or development stage, so you can meet relevant VC funds that perceive your business as a good fit for their investment focus. Investors willingly attend such events to find hidden gems among startups with huge potential for development and rapid scalability.
So keep on the radar what is going on at the startup and VC scene and choose only events relevant for your company - attending too many of them will distract you from business development.
Startup acceleration programs
Startup accelerators focus on providing companies with educational workshops, mentorship, business consulting, and access to a wide network of valuable contacts among the VC community. They usually end with Demo Day, a pitching event where selected startups present their projects in front of a wide audience of corporate partners and investors- business angels and VC funds.
Keep in mind to select an accelerator that is a perfect match for your startup. That will not only lead your startup towards the best possible development path, but also draw VC funds looking for investment opportunities within the target group that you are in. Many startup accelerators partner up with several VC funds, so they can make a proper introduction.
Warm introductions
The best possible situation that you can find yourself in, is when you already have an extensive network of valuable contacts that can directly introduce your business to the VC fund. It is a so-called “warm intro” as you already have some background prepared by the third party and your company is likely to be trusted from the very beginning. The direct recommendation makes VC funds more open and positively set on making a deal. That’s why developing a strong network is key in successful fundraising and startup development.
Startup and investors databases
There are many databases, e.g. Crunchbase, with lists and short descriptions of VC funds presenting their investment size and focus, contact info such as email and phone number and links to social media profiles and websites along with previous investments overview. Once you get access, you can search, sort, and save selected investment companies to finally make a move and contact the most suitable ones. Thanks to investors database startups can easily check if their business matches VC funds’ investment strategies.
Just keep in mind that after picking relevant VC funds, the rest is on you - nobody will make you a warm intro or connect directly with selected investors.
News on startups and VC funds
It is crucial to stay up-to-date with the startup and VC scene as it increases the odds of successful fundraising. Thoroughly check all news and the mentioned VC fund websites, Linkedin profiles to get to know their investment strategy- investment ticket, preferred business type, company stage, product type, region, vertical etc. In other words, find venture capital funds that invest in companies like yours. We also advise to regularly check the news regarding recently closed funding rounds - this way you can find out which VC funds are actively investing and what is their current focus. During the research don’t forget about getting your business investors-ready - work on preparing your pitch deck and updating startup profile if you use online fundraising tools. Have your eyes and ears open for any upcoming opportunities.
VC funds’ social media
Follow VC funds’ social media profiles to stay up-to-date with their investments, startup initiatives they support, fund achievements, or any interesting publications that can give you the bigger picture of what they might expect from startups. This is also a good way to show your interest and connect e.g. - you can reach your potential investors on the chat! The best platforms to follow and get in touch with investors are Linkedin and Twitter, however, some VC funds still use Facebook.
VC funds’ blogs
Many VC funds run their own blogs (e.g. 500 Startups Insights, Point 9 Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, AVC) sharing valuable content on the startup and VC ecosystem. You may find there various investments overviews, interesting tips on startups development or pitching, startup portfolio successful stories, market insights and use them as e.g. trigger events in your cold outreach via emails.
Remember that successful fundraising won’t happen overnight, all the mentioned possibilities require resources and startup engagement mixed with a thoughtful and targeted approach. Trying to get VC funding is time-consuming and can easily distract your startup from the business development and achieving its goals. So keep in mind to score meetings only with VC funds that are relevant for your startup and aligned with your business profile.
What is the best way to find a VC fund for your startup?
Too many options and you don’t know where to start? Join Vestbee, the leading all-in-one matchmaking platform for startups and investors in Europe to be introduced to a wide network of VC funds, share professional startup profile and track investors engagement, land special free startup credits from our Partners and stay updated with interesting startup events and open programs.
Related Posts:
5 Tips On How To Kick Off Your Startup And Attract Investors (by Alex Serdiuk, CEO, Respeecher)
7 Steps To Make Your Startup Ready For VC Investment (by Agnieszka Poznańska, Head of Origination, Shape VC)
VC Tips For Successful Startup Fundraising (by Magdalena Balcerzak, Manager, Vestbee)
