{"id":2457,"date":"2026-09-12T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-12T06:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mybzz.com\/blog\/?p=2457"},"modified":"2026-09-12T07:10:27","modified_gmt":"2026-09-12T06:10:27","slug":"developing-investor-connections-5-proven-practices","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mybzz.com\/blog\/developing-investor-connections-5-proven-practices","title":{"rendered":"Developing Investor Connections: 5 Proven Practices"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The best time to meet an investor is when you&#8217;re not asking for money. Investor relationships build slowly, over months or years, long before you ever open a raise. They run on relevance, trust, and steady contact, not cold pitching. What follows is a system you can repeat for developing investor connections: find investors who fit your stage and sector, meet them in the right rooms, use AI matching to skip the noise, keep relationships warm between raises, and stay honest so people trust you when the ask finally lands. Do all that and the scary &quot;who do I even email?&quot; moment becomes a warm list of people who already know your name. Pre-seed or scaling, treat these as habits. Not one-time tricks.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_87_1 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Prze\u0142\u0105cznik Spisu Tre\u015bci\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/mybzz.com\/blog\/developing-investor-connections-5-proven-practices\/#1-build-a-target-list-before-you-need-capital\" >1. Build a target list before you need capital<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/mybzz.com\/blog\/developing-investor-connections-5-proven-practices\/#2-show-up-where-investors-already-are\" >2. Show up where investors already are<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/mybzz.com\/blog\/developing-investor-connections-5-proven-practices\/#3-use-ai-matching-for-developing-investor-connections-faster\" >3. Use AI matching for developing investor connections faster<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/mybzz.com\/blog\/developing-investor-connections-5-proven-practices\/#4-keep-relationships-warm-between-raises\" >4. Keep relationships warm between raises<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/mybzz.com\/blog\/developing-investor-connections-5-proven-practices\/#5-lead-with-authenticity-and-transparency\" >5. Lead with authenticity and transparency<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/mybzz.com\/blog\/developing-investor-connections-5-proven-practices\/#faq\" >FAQ<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/mybzz.com\/blog\/developing-investor-connections-5-proven-practices\/#how-early-should-i-start-developing-investor-connections\" >How early should I start developing investor connections?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/mybzz.com\/blog\/developing-investor-connections-5-proven-practices\/#do-i-need-to-meet-investors-in-person-to-build-a-connection\" >Do I need to meet investors in person to build a connection?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/mybzz.com\/blog\/developing-investor-connections-5-proven-practices\/#how-is-mybzzcom-different-from-a-general-professional-network\" >How is Mybzz.com different from a general professional network?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/mybzz.com\/blog\/developing-investor-connections-5-proven-practices\/#what-should-i-send-investors-between-fundraising-rounds\" >What should I send investors between fundraising rounds?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 id=\"1-build-a-target-list-before-you-need-capital\" style=\"scroll-margin-top:110px;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1-build-a-target-list-before-you-need-capital\"><\/span>1. Build a target list before you need capital<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>A target list is a short, researched roster of investors whose stage, sector, and check size fit what you&#8217;re raising. Most founders skip it. They blast generic messages to anyone with &quot;VC&quot; in their bio, and then wonder why nobody replies.<\/p>\n<p>Here&#8217;s the thing: investment decisions usually come down to one partner, not the whole fund. So your list should name people, not logos. For each one, jot down their thesis, a recent deal, and why you&#8217;re a fit. Start 12 to 18 months before you plan to raise. Give the relationship room to breathe.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Stage fit:<\/strong> do they write pre-seed checks or only Series A and up?<\/li>\n<li><strong>Sector fit:<\/strong> have they backed something adjacent to you?<\/li>\n<li><strong>Warm path:<\/strong> who could introduce you?<\/li>\n<li><strong>Recent activity:<\/strong> are they actively deploying right now?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>A tight list of 30 to 50 relevant names beats a spray of 500 strangers. When you finally raise, you&#8217;re following up with people you already know instead of begging cold.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"2-show-up-where-investors-already-are\" style=\"scroll-margin-top:110px;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2-show-up-where-investors-already-are\"><\/span>2. Show up where investors already are<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Networking with investors shouldn&#8217;t stay stuck in your local zip code. The right partner for a fintech in Warsaw might sit in London, Berlin, or Austin. Box yourself in geographically and you shrink your odds before you even start.<\/p>\n<p>Go where investors gather, and go on purpose. Angel groups, demo days, and curated founder programs put you in the same room as people writing checks. That prep matters more than the pitch itself.<\/p>\n<p>A few rooms worth prioritizing:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Curated startup showcases and demo days tied to accelerators.<\/li>\n<li>Angel investor group meetings in your sector.<\/li>\n<li>Industry conferences where funds send scouts.<\/li>\n<li>Small, invite-only founder dinners.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>The goal isn&#8217;t to collect <a href=\"https:\/\/mybzz.com\/blog\/from-business-cards-to-ai-powered-connections-the-evolution-of-best-networking-apps-for-business\/\">business cards<\/a>. It&#8217;s to have two or three real conversations you can follow up on next month. One genuine connection with an active partner beats fifty polite handshakes.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"3-use-ai-matching-for-developing-investor-connections-faster\" style=\"scroll-margin-top:110px;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3-use-ai-matching-for-developing-investor-connections-faster\"><\/span>3. Use AI matching for developing investor connections faster<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Manual research is slow. You read bios, guess at fit, and still email people who never fund your stage. AI-driven matching flips that. It reads profiles, industries, and stated goals, then surfaces the handful of people who actually line up with yours. This is the layer that makes developing investor connections scalable instead of exhausting.<\/p>\n<p>Our platform, <a href=\"\/\">Mybzz<\/a>, was built for exactly this. General professional networks mix job seekers in with everyone else. Our app is built only for entrepreneurs, so there&#8217;s less noise and more intent.<\/p>\n<p>What AI matching removes:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Guessing whether someone funds your stage.<\/li>\n<li>Emailing people who ignore cold outreach.<\/li>\n<li>Hours spent reading irrelevant profiles.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>For a side-by-side look at how intent-based matching differs from feed-based apps, our comparison of <a href=\"\/blog\/from-business-cards-to-ai-powered-connections-the-evolution-of-best-networking-apps-for-business\/\">Mybzz vs entre<\/a> breaks down where each approach fits. The point is simple. Spend your energy on conversations, not searching.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"4-keep-relationships-warm-between-raises\" style=\"scroll-margin-top:110px;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4-keep-relationships-warm-between-raises\"><\/span>4. Keep relationships warm between raises<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/mybzz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/inpost-dadb28d035.webp\" alt=\"The best time to meet an investor is when you are not asking for money. - developing investor connections\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The founders who close rounds fastest rarely have the best pitch. They&#8217;re the ones investors already trust, because they stayed in touch. A relationship that only shows up when you need money reads as transactional, and partners feel it instantly. The connections that survive a raise are the ones you tended when there was nothing on the table.<\/p>\n<p>Between raises, send short, useful updates. A quarterly note with three numbers, one win, and one honest challenge does more than any polished deck. It shows momentum and steadiness. When an investor watches your metrics climb over six months, the eventual ask becomes a formality, not a cold sell.<\/p>\n<p>Simple ways to stay warm:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Send a brief progress update every quarter, even to people who passed.<\/li>\n<li>Share a relevant intro or article with no ask attached.<\/li>\n<li>Report a setback early, in writing, before it becomes a surprise.<\/li>\n<li>Congratulate them on their own portfolio wins.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Meaningful connections carry you from one round to the next. A giant contact list doesn&#8217;t. Treat every &quot;no&quot; as a &quot;not yet&quot; and keep the door open.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"5-lead-with-authenticity-and-transparency\" style=\"scroll-margin-top:110px;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"5-lead-with-authenticity-and-transparency\"><\/span>5. Lead with authenticity and transparency<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Authenticity is what actually attracts investors, and it&#8217;s the one most founders fake. Overstating traction, hiding a weak metric, dodging a hard question, it all signals risk. They can smell polish covering gaps.<\/p>\n<p>Transparency does the opposite. State your numbers plainly, name the risks yourself, and be clear about what you don&#8217;t know yet. A founder who says &quot;here&#8217;s where we&#8217;re weak and here&#8217;s the plan&quot; earns more trust than one claiming everything&#8217;s perfect. That trust is the whole game, because a check is really a bet on you.<\/p>\n<p>This is where the right platform matters too. There&#8217;s no direct equivalent to what we&#8217;ve built at <a href=\"https:\/\/mybzz.com\/\">Mybzz<\/a>, so entrepreneurs <a href=\"https:\/\/mybzz.com\/blog\/startup-network-connect-with-other-entrepreneurs\/\">connect with other entrepreneurs<\/a>, not employees browsing for jobs. We combine matching, <a href=\"https:\/\/mybzz.com\/business-offers\">business offers<\/a>, and business events in one place, made for people who actually run companies. Post an offer for free, describe what you&#8217;re building honestly, and let the fit find you. Genuine connections grow from that honesty, not from a flawless performance.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"faq\" style=\"scroll-margin-top:110px;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"faq\"><\/span>FAQ<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3 id=\"how-early-should-i-start-developing-investor-connections\" style=\"scroll-margin-top:110px;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"how-early-should-i-start-developing-investor-connections\"><\/span>How early should I start developing investor connections?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Start 12 to 18 months before you plan to raise. Investor relationships take time, and reaching out only when you need capital signals desperation. Early contact lets partners watch your progress, so the eventual conversation is warm rather than cold.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"do-i-need-to-meet-investors-in-person-to-build-a-connection\" style=\"scroll-margin-top:110px;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"do-i-need-to-meet-investors-in-person-to-build-a-connection\"><\/span>Do I need to meet investors in person to build a connection?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>No. Plenty of strong relationships start online through AI matching, warm intros, or curated founder programs. In-person events help but aren&#8217;t required, especially since your ideal investor may be in another country. What matters is relevance and consistent follow-up, not the channel.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"how-is-mybzz-com-different-from-a-general-professional-netwo\" style=\"scroll-margin-top:110px;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"how-is-mybzzcom-different-from-a-general-professional-network\"><\/span>How is Mybzz.com different from a general professional network?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Our app is built exclusively for entrepreneurs, while general networks mix in job seekers, recruiters, and casual users. AI matching starts conversations from mutual business intent, and the platform supports professional relationships across more than 50 countries. It&#8217;s for meeting the right people directly, not just verifying profiles.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"what-should-i-send-investors-between-fundraising-rounds\" style=\"scroll-margin-top:110px;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"what-should-i-send-investors-between-fundraising-rounds\"><\/span>What should I send investors between fundraising rounds?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Send short, honest updates each quarter: a few key metrics, one win, and one challenge you&#8217;re tackling. Include the occasional useful intro or article with no ask attached. These touches keep you top of mind and prove steady momentum before you ever pitch again.<\/p>\n<p>If you take one thing from this, make it the first practice: build your list and start talking to people now, while you have nothing to ask for. That single habit changes every conversation that follows, and it&#8217;s the foundation of developing investor connections that last. The tools help you move faster, and AI matching cuts the busywork, but the trust is on you. Open a free account on Mybzz.com, post what you&#8217;re building, and start a few honest conversations this week. The founders who raise smoothly next year are the ones planting these seeds today, not the ones scrambling when the runway gets short.<\/p>\n<hr style=\"border:none;border-top:1px solid #e5e7eb;margin:28px 0 10px;\">\n<p style=\"font-size:0.82em;color:#6b7280;line-height:1.5;margin:0 0 4px;\"><em>This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice. Consult a licensed advisor before making financial decisions.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Uncover five effective practices for developing investor connections that can lead to successful partnerships. Start enhancing your networking today.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2456,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[100],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2457","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-funding-investors"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mybzz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2457","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mybzz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mybzz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mybzz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mybzz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2457"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/mybzz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2457\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2479,"href":"https:\/\/mybzz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2457\/revisions\/2479"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mybzz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2456"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mybzz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2457"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mybzz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2457"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mybzz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2457"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}