Ask HN: How are founders finding investors without warm intros in 2025?

It feels like getting investor intros is still one of the biggest bottlenecks for early-stage founders.

I’ve seen countless threads saying “you need warm intros” - but in reality, not everyone has that network on day one. Cold emails and DMs often go unread, and accelerator “investor lists” feel outdated or generic.

So I’m curious:

1. How are you finding and reaching out to investors without existing connections?

2. Have any particular strategies, tools, or outreach methods worked for you recently?

3. Is personalization or timing more important in getting actual replies?

Would love to hear what’s been working (or not) in 2025’s fundraising environment

I'm not sure why anyone would think a connection to an investor would be easy to find. This is likely a bigger issue than whatever you're trying to build, because funding partners need to be a good fit.

Unfortunately, without existing connections, you have to put in a lot of effort helping people in your networks so you can ask them to help you. If you haven't been putting that work in by providing real help/value/relief to those in your network for years, it is an uphill battle to get a warm intro to an investor of all things.

1 day agoby leakycap

- Get into a reputable accelerator program, you’ll build your network.

- Find meet ups in your major metropolitan area.

- Your 2nd and 3rd degree networks are bigger than you imagine, you can absolutely get a warm intro.

- Forgo all investment and bootstrap.

1 day agoby curious_curios

connect w scouts - invite them for a coffee closeby their office - those are (younger) roles that build pipeline for the partners

1 day agoby flarion

cold emails and DMs often go unread

Often that’s because spam filters tend to filter out unsolicited emails. DM’s work similarly.

Getting a warm intro requires resourcefulness. That’s a skill investors value. If a warm intro is too much work, then building a startup will be too.

Of course if you build something interesting investors may look for you…and you will need a good spam filter to filter distractions. Good luck

1 day agoby brudgers

Traction opens doors imo. Unless it’s some hard tech thing and you’re an Ivy League or industry expert with a solid plan.

1 day agoby moomoo11