Finding angel investors to support your startup can be a challenge, especially if you’re trying to find one for a specific investment round. Using LinkedIn in combination with a CRM can significantly improve your chances of connecting with the right investors.
What’s more, you’ll be able to save the most suitable angel investors into your CRM without even leaving the page you’re on with our Chrome extension, folkX.
In this article, we will guide you through the process of finding angel investors on LinkedIn, saving them into your folk CRM, and how to attract their attention.
What’s more, you’ll learn how to save the most suitable angel investors into your CRM without even leaving the page you’re on with our Chrome extension, folkX.
What are angel investors?
Angel investors are high-net-worth individuals who provide financial backing to early-stage companies, usually in exchange for equity.
Unlike venture capitalists who invest other people's or businesses’ money, angel investors use their own funds.
Some angel investors like to be hands-off. Others like to offer further support on top of the necessary capital including valuable industry expertise, mentorship, and business connections.
We dive more into this topic in our guide on what a B2B angel investor is.
How To Identify Potential Angel Investors
Now that you’ve got a high-level idea of what an angel investor is, let’s look into a few ways you can identify them on LinkedIn.
1. Use folk’s ultimate list of angel investors
Get a head start on your search. We’ve got you covered with a list of B2B angel investors around the world that you can import straight into your folk CRM with a click.
We’ve listed angel investors and their main focus areas, as well as the investment stage they’re interested in, what their portfolio is like and more.
If this list isn’t quite what you’re looking for, we also have a library of carefully curated ‘Famous Lists’ where you’ll find angel investors from specific sectors and locations around the world and more.
2. Use a variety of keywords in your search
While the obvious keyword choice might be “angel investor” there are some who choose not to explicitly state their investor status on their profiles. Fortunately, there are some indicators that can help you identify them.
In your search bar, use the Boolean method and look for these keywords alongside “angel investor” such as:
- “Startup mentor”
- “Startup advisor”
- “Early-stage investments” or “early stage investment”
- “Early-stage investor” + “Your Industry”
You can use folk to save your search lists directly from the page straight to your CRM, and keep notes of what keyword you used to find these investor profiles.
3. Get involved in local and remote startup ecosystems
Use LinkedIn to find out about local and online events in your startup’s ecosystem. These events are often posted by top voices in your industry and company pages.
A few places you’re likely to come across them include:
- Industry events
- Startup events
- Co-working spaces
- Networking events in private membership spaces
Approaching Angel Investors on LinkedIn
After identifying potential angel investors, it's time to reach out.
Before you approach angel investors, make sure you do your homework. Look into the types of businesses that are in their portfolio, including those that have exited, and also current projects they’re involved in.
When you’re ready, here's how to approach angel investors on LinkedIn:
1. Craft a personalized connection request
Avoid generic connection requests and instead personalize each message. Research the investor's background and mention specific reasons why you believe they would be interested in your startup. Be concise, and respectful, and highlight any mutual connections or common interests.
Thanks to folk's AI integration you can generate in moments messages that are personalized to each of your contacts.
Better yet, you can use folk's enrichment function to get the email addresses of your entire list of angel investors, and email them in bulk from folk. It's easy to track the metrics of your email campaigns, and follow up.
2. Follow up after the initial connection
Once rapport is established, it's essential to nurture the relationship. Share updates about your startup's progress, seek advice when needed, and express gratitude for their time and support. Building trust and maintaining open lines of communication are essential for a successful long-term relationship with angel investors.
Be mindful of when your last interaction was with them, so that you do not come across as spam. Use folk to keep notes on details of your interactions such as dates and topics covered so you know how to pick up where you’ve left off.
3. Keep track of fundraising with a pipeline
If contacting many investors, it can get confusing keeping track of what's happening with whom. There's no easier way to keep track of your fundraising processes than with a powerful pipeline. In folk it's quick and easy to set up a visual pipeline board, where you can drag and drop cards and keep track of your fundraising.
Conclusion
There you have it, ways to find and approach angel investors on LinkedIn. You even have access to a resource that can help kick-start your search. Lucky you!
Remember, identifying potential angel investors is just the first step. Once you have a list of potential investors, you need to research them further, understand their investment preferences, and tailor your approach accordingly.
Building relationships with angel investors takes time and effort, but it can be a crucial step in securing the funding your startup needs to succeed. The best thing is you can keep track of all your interactions using folk. Try it free.
Useful links
- folk’s B2B Angel Investors list
- What is a B2B angel investor?
