Expand your deal flow network with 10 proven LinkedIn connection request templates built for VCs and angel investors. Connect with founders, co-investors, and industry experts using analytically crafted outreach that gets accepted.
Get Started FreeYour deal flow is only as strong as your network. For VCs and angel investors, LinkedIn is one of the highest-leverage surfaces to build relationships with founders before they're fundraising, establish your thesis publicly, and stay visible in the communities where the best companies get built. But a poorly written connection request gets ignored — and a missed connection is a missed deal. These 10 templates are engineered for the specific contexts investors encounter: cold founder outreach, co-investor introductions, post-content engagement, thesis alignment, and more. Each one is concise, credible, and designed to open a conversation rather than close a pitch.
Connecting with a founder whose company aligns with your investment thesis
Example
Hi Sarah, I invest in climate infrastructure at Greenfield Ventures and CarbonLedger caught my attention — particularly your approach to scope 3 emissions tracking for mid-market manufacturers. I'd love to stay connected as you build. — Marcus
💡 Use this when you've identified a founder building in a space you actively track and you want to open a relationship before a formal pitch process begins.
Connecting after engaging with a founder's or operator's LinkedIn post
Example
Hi Jordan, I commented on your post about B2B SaaS pricing models — your point on usage-based tiers accelerating expansion revenue was sharp and aligned with what I'm seeing across my portfolio. Worth staying connected. — Priya
💡 Use this immediately after you've left a substantive comment on someone's post. It converts a public interaction into a private relationship with clear context.
Connecting with another investor to build syndicate relationships and share deal flow
Example
Hi Derek, I've followed your work at Anchor Capital — especially your bets in vertical SaaS for skilled trades. I invest at Ridgeline Partners with a focus on the future of work and SMB infrastructure. Would value being connected to compare notes on the market. — Alicia
💡 Use this to build your co-investor network proactively. Strong syndicate relationships surface deals earlier and improve your ability to move quickly on competitive rounds.
Connecting with a potential customer, partner, or advisor relevant to one of your portfolio companies
Example
Hi Thomas, I'm an investor in Fieldstack, which is working on real-time inventory intelligence for food distributors. Given your background leading supply chain ops at Sysco, I think a connection between us — and potentially an intro — could be valuable. Open to it? — Rachel
💡 Use this when you're actively adding value to portfolio companies by sourcing strategic intros. It also signals to the broader network that you're a hands-on, connected investor.
Following up with someone you met or observed at an industry event
Example
Hi Mei, we were both at SaaStr Annual last week. Your panel comment on founder-led sales ceilings stuck with me — especially the framing around when to hire a VP of Sales versus build a PLG motion first. Good to connect here and continue the thread. — David
💡 Use this within 48 hours of an event while context is fresh. It converts a weak in-person signal into a durable digital relationship.
Connecting with a domain expert or operator to sharpen your thesis in a new category
Example
Hi Omar, I'm developing conviction around AI-native legal tech and your experience as Head of Legal Ops at Stripe puts you at the center of what I'm trying to understand. I'm not pitching anything — I'm investing attention. Would value the connection. — Jamie
💡 Use this when mapping a new vertical before writing checks. Expert operators become deal sources, reference checks, and advisors — building this network early compounds.
Connecting after a mutual contact has introduced or mentioned you
Example
Hi Leila, Ben Horowitz mentioned I should connect with you — specifically around your work scaling developer community flywheels. Given my focus on infrastructure and dev tools at Stage Two Capital, that framing makes sense to me too. Looking forward to the conversation. — Chris
💡 Use this to activate warm introductions that haven't yet resulted in a meeting. It acknowledges the mutual connection, adds context, and moves the relationship forward without pressure.
Connecting with early-stage founders before they've started raising to get into deal flow early
Example
Hi Kenji, I came across Loopform while tracking the no-code data pipeline space. You're early — which is exactly when I like to get to know founders. No agenda right now, just building relationships ahead of the curve. — Nina at Foundry Arc
💡 Use this when you identify a promising pre-seed company through Product Hunt, GitHub, job boards, or early press. Getting in before the round is announced is a significant competitive advantage.
Connecting with a second- or third-time founder based on their track record
Example
Hi Aaron, I followed what you built at Hatch closely — scaling to $40M ARR in 28 months in a category most investors overlooked stood out. Now that you're working on Conduit Labs, I'd like to stay connected from the start. — Vanessa
💡 Use this with repeat founders who have a demonstrable track record. Repeat founders move faster and raise harder rounds — being in their network early is a direct deal flow signal.
Connecting with LPs, family offices, or institutional allocators to strengthen fund relationships
Example
Hi Sandra, I manage Dusk Ventures, a pre-seed deeptech fund currently investing out of Fund III. Your work at Midwest Family Office Group and focus on alternative allocations in hard tech seemed like a natural point of intersection. Worth being connected. — Leo
💡 Use this during LP development cycles or when expanding your LP base. Relationship-building with allocators requires long lead times — starting the connection early is essential.
Lead with a specific signal, not a generic compliment. Mentioning a founder's exact problem space or a specific post they wrote demonstrates that your outreach is targeted, not automated — and it dramatically improves acceptance rates among discerning founders and operators.
Keep connection requests under 300 characters when possible. LinkedIn's mobile experience truncates long messages, and investors and founders receive high volumes of outreach daily. A concise, high-signal note outperforms a detailed paragraph that requires scrolling.
Use Remarkly to comment on a target's LinkedIn post before sending a connection request. A prior comment creates social proof of your perspective and gives the recipient a reason to accept — transforming a cold request into a warm one in under 24 hours.
Personalize the [THESIS_AREA] and [SECTOR] variables with precise language, not category-level descriptions. 'B2B SaaS' is noise. 'AI-assisted underwriting for specialty insurance carriers' is a signal that you know what you're talking about and attracts the right founders to your network.
Follow up a connected request with a lightweight, value-forward message within 72 hours — a relevant article, a portfolio introduction offer, or a short observation about their market. The connection request opens the door; the follow-up determines whether the relationship compounds.
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