How to Approach VCs

I spoke with a founder friend of mine the other day, and he casually mentioned that we VCs are too difficult to interact with. Confused, I asked him what made him think that, as I was under a different impression. While he relayed stories of being unable to contact various VCs, I felt he couldn't be the only one going through this. So here is my submission to all founders out there - this is how you can approach us:

Cold Emails/LinkedIn Invitations:

Most VCs I know, and I can vouch for Equanimity for sure, are always welcoming to founders who try to reach out to us through professional networks and dare I say, we are pretty liberal in sharing our email ids. A tip for anyone trying this out - introduce yourself and your business in a short paragraph, and don't forget to send out your deck.?In fact, some of our portfolio company founders reached out to someone in the team on LinkedIn and the rest, as they say, is history.

Referrals:

I think this is arguably the best way to reach us. We are constantly bombarded with good ideas every day and have to pick and choose from the ones that best suit our investment mandates. Given this fact, we are surrounded by people that we trust. If you can get someone to refer you to us, it saves us a lot of time since you come bearing a badge of credibility. People from our professional networks, angel syndicates, incubators or accelerators, and portfolio company founders tend to be some of these credible sources.?

Investment Bankers:

Another way for founders to reach us is by mandating investment bankers. These are seasoned deal-making professionals that can help you get prospective investors. They can guide and educate you through the process, which can otherwise be very daunting for a first-time entrepreneur.?

Events:

The Indian startup ecosystem is a very different place than it was five years back. Backed by media coverage, capital, and experience, various forms of support and sources of knowledge are available to entrepreneurs. Events are significant destinations for entrepreneurs and VCs to find each other. Events are a place where ideas and information get exchanged. They are a great way to facilitate conversations and touch base with some investors that you think can add value to your cap table.?I have actually met some brilliant entrepreneurs at events. In fact, one founder and I struck up a conversation at an event and through its course, we figured out a few commonalities between us. The founder, to this day, rings me up in case he needs a sounding board.?

Build Value:

Building value is probably the most challenging way to reach a VC. We are always looking for gems that may not be in the public eye yet and are constantly scouting entrepreneurs to back. If you are an entrepreneur looking to create value, we will find you. On the flip side, you may realize that you may not need us :)?