Fundraising? Here’s why you should optimise Quality Outreach Over Quantity

If you’re a founder looking for investment, you have a dilemma.

How much time to invest in identifying and building connections with investors, or to invest in immediate business traction.

Daniel Sawko, co-founder of shipshape.vc, the free to use investment search engine, shares his tips on how to maximise your chances of success.

Focus on Relationship-Building

When raising capital, a common misconception is that contacting more investors improves your chances of success.

This “spray and pray” approach—sending generic messages to numerous potential investors—has gained popularity with the rise of mass emailing tools.

However, analysis by Adam Shuaib, a Data Scientist and General Partner at Episode One Ventures reveals that this strategy is suboptimal.

Beyond a certain point, there’s no increase in the chance of success for the number of investors you contact. Instead, founders should focus on building meaningful relationships with carefully selected investors.

Research Potential Investors

The challenge lies in identifying which investors deserve your attention, as this data is often disparate and poorly organised. This is one of the problems we’re solving with shipshape.vc.

Shipshape.vc aggregates data from over 25,000 funds, identifying the types of companies that they are investing in and the individuals that work at those funds. This enables founders to significantly cut down on the research time it takes to identify relevant investors.

Identify Investors who Understand Your Niche

Beyond identifying investors who focus on, for example, Fintech, determine if they understand your specific niche. For example, if you’re developing credit decisioning technology using open banking data, look for investors with experience in related domains.

Be Aware of the Fund Lifecycle

Most venture funds operate on a lifecycle, say of 10 years. Funds deploy capital primarily in their early years to ensure returns before the fund closes. Recently raised funds are more likely to be in an active “planting phase,” while those 5+ years into their lifecycle may be in “harvesting mode”—focusing on existing portfolio companies rather than new opportunities.

Examine Recent Investment Activity

Monitor when funds last deployed capital. A fund that hasn’t invested in the past three to six months might lack fresh capital or be moving to a different phase of its lifecycle.

Target the Right Team Members

Research which individuals at the fund understand your space. See if you can deduce from the team descriptions on a fund’s website, their social media, or from a search engine, like shipshape.vc (which will often include team descriptions), with whom at the fund you should be building a relationship.

Approaching someone with the wrong specialisation signals poor research—and how you sell your equity reflects how you sell your product!

Don’t Present Investors with a Transaction aiming at an immediate “Yes” or “No”

Fundraising is not about getting an immediate yes or no. Your company is not a simple product and ‘sales discovery’ applies for potential purchasers of your equity.

Investors will almost always need multiple data points about your company over time before making decisions. The saying of “investors invest in lines, not dots” is real.

Each interaction and update (in-person or via other mediums) helps to build a trendline that either increases or decreases confidence in your venture.

Prioritise Depth over Breadth and Quality over Quantity

This approach requires depth rather than breadth. Similar to bulk mail outreach for selling products or services, founders will struggle to create sufficient data points and depth of relationship with hundreds of investors simultaneously via bulk outreach.

Focus on building relationships with a few dozen carefully selected investors you have determined demonstrate genuine interest in your sector and stage, have dry powder (e.g. via a recent fundraise for the fund) and identify those that can potentially lead a round.

By narrowing your funnel and prioritising quality connections over quantity, you’ll optimise your fundraising process and increase your chances of finding the right investment partners who truly understand and value what you’re building.

Want to share your thoughts?

If you have a question or further thoughts on this article – feel free to reach out to Daniel Sawko on LinkedIn!

Top 3 Strategies for Media and Communications in Fintech 

Over the past three years we have seen significant changes, within the fintech sector, in how companies engage with investors, stakeholders, and customers – particularly in their use of digital communication. Through our partnerships, such as the London Stock Exchange, we have witnessed a growing trend toward high-quality virtual and hybrid events. These formats, which combine livestreaming, on-demand content and video conferencing, are becoming standard tools for fintech firms looking for greater transparency whilst maintaining global reach. Companies, now, have more ways than ever to see – and show – themselves through multimedia. To unpack this, we’ll look at three key areas. 

Live Streaming – it’s a game changer 

In the financial sector, where precision and trust are everything, live streaming may feel like a bold move. The idea of broadcasting high-stakes communications in real-time can understandably raise concerns what if something goes wrong? What if a question catches the C-suite off guard? 

But here’s the truth: live streaming isn’t a risk, it’s an opportunity. 

When used effectively, live streaming offers an unparalleled level of transparency and authenticity. Whether it’s half-year or full-year results, investor updates, or a capital markets day, going live enables executive leadership to speak directly to stakeholders, unfiltered and in the moment. 

This format invites questions, promotes real-time engagement, and fosters trust in a way that pre-recorded or written statements simply can’t match. Stakeholders appreciate being part of the conversation, not just recipients of information. The result? A stronger, more connected relationship between companies and the audiences that matter most. 

Pre-Recorded Content – Say it once, use it twice (or ten times). 

While live streaming brings immediacy and authenticity, pre-recorded content opens the door to precision, polish, and depth. 

For Fintech companies and C-suite executives navigating complex topics, pre-recording offers the ideal environment to deliver clear, considered messages with confidence. Whether it’s a fireside chat, product announcement, or strategic update, 

this format allows for multiple takes, seamless editing, and visual enhancements ensuring every word lands exactly as intended. 

But the value of pre-recorded content goes beyond production quality. 

It’s a powerful tool for repurposing and reach. A single piece can be tailored to different audiences from institutional investors to internal teams while still maintaining time sensitivity. Fireside chats are an excellent alternative to traditional presentation formats. They invite discussion, showcase leadership personality, and provide space for more nuanced opinions and analysis. 

Plus, pairing pre-recorded content with a live Q&A session can offer the best of both worlds: the confidence of a polished presentation and the connection of real-time engagement. 

For forward-thinking companies, it’s not just about choosing between live or pre-recorded it’s about using both strategically to elevate communication. 

Portfolio & Brand Content: Capture Their Imagination 

In today’s landscape, the C-suite isn’t just thinking in slides they’re thinking in stories. The most impactful leaders are turning to video as a powerful tool to bring their ideas to life, not just explain them. 

Whether it’s showcasing a fintech portfolio, launching a new product, or highlighting future growth areas, video helps translate abstract concepts into compelling, visual narratives. It captures imagination, sparks curiosity, and most importantly sticks. Audiences remember what they can see, hear, and feel. And in boardrooms or investor meetings where attention is limited, a well-crafted piece of brand content can be the difference between passive interest and real engagement. 

But this isn’t just about external storytelling. Internally, portfolio and brand videos help teams align behind a shared vision. When introducing new business verticals or rolling out strategic updates, video can communicate ideas clearly, quickly, and with emotional resonance. It helps employees see where the company is going and why it matters. 

In short, videos don’t just inform they inspire. They turn complex strategies into memorable stories and make big ideas feel tangible. In a world full of noise, that’s how you make your message land. 

At the heart of it, fintech is about innovation and your communications should be too. Whether you’re streaming live, crafting polished pre-records, or telling stories through brand content, the goal is the same: to connect, to clarify, and to captivate. 

These tools aren’t just trends they’re opportunities. When used well, they can elevate your message, engage your stakeholders, and bring your boldest ideas to life. 

So don’t be afraid to mix formats, try new approaches, and think beyond the slide deck. The future of FinTech communication is already here and it’s more dynamic, more visual, and more human than ever. 

Written by Ruairidh Duguid and Robbie Durham – CutAcross ™ 

Email:hello@cutacrossmedia.com 

Photo by Pixabay: https://www.pexels.com/photo/black-camera-zoom-lens-in-close-photography-159442/