Investor diligence framework for early-stage products
A practical founder-side diligence framework: verify investor mandate, partner fit, investment activity, capital signals, conflicts, and outreach timing.
Read the guideContext, evidence, timing
Deep investor research for startup fundraising
Move from a promising name to an informed outreach decision. Founder Relay researches public investor signals and uses your company context to prepare a brief and a relevant first message.
Answer the questions that change outreach
Research should explain why this investor fits your stage and sector, which partner is relevant, whether the portfolio creates a conflict, and what recent activity suggests about timing. A brief is useful when it changes the next action, not when it is merely long.
- Current thesis and stage alignment.
- Relevant partner and firm context.
- Recent investments and public fund announcements.
- Fit reasons, risks, and questions still to validate.
Keep evidence separate from inference
Public announcements can indicate activity, but they do not reveal an exact remaining capital balance or guarantee an open mandate. Verify source dates and current roles before relying on a draft.
If live research is unavailable, the app identifies its saved-data fallback. Treat a saved brief as a starting point for validation, not as a fresh investigation.
Turn the brief into a founder-approved message
AI-assisted messaging combines the startup profile, deck analysis when supplied, and investor research. The result should connect a real company milestone with a real investor interest.
You review the recipient, source facts, metrics, and tone. Founder Relay opens addressed drafts in your mail client; you control sending and follow-up.
Straight answers
Frequently asked questions
Can you verify an investor's dry powder?
Usually not from public sources. Research can identify fund announcements, new deals, and stated investment interests, but remaining deployable capital is often private.
Does research automatically send emails?
No. You review the draft and send it through your own mail client. Founder Relay does not run an automatic fundraising email campaign.
Which packages include live research?
Scout Report includes 10 research briefs, Raise System includes 30, and Relay Sprint includes a larger concierge research allocation. See pricing for the full package details.