29% of startups fail not because their ideas were flawed, but because they ran out of money. This is a striking reality given that the United States alone is home to over 12,000 venture capitalists (VCs), according to Crunchbase data. This suggests a lack of connection, rather than a shortage of capital.
Founders who know where to look, how to prepare, and how to negotiate are the ones who close funding rounds.
This article covers the most effective ways to identify prospective VC investors, how to prepare before you pitch, and how to successfully close a deal.
Proven Ways to Find Prospective VC Investors
The path to VC funding is rarely a straight line, but a few reliable channels consistently give founders the highest chances of getting in front of the right investors. Whether you are raising your first round or your third, the strategies below are worth incorporating into your outreach process.
Screen VCs Through Online Databases
Online databases like OpenVC, Crunchbase, and PitchBook let you filter venture capitalists by round size, geography, stage, lead investor status, and preferred contact method.
On OpenVC, founders can also create profiles and upload pitch decks, which VCs actively browse. This opens the door to inbound interest.
A decade ago, building a targeted list of VC firms meant hours of manual Google searches or relying on warm introductions. Today, a well-filtered database search can surface dozens of relevant investors in minutes.
Attend VC Events
VC conferences and startup events offer a rare chance to meet dozens of investors face-to-face over just a few days. Events like TechCrunch Disrupt draw over 10,000 startups and VC leaders, and the math often works in founders’ favor. A few hundred dollars in attendance fees can yield more investor conversations than a costly digital outreach campaign, where the average cost per lead was $70.11 in 2025.
One important consideration is that, at these events, you may find yourself pitching to multiple VCs simultaneously, including some outside your sector. In such instances, sharp, concise answers that can hold up to varied and rapid-fire questioning are essential to make the most of any VC interest garnered.
Reach Out to Angel Networks
Fundraising is hardest at the seed stage, where most institutional VCs remain on the sidelines and angel investors, who typically contribute $10,000 to $100,000 per check, fill the gap. Given that the median US seed round was $3.8 million in 2025, approaching individual angels one at a time is impractical; you could theoretically need nearly 380 angels just to hit the median. A more realistic approach is targeting organized angel groups, of which there are roughly 400 across the United States. The Angel Capital Association maintains a free public directory where founders can filter groups by country, region, and sector.
Eqvista Raise
Eqvista customers can apply to the Eqvista Raise program, a free initiative that connects promising pre-seed and seed startups with VCs and angel investors. Companies are selected based on pitch strength, market opportunity, team background, milestones achieved, and existing sales channels. Most applicants hear back within three to six weeks, and those selected get the opportunity to pitch directly to investors on the platform.
With Eqvista serving over 23,000 companies that represent assets under administration of over $300 billion, the investor network you can access with Eqvista Raise is substantial.
What It Takes to Prepare and Close a Funding Round
Finding investors is only half the battle. How well you prepare your deck, respond to scrutiny, and handle negotiations will determine whether interest converts into a funding agreement.
Preparing Your Pitch Deck
When a general partner (GP) evaluates your startup, they ultimately need to convince their limited partners (LPs) that the investment is sound. The internal document they use for this is an investment memo, which typically covers the business and market description, financial results and forecasts, scenario analysis, management team, key risks, and deal terms. Your pitch deck should address all of these areas. Beyond the facts, your deck should tell a coherent story; one that the GP can carry forward into their own conversations with LPs.
Responding to VC Queries
In an ideal pitch setting, you are speaking one-on-one with a VC who specializes in your sector and asks pointed, informed questions. At events, however, you may be fielding questions from multiple investors at once, some of whom have little familiarity with your industry. Prepare answers that are both defensible to experts and accessible to generalists. Also, you must always follow up promptly, as specialist VCs in particular expect speed and precision after initial conversations.
Negotiating and Closing Funding
When a VC decides to move forward, they will issue a term sheet, which is a non-binding document outlining the proposed investment terms. Review it carefully, paying close attention to the equity stake requested, the implied valuation, board seat provisions, and reporting expectations. Eqvista’s round modelling feature allows you to stress-test different scenarios before responding. From there, you can either accept the offer or submit a counterproposal and continue the negotiations.
Eqvista- Your Partner from First Close to IPO!
There is an abundance of venture capitalists in the US if you know how to find them. Leverage online platforms, angel networks, VC events, and programs like Eqvista Raise. Once you begin receiving term sheets, you can rely on Eqvista’s round modelling feature to understand the dilution impact of funding offers and negotiate in an informed manner.
We also enable startups to track ownership, manage grants, and issue ESOPs in a tax-compliant manner.
Whether you are preparing for your first investor conversation or closing a subsequent round, Eqvista gives you the tools to present your company with confidence. Contact us to know more!
