Where to Find Investor Emails (Legally) for Your Startup

Cold emailing investors is one of the most effective ways to fundraise—if you can find their emails.

But most founders waste time guessing (e.g., mike@a16z.com → bounce). Worse, some scrape LinkedIn or buy shady lists, risking legal trouble and spam flags.

After helping 50+ startups raise funding, I’ve compiled the best legal ways to find investor emails—without breaking anti-spam laws.

Here’s what we’ll cover:
✅ Free methods (Crunchbase, AngelList, LinkedIn)
✅ Paid tools (Hunter, Apollo, RocketReach)
✅ Pro tricks (Warm intros, pattern guessing)
✅ How to verify emails (Avoid bounces)

Let’s dive in.

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Method 1: Crunchbase Pro (Best for VC Firms) for Investor Emails

💰 Cost: Free (limited) or 29−29−49/month (Pro)

Crunchbase lists investor contact info for many VC firms. Here’s how to use it:

1. Search for a firm (e.g., “Sequoia Capital”).
2. Go to the “People” tab → find partners.
3. Look for @firmdomain.com emails (e.g., patrick@sequoiacap.com).

Limitations:

• Not all investors list emails publicly.
• Free version has limited searches.

Pro Tip: Use Google dorking to find more:
site:crunchbase.com "sequoia capital" email

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Method 2: AngelList (Best for Angel Investors)

💰 Cost: Free

Angel investors often list emails on their profiles:

1. Search for investors in your niche (e.g., “SaaS angels”).
2. Check their “Contact Info” section.
3. If no email, message them through AngelList first.

Example:

“Hi [Name], saw you invest in [Industry]. We’re a [Stage] startup with [Traction]—would love to chat if you’re open!”

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Method 3: LinkedIn (The Indirect Approach)

💰 Cost: Free (or Sales Navigator for $79/month)

Most investors are active on LinkedIn. Here’s how to find their emails:

Option 1: Check Their Profile

• Some list emails in their “Contact Info” section.
• Look for a newsletter or Substack link (often has their email).

Option 2: Use LinkedIn’s “Connect + Note”

1. Send a connection request with a short note:“Hi [Name], I’m building [Startup] in [Space]. Would love to connect!”
2. Once they accept, send a follow-up message (higher reply rate than cold email).

Pro Tip: Use Expandi or Dux-Soup for automated (but careful) LinkedIn outreach.

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Method 4: Hunter.io (Best for Domain Search)

💰 Cost: Free (50 searches/month) or $49+/month

Hunter.io finds emails by company domain (e.g., @a16z.com):

1. Enter the VC firm’s website (e.g., ycombinator.com).
2. Hunter shows all detected emails (e.g., michael@ycombinator.com).
3. Verify with Hunter’s email checker.

Works best for:

• VC firms (not solo angels).
• Finding generic emails (e.g., partners@firm.com).

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Method 5: Apollo.io (Best for Bulk Lists)

💰 Cost: Free (limited) or $99+/month

Apollo has a database of 275M+ contacts, including investors:

1. Search for “venture capitalist” + your industry.
2. Filter by title (e.g., “Partner,” “Managing Director”).
3. Export emails + phone numbers.

Pro Tip: Use “Pattern Search” to guess emails:

• first.last@firm.com
• f.last@firm.com

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Method 6: RocketReach (For Hard-to-Find Emails)

💰 Cost: $60+/month

RocketReach is like Apollo but better for executives. Useful for:

• Big-name investors (e.g., Marc Andreessen).
• Corporate VCs (e.g., Google Ventures).

Trick: Use the free Chrome extension to check emails on LinkedIn.

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Method 7: Warm Intros (The Best Way)

💰 Cost: Free (but requires networking)

Cold email → 10% reply rate. Warm intro → 50%+.

How to get warm intros:

1. Ask advisors/mentors: “Do you know anyone at [Firm]?”
2. Leverage LinkedIn: Check shared connections.
3. Attend events: Meet investors in person (or via Zoom).

Example intro email:

“Hi [Mutual Contact], could you intro me to [Investor]? We’re raising a round after hitting [Traction].”

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How to Verify Emails (Avoid Bounces)

Before sending, always verify emails with:
✔ Hunter.io Email Verifier
✔ NeverBounce
✔ QuickMail’s built-in checker

Why? Bounced emails hurt your sender reputation.

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Legal Rules for Cold Emailing Investors

• CAN-SPAM Act (US): Must include an unsubscribe link.
• GDPR (EU): Need legitimate interest or consent.
• Best practice: Personalize emails (no blasts).

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Key Takeaways

1. Start with free methods (Crunchbase, AngelList, LinkedIn).
2. Use tools like Hunter/Apollo for bulk searches.
3. Prioritize warm intros (highest reply rate).
4. Always verify emails before sending.

🚀 Need investor leads fast? Try Leadsgrotica’s verified investor lists.

What’s your go-to method for finding investor emails? Reply below!