Mastering LinkedIn for fundraising

LinkedIn can feel like a crowded marketplace, packed with pitching, scrolling and connecting. But, if you’re fundraising, it’s one of the clearest shop windows you’ve got – and by looking at your profile, investors can decide if your message is worth replying to. Scribe Co-Founder Rob Cossins and Sales Lead Ekky Manoilenko dissect how founders can turn their profiles into a credible investor landing page. 

Watch the session below to make LinkedIn work for your raise, not against it.

Key takeaways

LinkedIn is an investors ‘first impression’

• Early-stage angel investing is personal – investors will often check your LinkedIn before replying, as they often want to quickly judge if you look credible and investable.
• Your profile needs to communicate commitment (you’re all-in on the venture) and capability (you’ve got the skills and experience to execute).
• Investors tend to scan for signals like network size (aim for 500+), mutual connections, relevant experience, clarity of communication and focus (no clutter that makes your priorities look split). 

Build a founder profile that’s credible and on-brand

• Treat the top of your profile like a landing page: it needs a strong banner (product or brand colours), a founder-friendly headline, and a photo that fits the vibe of the business you’re building. 
• Keep the ‘about’ section skimmable, as long blocks of text get ignored, especially by busy investors – highlight tangible achievements and make them punchy. 
• Reduce anything that muddies the story, like multiple roles or ‘full-time job + startup on the side’, which can make investors doubt your conviction (even if your reasons are totally valid). 

Post consistently to compound trust

• Stop chasing virality and instead focus on demonstrating progress.
• Momentum aids you in building credibility and widening investor discovery, helping people feel like they know you before you’ve ever even met.
• A useful rule of thumb: clients first, investors second. If your content is aimed at customers and the market, it usually reads as more authentic. 

Talk about fundraising without killing the vibe

• Investors respond well to content that indicates traction, such as milestones (launches, hires), market insights, and the startup vision.
• You can post that you’re fundraising, but use scarcity and social proof (eg. % of round filled and time remaining), and avoid making it look like a never-ending campaign.
• If you are going to share fundraising updates, make the ‘why invest’ story feel inevitable – not uncertain. 

Build an investor pipeline with warm routes first, then scale cold outreach

• The strongest early investor sources usually start warm: personal network, founder-to-founder introductions, clients and events – many angels won’t advertise that they invest so you often meet them indirectly.
• A practical tactic: message founders slightly ahead of you in your sector, invite them for a drink/dinner, then ask for intros to their investors afterwards.
• For cold outreach, relevance matters more than volume. Target investors that have been active recently in your space and ask permission before sending your deck. Consider video to make the outreach feel more human.