Actionable summary of my article on warm intros. Original post:

Guide: How to get warm introductions to investors?

How do warm introductions work?

A warm introduction is when someone introduces you to the investor. Ideally, the introducer should be their portfolio company founder. How it works:

1. You ask a referrer to introduce you to an investor.
2. The referrer asks the investor if she/he doesn't mind the intro.
3. If the investor is positive about the intro, the referrer gets back to you to confirm that you're ready for the introduction.
4. The referrer then connects you and the investor in an email thread.
5. You thank the introducer, greet the investor, and schedule the meeting.

It's called the double opt-in protocol:

When introducing two people who don't know each other, ask each of them to opt-in to the introduction before making it.

Who is the best person to ask for an investor intro?