Anchor Investor Introduction Flywheel
Turn the first investor into a network for completing the round
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Time to result
- ~weeks to results
- Steps
- 5
- Confidence
- 98%
The Anchor Investor Introduction Flywheel treats the first cheque as the beginning of a working relationship rather than the end of a transaction. Once an investor has committed, their incentives change: they now benefit when the company completes the round and succeeds. Ask them directly to introduce you to the people around their capital network, including board members, their own funders, and aligned angel investors. Give the request a precise profile so the investor can make useful matches instead of forwarding a generic appeal. Each warm introduction carries social proof from someone who has already completed diligence and said yes. Update the anchor on progress so they remain engaged and can open another branch of the network if needed. The output is a compounding referral path that can replace repeated cold outreach.
Origin
DeBaun used the investors behind her first $100,000 commitment to reach their board members and funders, which helped complete Blavity's round.
Core principles
- 01An investor's work continues after the cheque
- 02Existing backers are motivated to improve the company's odds
- 03Warm introductions transfer credibility
- 04One aligned commitment can unlock an adjacent network
How to run it
- 1
Secure the anchor
Win a commitment from one investor whose name and thesis provide credible alignment.
Watch out Do not rush into a badly matched anchor solely for introductions.
- 2
Make success shared
Frame completion of the round as a shared objective and ask the investor to help make the company successful.
Pro tip Ask immediately while conviction and momentum are fresh.
- 3
Specify the introductions
Describe the remaining cheque sizes, expertise, and investor profiles you need, then request introductions to the anchor's network.
Pro tip Include a short forwardable description of the company and round.
Watch out A vague request creates vague or irrelevant introductions.
- 4
Convert transferred trust
Tailor the pitch to each introduced investor and make the anchor's reason for investing easy to understand.
Watch out A warm introduction opens the door but does not replace diligence.
- 5
Keep the flywheel moving
Update the anchor and ask for another branch of introductions when progress or gaps become clear.
In the wild
After winning an initial investment, DeBaun asked those investors to help her raise the remainder. They introduced her to people on their board and to the wealthy individuals financing them, creating credibility and access she had not possessed through cold research alone.
→ The introductions helped her fill out the rest of the round with angels and funds committed to Blavity's growth.
Common mistakes
Saying thanks and disappearing
Treating investment as a completed transaction wastes the backer's network and aligned incentive to help.
Asking for anyone wealthy
Unfocused requests generate poor matches. Define the investor profile and remaining round needs.
Is it for you?
Best for
It is best for early-stage founders with an anchor investor but limited access to additional angels or funds.
Not ideal for
It is not ideal before any investor has committed or when the first investor is poorly aligned with the remaining round.
From the transcript
“I then asked the people who gave me money to help me finish raising the rest of my round”
“I try to make it their responsibility now that they've said yes to me to make me successful”
“I was introduced to people on their board I was introduced to their financers and that's how I filled out the rest of my round”
From the episode
Morgan DeBaun: Your Startup Survival Kit, from VC Funding to Leadership
Morgan DeBaun