LinkedIn Content Strategy for Venture and Startup Media Founders | Netwarm
LinkedIn playbook · Case study
LinkedIn content strategy for venture and startup media founders: how a London deal flow founder reached 99 investors and founders in 3 weeks
We read every reaction on 25 posts from a London venture builder and startup media founder. 691 people, 99 investors and founders. Here is what brings buyers, what brings peers, and the 5 posts we'd publish next.
Max Sawyer · Netwarm··12 min read
The creator in this case studyA London venture builder and startup media founder
Followers26,546
Posts~7 a week
SellsA monthly curated deal flow report for investors (free public version, paid full version with decks and founder contacts), venture building and strategic advisory
These numbers are from 5 November. Your audience has already moved.
New investors and founders turn Hot every week and others go quiet. Run your free scan to see today’s version, with the names.
Ideal client: angels, VCs, family offices and corporate investors looking for early-stage deal flow, and founders raising pre-seed to growth rounds.The challenge: The founder writes "Founders are still sending hundreds of investor emails… and getting ignored." The deal flow report exists to fix that. But a feed full of guest episodes and tech-giant stories also pulls in creators and coaches. Which posts reach the investors and founders the report is for?
Key takeaways
1 in 7 readers is an investor or founder.99 investors and founders reacted in 3 weeks: 14.3% of the 691 people who reacted. 267 were creators, coaches, consultants and marketers.
The most liked post brought the fewest buyers.The Reid Hoffman post drew 597 reactions but only 5.3% investors and founders. The September deal flow post: 18.1%.
15 investors and founders are Hot.They reacted to 5 posts or more. One of them reacted to 18 of the 25.
01
Who actually reads you, and what the LinkedIn algorithm changed
The founder posts about every day: the 22nd Century Frontier show with founders and investors, the monthly Frontier Deal Flow report, stories of tech giants, and short motivation clips. 25 posts between 13 October and 5 November 2026.
The LinkedIn algorithm shows a post to the people who reacted to the last ones, then to people like them. A big guest name pulls in a big crowd, and most of that crowd is other creators. Reach can't tell investors from peers. Who reacted can. We looked at every person who reacted and sorted them by role.
25posts in 3 weeks
691people reacted
99investors and founders
19came back 3+ times
Audience by roleThe 691 people who reacted, by roleFree
Peers are the largest group: 267 creators, coaches, consultants and marketers, almost 3 for every investor or founder. They push reach, and they rarely buy deal flow or advisory.
Among the 99 buyers, 28 have investing in their headline: angels, VCs, family offices and private capital. The others run companies, many of them in AI and tech, the same companies the deal flow report features.
SeniorityAll people who reactedFree
Founder, owner, C-level23.4%
Director, VP3.2%
Manager10.3%
Independent7.1%
Other56%
IndustriesInvestors and founders onlyNetwarm
AI, software and tech31.3%
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See all industries and company sizes in your free scan.
Core audience19 investors and founders engaged 3+ times · 15 engaged 5+ timesNetwarm
19 investors and founders keep coming back. One of them reacted to 18 of the 25 posts.See your regulars
Engager company sizeEveryone who reacted, by company sizeNetwarm
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See which company sizes your investors and founders work at.See company sizes
02
What to post on LinkedIn to reach investors and founders
Most founders judge a post by its reactions. A founder who sells to investors should judge it by who reacted.
We tagged each of the 25 posts by topic, then measured the share of investors and founders among the people who reacted.
Your topicsWhat your 25 posts were aboutFree
25posts
Guest conversations11
Deal flow & fundraising6
Tech giant stories4
Motivation clips2
Channel news2
Topics that attract investors and foundersShare of each topic’s reactions from investors and foundersNetwarm
Channel news18.2%
Motivation clips16.1%
Deal flow & fundraising14.2%
Tech giant stories14.1%
Guest conversations12.0%
Single posts range from 5.3% to 18.5% investors and founders. See which ones led.See which topics
Topics sit close together, from 12% to 18% investors and founders. Single posts range from 5.3% to 18.5%: how a post is built matters more than its topic.
Posts that brought the most investors and foundersShare of investors and founders in each post’s reactions1 of 5 open
#1The ideas, people and opportunities shaping the future18.5%
#2The next big startup opportunity is in a deal flow investors haven't seen18.1%
#3I've finally launched my YouTube channel18.1%
#4Where is the next opportunity hiding? 79 startups featured17.7%
#5Go all in: the NASCAR move17.1%
For comparison, the Reid Hoffman post, the most liked of the period with 597 reactions, reached 5.3% investors and founders, the lowest share.
6 rules for LinkedIn engagement from investors and founders
These rules come from what worked on the founder's own profile, and from the best-performing posts by venture investors and fundraising experts on LinkedIn over the last 3 months.
1
Lead with the deal, not the guest. A famous name brings a crowd. A real company, what it raises and how to reach its founders brings the people who write cheques. Keep the guest for line three.On this profile: the September deal flow post reached 18.1% investors and founders. The Reid Hoffman post, with almost 7x more reactions on LinkedIn, reached 5.3%.
Put your own story first, not only the guest. Most posts put a famous guest up front. The short post about the founder's own launch reached the most buyers. Investors back people: let them see the one behind the show.On this profile: the YouTube launch post reached 17 investors and founders, the most of any post.
Give founders the steps, numbered. Founders raising right now save and share a numbered list they can use in their next call. Each step: one mistake, one fix.Across the niche: Harry Stebbings' three first-5-minute mistakes drew 604 likes and 93 comments.
Turn over a belief investors repeat. "We invest in people", "you need a warm intro", "raising is success": a title that questions one of them gets investors to stop and answer.On this profile: "We invest in people is a myth" reached 15 investors and founders, 15.5%.
Put a number in the first line. Investors read in numbers. "79 startups featured", "973 VC funds": a count up front tells them there is something to look at.On this profile: the "79 startups featured" post reached 17.7% investors and founders, above the profile average of 14.3%.
Show the investor side of the table. Founders want to know what happens after they hit send. One meeting, seen from the investor's chair, is worth ten tips.Across the niche: Matan Hazanov's "we were passing on the deal" story drew 162 likes and 91 comments.
When investors and founders read: the best time to post on LinkedIn for venture and startup media founders
We compared the share of investors and founders by the day and the hour (London time) each post was published.
Share of investors and founders by posting dayAmong the people who reacted to each postFree
14.4%
Mon
10.7%
Tue
14.6%
Wed
13.5%
Thu
11.8%
Fri
13.4%
Sat
15.0%
Sun
Best time to post, by hourShare of investors and founders among people who reactedFree
12.4%
8:00
11.9%
10:00
15.6%
18:00
Sunday (15.0%) and Wednesday (14.6%) brought the highest share of investors and founders, Tuesday the lowest (10.7%). Monday brought the most in total: 63 across 6 posts.
Most posts went out at 8:00 or 10:00. The 3 posts at 18:00 brought a higher share, 15.6%: try the deal flow and the investor posts in the early evening, and keep the clips for the morning.
05
5 posts ready to publish to target investors and founders
Each post follows the rules above, in the founder's voice. Swap in your own details before posting: the real deal flow and the real founder stories are what make them land.
1Ready to postDeal flow teaser
4 companies, 2 countries, 1 question for investorsRule 1 and rule 5: lead with the deal and a number, keep the guest names for later. Modelled on the September deal flow post, the highest share of investors and founders on the profile.
Hook
4 COMPANIES. 2 COUNTRIES. 75% BUILT ON AI.That was our September Frontier Deal Flow.AI-driven investment decisions.Personalized video infrastructure.A real-world impact marketplace.Adaptive diabetes care.Every company in the report was reviewed for signal, not volume.For each one you get:🔺 What they are building🔺 How much they are raising🔺 Their traction so far🔺 How to reach the foundersThe public version is free.The full version adds the pitch decks, founder contacts and investor signals.Investors: this is how you see a company before wider distribution.Founders: submissions for the next issue are FREE.👇 Which of the four would you back first?
Visual · Single imageA 2x2 grid with the four sectors (AI investing, video infrastructure, impact marketplace, diabetes care), one line each, no logos.Check before postingUse the current month's report and its real figures. Ask the four founders before naming their companies.
Why I started Frontier Deal FlowRule 2: your own story first. The YouTube launch post brought the most investors and founders of any post. Modelled on David Y.'s "Back in 2012, every investor passed on me".
Hook
I watched a founder send 212 investor emails. He got 3 replies.His company was good.His deck was solid.His timing was right.None of that mattered, because the emails landed in inboxes full of low-signal deal flow.I have sat on both sides of that inbox.As a founder, you wonder why nobody answers.As an investor, you wonder why the good companies never seem to find you.Same problem. Two sides.That is why we built Frontier Deal Flow.✅ Founders submit for free✅ We review for signal, not volume✅ The best companies go into one monthly report✅ The report goes to angels, VCs, family offices and corporate partnersNo more 212 emails.One report, read by the people who actually write cheques.The next issue is open for submissions now.👇 Founders: what is the hardest part of reaching investors today?
Visual · Text onlyNo image. The 212 and the 3 carry the post.Check before postingUse a real founder story from your own submissions, with the real numbers, and keep the founder anonymous.
3 things investors decide in the first 5 minutesRule 3: give founders numbered steps. Modelled on Harry Stebbings' "first 5 mins" post, with the influence lessons from the Cialdini episode.
Hook
MOST PITCHES ARE LOST IN THE FIRST 5 MINUTES.Not because of the numbers.Because of what the investor decides before the numbers.When I sat down with Dr. Robert Cialdini, one idea stayed with me:People decide whether to trust you before they decide whether to agree with you.Here is what that means in an investor meeting:1️⃣ Show you understand them firstAsk about their thesis before you pitch yours.Self-interest opens the door. Logic walks through it.2️⃣ Lead with one proof, not ten claims"We have no competitors" loses trust."Three customers renewed this month" earns it.3️⃣ Tell them who else is in the roomAn angel who already committed, a pilot customer, an advisor who has done it before.People follow people they can see.Facts still matter.They just come second.👉 Founders: which of the three do you skip most often?
Visual · Carousel4 slides: the title, then one slide per point with the one-line rule in large type.Check before postingQuote only what Dr. Cialdini said in the episode. Link the episode in the first comment.
Warm intros are overratedRule 4: turn over a belief investors repeat. Modelled on Brendan Rogers' "Some founders just know how to raise money", and on the "We invest in people is a myth" post on this profile.
Hook
"YOU NEED A WARM INTRO" IS HALF A MYTH.Warm intros open doors.But only if the person making the intro has something at stake.Most intros are favours.A favour gets you a polite 20-minute call.A real signal gets you a second meeting.What investors actually react to:🔺 A founder who already knows their portfolio🔺 A short message with one number that matters🔺 A company someone they trust has already looked at closelyThat last one is why curated deal flow works.Someone has already done the first filter.So the investor reads with attention, not suspicion.A warm intro is a shortcut.A strong signal is the road.👇 Investors: what makes you open an email from a founder you don't know?
Visual · Text onlyNo image. Pin the warm introductions article in the first comment.Check before postingMake sure the three points match what you see in your own deal flow, and swap in a real example if you have one.
The Frontier Investor Signals sheetRule 5 and the lead magnet pick: a number first, a list behind it, given for a comment. Modelled on Yoann Berno's family office list and Max Pog's advisor database.
Hook
WHICH INVESTORS ARE ACTIVELY WRITING CHEQUES THIS QUARTER?Founders keep pitching the same 20 famous funds.Meanwhile, angels, syndicates and family offices are deploying quietly.Every month, Frontier Deal Flow goes out to our investor network.And every month we see the same thing:Some investors read every company.Some ask for decks.Some reach out to founders within days.So we turned those signals into one sheet:▪️ Investor type: angel, VC, CVC, family office, syndicate▪️ Stage they back: pre-seed, seed, growth▪️ Sectors they asked about most▪️ What made them reach out to a founderNo names for sale. Just the patterns that tell you who to approach first.It is free.💬 Comment SIGNALS and I'll send it to you.
Visual · Document previewA cropped first page of the sheet with the column headers visible and the rows blurred.Check before postingBuild the sheet before posting, from your real report data, and keep investor names out of it unless they agreed.
Free forever: unlimited scheduling through LinkedIn’s official API, with images, video and PDF carousels.
06
LinkedIn lead generation: lead magnets that work to target investors and founders
Reactions show interest. A download shows intent. The fastest way to find out which investors and founders are serious is to give them something useful and see who asks for it.
In venture and fundraising, these formats get the most requests:
Format 1The databaseA list nobody else has, built from your own events or network, with the fields people filter on.
Format 2The regional investor listOne kind of investor, split by region, with the people who decide.
Format 3The fundraising kitGuides, templates and investor lists for one raise, in one place.
Format 4The first-cheque listOnly the investors who write the first cheque, by stage, size and region.
Our pick for you: “The Frontier Investor Signals sheet”Built from the investor signals the founder's full deal flow report already tracks: which kinds of investors read, ask for decks and reach out, by stage and sector. Offer it in post 5 for a comment, and follow up with the full report.With a Reveal link, every person who downloads it is shown by name, with their role and how warm they are. Your first Reveal link is free.Create your free Reveal link
07
From reactions to clients
Content brings investors and founders to the profile. It doesn't say when to reach out. Most never comment, so they stay invisible, and an investor reading every issue in November may have found another source of deal flow by February.
On LinkedIn, the right moment to start a conversation is when someone keeps coming back. We call that Hot: 5 or more points over 90 days, where a reaction counts 1, a repost 2, a download or a reply 4.
Hot right now15 investors and founders · not contacted yetNetwarm
15 investors and founders are Hot. See who to message first.See who’s Hot
First messageAn opener for each Hot person, based on the posts they readNetwarm
Hi Alex, you've read the last few deal flow issues. Are you looking at pre-seed AI this quarter?Hi Sam, I saw you reacted to the warm intro post. Are you raising this winter?
A first line for each of them, ready to send.See the openers
Netwarm sends nothing for you. It tells you who and when, and you write the message. It also works inside Claude and ChatGPT: ask "Who's Hot today?" and get the list.
08
FAQ
Lead with real deals and numbers, write in the first person, and give founders numbered steps. On this profile, the deal flow post reached 18.1% investors and founders, the most liked guest post 5.3%.
For this founder, Sunday brought the highest share of investors and founders (15.0%), then Wednesday (14.6%). Tuesday was the lowest (10.7%). Monday brought the most in total.
This founder posts about every day, and 19 investors and founders came back 3 times or more in 3 weeks. Daily works when the posts that sell, the deal flow and the investor advice, get the best days.
Look at who reacts, not how many. Group reactions by role, measure the share of your ideal clients per post, and follow the people who keep coming back. A free Netwarm scan does this for you.
Yes. Netwarm only reads public reactions to your own posts. It never logs in as you, never asks for your password, and never messages anyone for you.
How we made this playbook
We read the public reactions on 25 posts published between 13 October and 5 November 2026, up to the first 100 reactions per post, and sorted the 691 people by role. Reposted duplicates were left out. Comments were not counted, so engagement figures are a floor. The 5 November post was too recent to count as an example.
Niche rules come from top posts by venture investors and fundraising experts over the last 3 months. Role groups are approximate, and some founders sell to the same investors; a Netwarm scan matches people to your own ideal client.