The standard line in venture is that the only way to get a meeting is via a warm-intro. Don’t bother with cold-contacting a VC, it’s said. The reasons for this are many and understandable: the best founders need to hustle… so demonstrate this at the outset by getting a warm intro. And tracking data shows clearly that most investments come via people you know (or who they know).

That said, the concern with this approach is that it entrenches existing social, gender and racial networks. For some, getting an intro is much harder than for others.

At Shearwater, we think if someone makes the effort to reach out to tell us about what they’re building, then we’ll always reply. And if we like the idea, then we’ll meet. No need for warm-intros.