Short answer: At seed-stage startups, founders usually make or heavily influence every purchase. Build lists from public funding announcements, accelerator and incubator cohorts, startup directories and hiring signals, then identify the CEO, CTO and other co-founders. Find and verify their contact details, and write short, specific outreach that respects how busy and resource-limited early founders are. Focus on US startup hubs such as the San Francisco Bay Area, New York, Boston, Austin, Seattle, Los Angeles and Miami, while remembering many startups are now remote.
Why founders are worth targeting directly
Seed-stage startups rarely have dedicated buyers for most categories. The CEO often handles sales tools, finance and legal choices, while the CTO handles engineering and infrastructure decisions. If you sell to startups, reaching founders directly is often the fastest path, but founders are also heavily prospected and short on time.
Step 1: Define which startups you want
Write a simple ICP:
- Stage: pre-seed, seed or early Series A
- Industry or category: for example B2B SaaS, AI, fintech, health tech or developer tools
- Business model: B2B, B2C or marketplace
- Team size and recent hiring
- Location or remote
Fit matters more than volume. A clear ICP helps you write relevant messages.
Step 2: Build lists from public sources
Useful sources:
- Funding announcements: press releases, tech news and startup databases
- Accelerator and incubator cohorts: public demo day and batch lists
- Startup directories and launch platforms: product launch sites and community directories
- Hiring signals: early job postings, especially first sales, marketing or engineering hires
- Events: startup conferences, meetups and pitch events in your target hubs
Record the source and date for each startup so you can prioritize recent activity.
Step 3: Identify the right founder
| Your product | Founder to target first |
|---|---|
| Sales, marketing or GTM tools | CEO or commercial co-founder |
| Developer, infrastructure or security tools | CTO or technical co-founder |
| Finance, HR or legal services | CEO or operations-focused co-founder |
| Recruiting services | CEO, or the founder leading hiring |
Many startups have two or three co-founders with clear splits. Check company pages, founder profiles and interviews to see who owns what.
Step 4: Find and verify contact details
- Use a contact finder you have tested on a sample of startup founders
- Verify work emails; early startups sometimes change domains after a rebrand
- Pilot-send small batches first
- Dial-test numbers carefully and only where calling makes sense
- Track the source of each contact
Founders often respond better to concise email or professional network messages than to unexpected calls, so think carefully about channel.
Step 5: Write founder-friendly outreach
- Keep it short: a few sentences
- Reference something specific and verifiable, such as a recent launch, funding round or job posting
- Explain one clear problem you solve for companies at their stage
- Make the ask small, such as a short reply or a quick call
- Offer something useful, such as a relevant template or introduction, if you genuinely have it
Avoid flattery, long feature lists and aggressive follow-ups. Founders talk to each other, especially within accelerator networks.
Step 6: Time outreach well
Right after a funding announcement, founders often receive a wave of vendor emails. Some teams wait a short time, or tie outreach to a specific need such as their first sales hire. Follow up a few times at most, spaced out.
Step 7: Measure and refine
Track replies and meetings by source, stage and category. You may find accelerator cohorts or hiring signals produce better conversations than funding news alone.
Compliance (high level)
Follow CAN-SPAM for commercial email: accurate sender information, a physical address and a working opt-out. For calls and texts to mobile numbers, consider TCPA and do-not-call rules. If you reach Canadian startups, consider CASL. Applicable privacy laws may also apply.
Common mistakes
- Emailing every co-founder the same message at the same time
- Sending long, generic pitches
- Piling on right after a public funding announcement
- Ignoring remote startups outside the major hubs
- Using stale lists after a rebrand or pivot
Where PeakAI fits
PeakAI is a contact finder with a Chrome extension that finds phone numbers, work emails and personal emails from professional profiles, drawing on global sources, with bulk export and integrations. After you build a list of seed-stage startups and identify the right founder, use PeakAI or another tested finder to locate contact details, then verify before outreach. Check thepeakai.com for current features, coverage and pricing.
FAQ
Should I contact the CEO or CTO at a seed-stage startup?
It depends on what you sell. Commercial tools usually go to the CEO; technical tools usually go to the CTO.
Where can I find lists of newly funded US startups?
Public funding announcements, tech news, startup databases and accelerator demo day lists are common sources.
Is it okay to email multiple co-founders?
Yes, but stagger messages and tailor them to each founder's role rather than sending the same email to everyone.
When is the best time to reach out after a funding round?
Many teams wait briefly to avoid the post-announcement rush, or tie outreach to a specific trigger such as a new hire.
Do founders prefer email or calls?
Many prefer short emails or professional network messages. Test channels and follow TCPA and do-not-call rules when calling.