A guide to VC networking

📝 From Our Team

In venture capital, who you know often matters as much as what you know. Deals are sourced through trusted referrals. Jobs are shared quietly within networks. Warm intros unlock doors cold emails can't.

This week, we’re breaking down what networking really means in VC and how to do it with intention, authenticity, and confidence (even if you’re just getting started).

🤝 The “Warm Intro” Economy

In VC, relationships drive deal flow and hiring. But let’s break that down:

• 80% of VC job opportunities are never publicly posted - meaning there is also not a clear application timeline

• Most investors rely on referrals to find founders

That makes it increasingly difficult for new talent and founders to break into the VC ecosystem. But there’s a growing push to expand access, led by women VCs and founder communities who believe great ideas and talent shouldn’t be limited by traditional barriers to entry.

Listen In: HBR IdeaCast with Heidi Roizen

Heidi Roizen, Partner at Threshold Ventures and a longstanding network-builder in Silicon Valley, shares how relationship-driven networking remains foundational especially in the era of social media, remote work, and AI:

In the episode she emphasizes:

• Making networking relational, not transactional

• How to stay engaged and follow up over time

• The real impact of in-person vs. digital networking today

🎧 Listen here

Networking Tips and Tricks

For young women navigating the venture capital world, building relationships isn’t just about who you meet it’s about how you show up and stay connected. Here’s how to network with purpose and stay organized, based on advice from real VC insiders:

🎯 Get Clear on Your Goals

Before reaching out, define your why.

From the GoingVC networking guide:

→ What value do you bring? Why this fund? Why now?

📅 Use a Networking Tracker

Create a spreadsheet or use tools like Notion or Airtable to track:

• Contact name + title

• Last time you connected

• Notes on key convos

• When to follow up

David J. Hook’s VC networking guide emphasizes:

💌 Follow Up Thoughtfully

Strong networks grow when you give, not just get. After meeting someone:

• Send a short thank-you email

• Share a relevant article or startup that is relevant to your conversation

• Connect them with someone in your network

Over time, small gestures build trust leading to opportunities.

🔗 Resources We Recommend

📄 How to Write the Perfect Cold Email to Investors - TechCrunch

🧘‍♀️ “If I Can Network, So Can You!” - LinkedIn (for Introverts)

👥 How to Build a Strong Network within the Venture Capital Community - Confluence VC

✉️ How to Write a Thank-You Email That Gets Noticed - Harvard Business Review

📌 Handshake’s Free Networking Tracker - Handshake Blog

💬 GIVC Storytime: How I Broke Into VC

🌟Spotlight: Isabella Mandis

Student @ Harvard University

Girls Into VC CEO & Founder

Interning at Bessemer Venture Partners (NYC)

→ How did you break into venture capital?

“Bessemer is unlike most vc firms where they have a formal recruiting process which for internships is spring semester of sophomore year. (If you are rising freshman or especially summer planning on doing info session so look out for that!) I would recommend chatting to people at the firm to get a sense of what it is like and what you will be doing. The analyst job is so different at each place you want to know what you will be doing. You should also try to do the job before to see if you really like it. Meet with companies, write up reports, make a list of who you would invest in and why. Publish research on a specific vertical. You can use this as an excuse to reach out to founders too. Put your thoughts out there. Look at Bessemer’s roadmaps as an example. These are a great way to get your name out there and start building your brand early”

💡 Favorite VC Resource:

“Our guidebook that Girls Into VC has published here! But honestly LinkedIn is the best way to break into the industry: specifically messaging people on it with connect and add note.”

LinkedIn 

✨ Girls Into VC Update

2025 Fellowship Week 5 Recap: Securing a Job in Venture Capital

This week, we focused on practical steps and key questions for landing a role in VC. Top takeaways include:

• 🔍 Know the Firm:

  • Research their investment focus, strategy, and portfolio

  • Stay informed on relevant industry trends

  • Be ready to answer: Why this VC firm?

• 🧠 Know Yourself:

  • Practice a clear, authentic introduction. - build your story

  • Reflect on your motivations, goals, strengths, and weaknesses

  • Be prepared to discuss successes and failures

• 💡 What Would You Do?:

  • Explain how you’d source startups and evaluate opportunities

  • Use the STAR Framework to structure responses (Situation, Task, Action, Result)

• 📈 Market & Investment Insight:

  • Understand startup sourcing methods

  • Identify attractive markets and justify your choices

  • Stay updated on recent VC industry developments

💻Webinar Alert

Girls Into VC is hosting a LIVE webinar interview with none other than Paige Finn Doherty— Founding Partner at Behind Genius Ventures, author of Seed to Harvest, and host of the Seed to Harvest podcast.

She’s been featured on the cover of Forbes 30 Under 30 VC, on Jason Calacanis’s This Week in Startups, and even wrote a children’s book about how venture capital works. Basically… she’s done it all, and she’s just getting started.

Whether you're a founder, future investor, or just VC-curious, this is your chance to hear directly from one of the most creative, generous, and insightful minds in the game.

We will be entering everyone who asks a question live into a raffle to win a copy of Paige’s book!

📅 Date: Thursday, July 17, 2025

🕣 Time: 8:30–9:30 PM EST

🧺 Picnic!

We will be giving the winner of our bingo game a free portable speaker!!

Join Girls Into VC for an evening of connection, fun, and relaxation in Central Park! 🎶🍉

📅 Date: July 27th, 2025
⏰ Time: 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
📍 Location: Central Park – Sheep Meadow (New York, NY)

A laid-back evening to connect and enjoy good vibes, music, and light bites with Girls Into VC 🌳💬

🌟 Final Thought

You don’t need a famous last name or a warm intro to break into VC. You need to reach out, follow up, be authentic and lead with real interest. Networking isn’t about getting something, it’s about learning something, staying curious and remembering that “you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take” - Wayne Gretzky

So start today. Reach out to one new person this week. Ask questions. Keep the door open. And thank them for their time.

We're cheering you on every step of the way.

— The Girls Into VC Team 💕