Yellowtail

For start-ups

The best rounds start months before the raise.

Find the investors who genuinely fit your company, see what they’re doing now, and build the relationship before you need the money.

How signals work →
Fit score0–100
MC
Maya ChenPartner · Northwind Capital
94
  • Stage fit18/18

    Seed and pre-seed only · fund page, Feb 2026

  • Sector fit17/20

    Climate hardware in four of six recent cheques · press, Jan–Mar 2026

  • Cheque size fit12/12

    First cheques of £500k–£2M · filings, 2025–2026

  • Geography10/10

    UK and Nordics · portfolio, Mar 2026

  • 3 more parts37/40
Illustrative example

Most founders meet investors at the wrong time.

  • The list is out of date

    A friend's spreadsheet and an accelerator PDF were right a year ago. Partners have moved, and funds have run dry.

  • Cold outreach, all at once

    Founders email 150 investors in the month they need money, with no context and no warm path.

  • No way to tell who's active

    A firm's website says seed. Their last six cheques were Series A. You find out on the call.

How Yellowtail helps.

  1. 01

    Build the right list, once.

    Tell us your stage, sector, geography and cheque size. You get a shortlist ranked on what investors actually do, with a reason and a source for each.

    Signals →
  2. 02

    Watch them without the busywork.

    Follow the firms that matter and get a weekly digest of what changed: new funds, partner moves, posts about your space.

    Workflows →
    Weekly digestMonday, 08:00

    4 changes on the 30 firms you follow

    Nothing else needed you this week.

    • CAPITALSaltmarsh Partners closed Fund IIITue
    • INTENTMaya Chen posted about seed climate hardwareWed
    • PEOPLEPartner covering fintech left Fjordline CapitalThu
    • DEPLOYMENTHelios Ventures led a £2.5M seed in grid softwareFri
    Illustrative example
  3. 03

    Warm up through people they trust.

    See who in your network, cap table or their portfolio can introduce you, and start the relationship with an update rather than an ask.

    Network →
    Intro pathsMaya Chen · Northwind Capital
    • Amara Diallo(your angel)Strong
      YouADMaya Chen

      co-invested with Northwind twice in 2025

    • Leo Brandt(Arclight Fund scout)Medium
      YouLBMaya Chen

      shared a seed deal in 2024

    • A teammateWeak
      YouATMaya Chen

      connected, no shared deals or companies

    Illustrative example
  4. 04

    Know when to reach out.

    A partner posting about your sector or a fund closing is a reason to say hello that doesn't feel like a pitch.

    Signal3d
    MC
    Maya Chen · Northwind Capital

    “Looking at seed climate hardware, DMs open”

    INTENTMoving towards your kind of companysocial

    Suggested opener

    Saw your note on seed climate hardware. We make grid-side thermal storage and have two paid pilots running — happy to send a short update, no pitch.

    Draft only · you edit and send it.

    Illustrative example

A little every week beats a lot in the month you raise.

  1. 6–12 months out

    Build and refine your shortlist. Follow the top 30.

  2. 3–6 months out

    Warm introductions to the investors showing intent. Send short updates.

  3. Raise

    Move straight into a round pipeline with relationships already warm.

    Fundraising →

FAQ

We're not raising yet. Is it worth it?

That's the best time. The investors who already know your progress are the easiest meetings to win.

Do investors see that we’re watching them?

No, never.

Does it work for pre-seed?

{{CONFIRM: stage coverage}}

Be a known name before you're raising.

Vetted founders only · We reply within 48h

Read next