How Do I Know Which Investors Are Relevant to My Industry?

Relevant investors have portfolio companies in your sector, partners with industry expertise, a published thesis mentioning your space, and recent investments at your stage.

Check their website for portfolio composition, review partner backgrounds for domain experience, and look at their last 10–15 investments to confirm active focus. An investor who backed three companies in your space last year is far more relevant than one who invested in your sector once five years ago. Relevance equals thesis alignment plus recent activity.

Why Industry Relevance Matters

Pitching misaligned investors wastes everyone's time:

They'll pass quickly. Investors outside your space lack context to evaluate your opportunity.

They can't add value. Sector expertise drives post-investment support, introductions, advice, pattern recognition.

The process takes longer. They need more education, extending your fundraising timeline.

You miss better fits. Time spent on wrong investors is time not spent on right ones.

Targeting relevant investors improves conversion rates, accelerates timelines, and leads to better partnerships.

For a detailed framework, read our guide on how to identify investors who invest in your industry.

How to Identify Industry-Relevant Investors

1. Analyze Portfolio Composition

The clearest signal of relevance is existing investments in your space.

What to look for:

• Companies solving similar problems

• Startups serving the same customer segments

• Businesses using comparable technology or business models

• Adjacent sectors that indicate understanding of your space

Where to find this:

• Investor websites (portfolio pages)

• Crunchbase, PitchBook, or similar databases

• Press releases and funding announcements

If they've invested in 5+ companies in your sector, they understand your market deeply.

2. Review Partner Backgrounds

Individual partners matter as much as firm focus. Look for:

Operating experience. Did they work in your industry before becoming investors?

Board seats. Which portfolio companies do they actively support?

Content and speaking. Do they write or speak about your market?

Previous investments. What deals have they personally led?

A generalist firm with one partner who deeply understands your space can be highly relevant.

3. Check Published Investment Thesis

Many investors publicly share their focus areas:

Website thesis statements. Explicit descriptions of target sectors and stages.

Blog posts and newsletters. Thought leadership reveals current interests.

Social media. Twitter/X and LinkedIn activity shows what they're excited about.

Podcast appearances. Interviews often reveal investment priorities.

Thesis alignment means your pitch resonates with their existing worldview.

4. Examine Recent Investment Activity

Past relevance doesn't guarantee current focus. Verify recent activity:

Last 12–18 months. Have they invested in your sector recently?

Investment pace. Are they actively deploying or slowing down?

Stage consistency. Are they investing at your stage currently?

An investor who loved fintech three years ago may have shifted to climate tech. Check recent deals.

Use SheetVenture's intelligence tools to track real-time investor activity and sector focus.

5. Look for Portfolio Conflicts

Relevance has limits. Investors rarely back direct competitors. Check for companies targeting your exact customer segment or direct product competitors, conflicts are automatic disqualifiers.

Where to Research Investor Relevance

Investor websites: Portfolio pages, team bios, thesis statements.
LinkedIn: Partner backgrounds and career history.
Crunchbase/PitchBook: Investment history and portfolio composition.
Twitter/X: Real-time interests.
SheetVenture: Filter investors by sector, stage, and recent activity instantly.

Red Flags: Investors Who Aren't Relevant

Watch for signs of poor fit: no portfolio in adjacent spaces, partners without relevant backgrounds, last sector investment 3+ years ago, or portfolio conflicts with competitors. Don't waste pitches on investors who fundamentally don't fit.

The Bottom Line

Relevant investors have sector-aligned portfolios, partners with industry expertise, and recent investment activity in your space. Research thoroughly before pitching, relevance determines whether your outreach gets traction or gets ignored.

Target investors who already understand your market. They'll move faster and add more value.

SheetVenture helps founders identify industry-relevant investors, so every pitch lands with someone who gets your space.