Warm intro request templates 2026: 5 formats that actually get forwarded

A warm intro request template works when the connector can forward it without rewriting anything. The fix is the forwardable paragraph: a self-contained note about you, in the third person, with traction, raise size, and a specific reason for the target. Five formats below, plus the three mistakes that kill forward rates.

Most warm intros die in the connector's drafts folder. Not because the connector doesn't like you, but because you made them write the email. They opened your message, realized they'd need to summarize who you are, what you do, and why this VC, and quietly closed the tab. The fix is a warm intro request template that ships a ready-to-paste paragraph the connector forwards in 30 seconds.

That's the entire skill. Everything else, the subject line, the closing, the politeness, is downstream of whether you wrote the connector's job for them.

Why warm intros are worth the effort in 2026

Warm intros still convert at 2-3x cold outreach, which is why founders keep grinding them despite a slower market. According to Y Combinator Startup School, warm intros result in conversion rates two to three times higher than standard cold outreach. That gap matters more than ever: VC fundraising in 2024 totaled just $76.1 billion across 508 funds, a slower environment per the PitchBook-NVCA Venture Monitor, and established firms captured 79.4% of that capital. Partners at the firms you actually want to talk to are seeing more inbound, not less.

The warm intro is a filter. The forwardable paragraph is what gets you through it.

The forwardable paragraph format (the core skill)

A forwardable paragraph is written about you, in the third person, by you. The connector pastes it into a new thread, adds one line of endorsement on top, and sends. Point C's writeup of the forwardable email calls out the same pattern: include suggested intro copy and a one-line endorsement that the connector can easily paste.

Every paragraph has six elements, in this order:

• Who you are: one line, founder name and company.
• What you do: one sentence, the wedge, no jargon.
• Traction: one specific number (MRR, users, pilots, LOIs).
• Raise: stage, size, and timing.
• Why this specific person: one sentence tied to a portfolio company or a published thesis.
• The ask: a 20-minute call, with an easy out.

Here's the shape, before we get to the five templates:

Subject: Intro to [VC FIRST NAME] at [FUND]?

Hi [CONNECTOR],

Hoping you can intro me to [VC FIRST NAME] at [FUND]. Forwardable below, total no-worries if it's not a fit for you to send.

,  [YOUR NAME]

---

Forwardable:

[VC FIRST NAME] ,  wanted to introduce [YOUR NAME], founder of [COMPANY]. They're building [ONE-LINE WEDGE] for [BUYER]. Currently at $[X]K MRR growing [Y]% MoM with [N] customers including [LOGO]. Raising a $[Z]M seed, targeting close in [MONTH]. Reaching out to you specifically because of [FUND]'s investment in [PORTFOLIO CO] ,  same buyer, different angle.

Worth a 20-minute call? Happy to send materials if useful, but no pressure if the timing's off.

That's it. Every template below is a variation of this shape, tuned for the relationship type.

Template 1: founder-to-founder

Use this when the connector is a fellow founder, ideally one in the VC's portfolio. Founder-to-founder forwards have the highest send rate because the connector is already the VC's customer.

Subject: Quick ask ,  intro to [VC FIRST NAME]?

Hey [CONNECTOR FIRST NAME],

Saw [VC FIRST NAME] led your seed at [PORTFOLIO CO]. We're going after [ADJACENT BUYER] from a different angle, and I think there's a real thesis fit. Would you be up for a forwardable intro?

Pasted below ,  zero pressure, totally fine to pass.

,  [YOUR NAME]

---

Forwardable:

[VC FIRST NAME] ,  meet [YOUR NAME] at [COMPANY]. They're building [ONE LINE] and just hit $[X]K MRR with [LOGO 1] and [LOGO 2]. Raising $[Z]M, [LEAD INVESTOR or "no lead yet"]. Reached out to me because they think your [PORTFOLIO CO] thesis maps to what they're doing in [SECTOR]. I've used the product myself ,  [ONE LINE OF GENUINE ENDORSEMENT].

Open to a quick call?

The [ONE LINE OF GENUINE ENDORSEMENT] placeholder is for the connector to keep, edit, or delete. Giving them the option lowers the friction.

Template 2: investor-to-investor (asking an angel for a fund intro)

Use this when an angel on your cap table can hand you off to a fund. The angel has skin in the game, so they will forward, but they want the email to make them look smart.

Subject: [FUND NAME] intro?

[CONNECTOR FIRST NAME],

Working through the seed list. [FUND NAME] is on it because of [SPECIFIC PORTFOLIO CO]. Any chance you'd intro me to [VC FIRST NAME]?

Forwardable copy below.

,  [YOUR NAME]

---

Forwardable:

[VC FIRST NAME], introducing [YOUR NAME], founder of [COMPANY]. I led their pre-seed and have been working with them on [SPECIFIC AREA]. Quick stats: $[X]K MRR, [Y]% MoM growth, [N] customers, raising $[Z]M seed. They're going after [BUYER] in a way that I think rhymes with your [PORTFOLIO CO] bet. Worth 20 minutes.

The connector says "I led their pre-seed" because that signal is what makes the VC open the email. Without it, you're just another founder.

Template 3: advisor-to-partner

Use this when the connector is an industry advisor, not an investor. Advisors forward less reliably because there's no portfolio incentive, so the forwardable has to do more work.

Subject: Forwardable intro to [VC FIRST NAME] at [FUND]

[CONNECTOR FIRST NAME],

Putting together the seed round. [VC FIRST NAME] at [FUND] is the right person on the [SECTOR] thesis ,  would you be open to forwarding the note below?

Pre-written so it's a one-click. No problem if you'd rather not.

,  [YOUR NAME]

---

Forwardable:

[VC FIRST NAME] ,  wanted to put [YOUR NAME] from [COMPANY] on your radar. They're building [ONE LINE], working closely with me on [SPECIFIC ADVISORY AREA]. The traction is real: $[X]K MRR, [N] paying customers in [SECTOR], [Y]% net retention. Raising a $[Z]M seed, [TIMING]. Specifically wanted to reach you because of [PORTFOLIO CO or PUBLISHED THESIS].

20-minute call?

The phrase "working closely with me on [SPECIFIC AREA]" is the credibility lever. Generic "I've been advising them" forwards worse than a concrete project.

Template 4: LP-to-GP

Use this when an LP in the fund will forward you to a GP at the same fund. The LP relationship is leverage, but it's also delicate. Make the ask small and the forwardable airtight.

Subject: Quick favor ,  [FUND NAME] intro

[CONNECTOR FIRST NAME],

I know you're invested in [FUND NAME]. We're raising a seed and [VC FIRST NAME] is the partner I think fits the thesis. Would you be open to a quick forwardable to them?

Drafted below for ease.

,  [YOUR NAME]

---

Forwardable:

[VC FIRST NAME], wanted to flag [YOUR NAME], founder of [COMPANY], who's raising a $[Z]M seed in [SECTOR]. They're at $[X]K MRR with [N] enterprise customers, growing [Y]% MoM. The wedge is [SPECIFIC]. Reached out to me because of [FUND]'s position in [PORTFOLIO CO], which I think is the right comp.

I told them you're the partner who covers this area. Worth a look.

The line "I told them you're the partner who covers this area" gives the GP a frame: "an LP thinks I should care about this." That's the lift you're paying for.

Template 5: customer-to-investor

Use this when one of your customers is on the VC's cap table or otherwise close to them. Customer endorsements are the strongest signal in the stack because they're proof of revenue, not proof of network.

Subject: Intro to [VC FIRST NAME]?

[CONNECTOR FIRST NAME],

Raising the seed and [FUND NAME] is on the shortlist. Would love an intro to [VC FIRST NAME] if you're up for it. Forwardable below ,  total no problem if not.

,  [YOUR NAME]

---

Forwardable:

[VC FIRST NAME] ,  quick note on [COMPANY], who I've been a paying customer of for [N] months. They've moved [SPECIFIC METRIC] for us, and I'd vouch for [YOUR FIRST NAME] as a builder. They're raising a $[Z]M seed at $[X]K MRR, growing [Y]% MoM. Wanted to flag because [FUND]'s investment in [PORTFOLIO CO] suggests this is your area.

I asked them to reach out. 20-minute call worth it.

A customer saying "I've been a paying customer for N months" outperforms every other endorsement type, because it's the only one that survives a single Google search by the VC.

The 3 mistakes that kill forward rates

These are the errors that make the connector close the tab. Avoid all three.

The third one is the most common and the most lethal. If your forwardable starts with "I", it isn't forwardable.

✅ Good: "Meet [YOUR NAME], founder of [COMPANY]. They're at $40K MRR." , drops straight into a new thread. ❌ Bad: "I'm [YOUR NAME], founder of [COMPANY]. We're at $40K MRR." , the connector has to rewrite or won't send.

What to do after the connector says yes

When the connector forwards the intro, the VC replies to a thread that includes both of you. Reply within 24 hours, drop the connector to BCC with one line ("Moving [CONNECTOR] to BCC, thanks for the intro"), and answer the VC directly. Do not re-pitch. The forwardable already pitched.

First Round Review's networking guide makes the related point: following through on commitments puts a founder in the top quartile of networkers. So when the VC asks for materials, send them inside 24 hours, and tell the connector how the meeting went a week later. That's the loop that earns you a second intro.

If you're running a structured raise and sending more than 10 of these a week across different connectors, tools like Causo keep the forwardables organized and the follow-up timing consistent. For a 30-VC seed list, a Notion table is enough.

FAQ

How do you ask for a warm intro? Send the connector two emails in one: a short note with the ask, plus a separate forwardable paragraph they can paste into a fresh thread. Always give them an easy out ("no worries if not a fit") and write the forwardable in the third person about yourself. The connector should be able to send it in under 30 seconds.

What's a forwardable intro email? A forwardable intro email is a self-contained paragraph written so the connector can paste it directly into a new thread to the target, with no edits required. It includes who you are, traction, what you're raising, why this specific investor, and a clear ask. The connector adds one line of endorsement on top and clicks send.

How do you write an intro request? Lead with the ask in the subject line, give context in two sentences (what you do, traction, raise size), and explain in one sentence why this specific person. Then provide the forwardable paragraph as a separate block. Keep the whole thing under 150 words and never attach a deck on the first ask.