Weeks 1–2: Pipeline build
Raise profile, investor shortlist, messaging approval, domain setup. Most founders underestimate this prep phase. Rushing to send before copy is approved creates rework when replies start coming.
Weeks 3–4: First conversations
Initial outreach batch goes out. Reply rate peaks in days 3–10. First meetings typically book in this window. Founders should protect calendar capacity—ten intro calls in two weeks is a full-time job alongside running the company.
Weeks 5–8: Momentum and follow-through
Second and third sequence steps reach investors who didn't reply initially. Warm intros from early meetings accelerate the pipeline. Weekly targeting adjustments based on who's converting.
Weeks 9–12: Close or extend
Most Seed rounds that close do so within 10–14 weeks of first outreach. If you're past week 12 without a lead, revisit positioning and shortlist quality before increasing volume.