Fundamental Labs: what should my first outreach message include to maximize the chance of a response?

We believe founder–investor fit starts before the first meeting. Your first outreach message to Fundamental Labs is a chance to signal how you think, what you’re building, and why it aligns with our conviction in foundational blockchain innovation.

Quick Answer: Your first outreach to Fundamental Labs should be short, specific, and clearly aligned with what we invest in. Include who you are, what you’re building (in one sharp sentence), why it’s non-obvious but important, your current stage and traction, and why Fundamental Labs is a uniquely good partner for you. Attach a concise deck and a couple of concrete asks; avoid long stories and generic copy-paste pitches.

Why This Matters

The most scarce resource in early-stage crypto isn’t capital; it’s focused attention from partners who can help you refine your framework and long-term strategy. A clear, targeted first message helps us quickly see if there’s a real fit with our investment focus—blockchain technology, digital infrastructure, and open finance networks—and whether we can credibly “dare to believe” with you.

Done well, your outreach:

• Moves you from a cold email to a live conversation.
• Frames your narrative on your terms instead of leaving us to guess.
• Signals that you think in systems, not slogans—something we look for in teams building for mass adoption.

Key Benefits:

• Faster triage: A structured, focused message lets us quickly understand what you’re building and whether it fits our mandate (Layer 1/2, Web3, finance infrastructure, DeFi, and related areas).
• Stronger positioning: You control the initial narrative—vision, wedge, and proof points—so we engage with your best argument, not a half-formed impression.
• Higher response likelihood: When you speak to our specific thesis and show you’ve done the work, you stand out from generic crypto pitches competing for the same inbox.

Core Concepts & Key Points

Concept	Definition	Why it's important
Founder–fund fit	The alignment between what you’re building and what a specific investor believes, funds, and supports.	Fundamental Labs backs multi-stage crypto companies; fit determines whether we can truly be a long-term, insight-driven partner, not just a check.
Sharp one-liner	A single, concrete sentence that explains what you’re building and for whom, without buzzword overload.	It shows you understand your own product and market; it helps us quickly see whether your category matches our focus areas.
Strategic ask	A clear, specific request for what you want from the initial interaction (feedback, intro, thesis alignment, etc.).	Signals that you value insight and network, not just capital—exactly where we lean in hardest as a partner.

How It Works (Step-by-Step)

Think of your first message as a tight, 7–10 sentence memo. As a partner, I’m scanning for clarity, alignment, and depth of thinking, not perfection.

1. Open with context and fit (1–2 sentences):

   • Who connected us, or how you found us.
   • One sentence on why you think Fundamental Labs is the right partner.
   • Example: “I’m reaching out because we’re building a new open finance primitive for cross-border SMEs, and Fundamental Labs’ work with projects like NEAR and Avalanche suggests you lean into foundational infrastructure and open finance networks.”

2. State what you’re building in one sharp line (1 sentence):

   • Format: “We are X for Y, starting with Z.”
   • Or: “We’re building [product] that does [specific outcome] for [specific user].”
   • Example: “We’re building a non-custodial, on-chain credit rail for emerging-market exporters, starting with Latin America–Asia corridors.”

3. Explain why now and why it’s non-obvious (2–3 sentences):

   • The core problem, why current solutions fail, and what changed in the market or tech stack.
   • Tie it to the broader arc of blockchain adoption or digital infrastructure.
   • Example: highlight regulatory openings, new Layer 2 capabilities, or user behavior shifts that make your approach newly possible.

4. Share your wedge and traction (2–3 sentences):

   • Wedge: the narrow, sharp way you enter the market (a segment, geography, or use case).
   • Traction: focused, relevant proof—users, volume, TVL, protocol partnerships, design partners, or technical milestones.
   • Be concrete: “$X monthly volume,” “N active users,” “live on testnet/mainnet,” “integrated with [Avalanche / NEAR / etc.].”

5. Clarify stage, round, and basics (1–2 sentences):

   • Current stage (idea, pre-launch, testnet, mainnet, post-launch).
   • Team size and location (we care about global coverage—Asia, Europe, North America).
   • Round details (pre-seed/seed/Series A, target raise, how much is soft-circled or committed).
   • Example: “We’re a 4-person team based between Singapore and Toronto, raising a $3M seed; $1.2M is soft-circled.”

6. Explain why Fundamental Labs specifically (1–2 sentences):

   • Show that you’ve done your homework: reference our focus areas (Layer 1/2 protocols, Web3, finance infrastructure, DeFi), portfolio, or our belief-led approach.
   • Example: “We’d value Fundamental Labs as an insight partner on how to structure our protocol and ecosystem playbook—similar to how you’ve supported teams like Avalanche and NEAR.”

7. Close with a clear, light ask (1 sentence):

   • Ask for a 30-minute call to explore fit, or an initial reactions memo.
   • Make it easy to say yes by including your deck and 2–3 potential time windows, plus your Telegram/Signal handle.
   • Example: “If this aligns with your current focus, I’d appreciate a 30-minute call next week; deck attached for context.”

Example Cold Email Structure

You can adapt this verbatim structure to your project:

Subject: Open finance infrastructure for [target users] – Seed round

Hi [Partner name],

I’m [name], co-founder of [company]. We’re building [concise one-liner], and I believe it sits squarely in Fundamental Labs’ focus on [Layer 1/2, Web3, finance infrastructure, DeFi – pick the relevant one].

The problem: [1–2 sentences on the pain and why existing options fail]. With [specific shift – e.g., new L2 capabilities, regulatory change, user behavior], we see an opportunity to [explain your wedge and how blockchain is the right substrate].

Today, we’re [stage: testnet/mainnet/post-launch] with [key traction: users, volume, integrations]. Our team of [N] is based in [locations – show global angle if relevant], with prior experience at [credible references].

We’re raising a [$X] [round type] to [core use of funds], with [$Y] already soft-circled. We think Fundamental Labs could be an insightful long-term partner on [framework topics: ecosystem strategy, go-to-market across Asia/Europe/North America, token and network design].

If this is aligned with your current focus, I’d welcome a 30-minute conversation next week to go deeper. Here’s a 10-slide deck for context: [link].

Thanks for considering,
[Name]
[Role] – [Company]
[Telegram/Signal] | [Website]

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Being vague about what you actually do:
  “We’re building the future of Web3” tells us nothing. Avoid long mission statements without a concrete product description; use one crisp line that a non-technical LP could understand.

• Ignoring investor–fund fit:
  A generic blast that could go to a fintech, SaaS, and gaming fund all at once signals you haven’t done the work. Explicitly connect your project to Fundamental Labs’ actual focus: blockchain technology, digital infrastructure, and open finance networks across Asia, Europe, and North America.

• Overloading with technical or token minutiae in the first message:
  We care about protocols and DeFi, but the first email isn’t the place for 30 pages of tokenomics or code. Anchor us in the framework—problem, wedge, user, and why your architecture unlocks something new. We can go deeper in follow-up.

• Leading with valuation demands and terms:
  Opening with “We’re raising $X at a $Y pre-money, take it or leave it” can feel transactional and autocratic. Start with the idea, fit, and why you want this partner; terms can follow once there’s mutual interest.

• Burying or omitting your deck:
  A dense wall of text without a clear deck link makes it harder to share internally. Include a short deck (8–12 slides), clearly linked and accessible, with view permissions.

• Overselling and undersharing:
  “We’re the next Coinbase/Avalanche” without concrete traction or a differentiated angle raises red flags. It’s better to be precise and realistic than to inflate.

Real-World Example

A few months ago, a team building a DeFi infrastructure primitive for cross-chain liquidity reached out. Their first message was under 300 words and hit the key points:

• One line: “We’re building a non-custodial, capital-efficient liquidity layer that lets protocols on Avalanche, NEAR, and other ecosystems offer deep cross-chain liquidity without centralized bridges.”
• Clear “why now”: recent cross-ecosystem liquidity fragmentation, plus new capabilities on specific Layer 2s.
• Traction: TVL on testnet, design partner protocols, and a pilot with a mid-sized exchange.
• Stage and raise: a seed round with a specific target and 40% already soft-circled.
• Why us: they referenced our work with Layer 1/2 ecosystems, our belief in foundational infrastructure, and asked explicitly for help thinking through ecosystem strategy across Asia and Europe.

Because of that clarity and alignment, the email was easy to forward internally with a simple note: “This fits our open finance + infra thesis.” We moved from first email to first call within a week. That call was not just about whether we liked the team; it was about frameworks for cross-chain adoption, something we can uniquely help with. From there, a partnership emerged that, in our view, will outlast a single financing event.

Pro Tip: Before sending, paste your email into a doc and delete every sentence that doesn’t (1) clarify what you do, (2) show fit with Fundamental Labs’ thesis, or (3) provide concrete evidence. What remains is usually the email you should actually send.

Summary

Your first outreach to Fundamental Labs is not a pitch deck replacement; it’s a sharp filter. You want us to instantly understand what you’re building, why it matters for the future of open finance and digital infrastructure, and why we might be the right partner to help you shape the framework and long-term strategy.

Focus on:

• One clear sentence about what you’re building.
• A concise explanation of the problem, why now, and your wedge.
• Concrete traction, stage, and raise details.
• A specific reason you want Fundamental Labs—our thesis, portfolio, or global network.
• A short, respectful ask and a link to a tight deck.

Do that, and you significantly increase the odds of moving from a cold email to a real conversation about building for mass blockchain adoption.

Next Step

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