The setup
SubImage builds security software that maps your infrastructure and shows you attack paths before hackers find them. The team previously created Cartography, the open-source security graph used by 70+ companies including 7 in the Fortune 100. Their first enterprise customer came through the open source community. A security engineer found Cartography, tried it, and eventually brought SubImage to the procurement team.
That first deal validated the product but took months to close. SubImage needed to accelerate the pipeline if they were going to hit the milestones required for their next raise.
What Gustaf did
Gustaf Alströmer is their Group Partner at YC. Most investors offer to make intros and leave it at that. Gustaf did four specific things:
- He looked at SubImage's ICP and matched it against his network. Not anyone who might be vaguely relevant, but people actively dealing with the problem SubImage solves.
- He wrote the intro emails himself. Instead of a generic double-opt-in, Gustaf wrote introductions that explained exactly why the recipient should care. He framed SubImage's value in terms the buyer would understand.
- He stayed in the thread after the intro was made. He replied to follow-up questions, vouched for the team when the buyer hesitated, and kept things moving.
- Before key meetings, he spent 15 minutes with the SubImage team walking through what mattered to each buyer and what objections to expect.
The result
Two of Gustaf's introductions became signed enterprise contracts within six weeks. Those deals would have taken SubImage months to source and close on their own.
"Most investors say they'll help with intros. Gustaf actually sat in the thread and made sure the deal moved forward. That's the difference between a name drop and real value add."
— Kunaal Sikka, Co-founder & President, SubImage
The takeaway
None of this is complicated. Gustaf picked the right people, wrote good emails, and stayed involved until the deals closed. He treated these introductions as his responsibility, not a favor he was doing on the side.
That's what separates real value add from the "let me know how I can help" email that goes nowhere.