Outreach Strategy
How to approach American Dynamism investors with the "Institutional Immune Response" pitch
Critical Timeline: April Patent Filing
The patent filing in April creates a forcing function. Fundraising conversations need to happen BEFORE the filing to leverage the "imminent IP event" angle. After filing, the narrative shifts to "patent pending" which is less urgent.
- January: Warm intro cultivation, network mapping
- February: Initial outreach, schedule meetings
- March: Active fundraising conversations, SXSW networking
- April: Patent filing - leverage "filed" status in follow-ups
Phase 1: Network Mapping (January)
Identify Warm Intro Paths
Capital Factory (Austin): You have deep tech talks scheduled here. This is Joe Lonsdale (8VC) territory. Austin is becoming the American Dynamism hub. Map who attends your talks, who they know at 8VC/Founders Fund/a16z.
SXSW (March): Bryan is working on getting you a speaker slot. If that happens, it's direct access to American Dynamism network. Prepare the "Institutional Immune Response" pitch for that audience.
Podcast Guest Network: The podcasts you've done introduce you to hosts' networks. Ask for intros to guests who are in the Thiel/a16z orbit.
Technical Validators: The CTO and ex-professor who validated your patent - who do they know in the investment world? Their credibility transfers.
Map your current network against Tier 1 funds (Founders Fund, a16z AD, 8VC)
Identify 2nd-degree connections through Capital Factory
Ask technical validators for investor intros
Phase 2: Initial Outreach (February)
Cold Outreach Templates
LinkedIn - Founders Fund Partner
Subject: 25-year patent on AI permissions + institutional friction story
[Name],
I have a patent filing in April that creates a new category of AI wrapper patterns - the only solution to AI liability that exists. The technical validation is from CTOs and professors who could actually evaluate it (about 50 people in the US).
The reason I'm reaching out to Founders Fund specifically: the institutional friction I've experienced building this is exactly the pattern you back. The system's immune response to the work has been significant. That's why I'm not going to [mainstream VC].
April is the filing deadline. Happy to share the technical validation docs and the containment field (company) I'm building for the physics.
Elias
LinkedIn - a16z American Dynamism
Subject: AI permissions as national security infrastructure
[Name],
I've spent 25 years building what becomes the TCP/IP of AI accountability. When the government needs to deploy agentic AI - and they will - they need to know what it's doing. Current models can't answer that.
My patent (filing April) creates the infrastructure for AI permission frameworks. This is Palantir-level critical infrastructure, in a space no one else is touching because it's "boring" and "unfashionable."
I'm speaking at Capital Factory on the deep tech side. Would love to share the technical validation with someone who can evaluate it.
Elias
LinkedIn - 8VC / Joe Lonsdale Network
Subject: Austin-based founder, incubating in unfashionable space
[Name],
You incubate companies in spaces others won't touch. I have a 25-year patent on AI permissions filing in April - boring infrastructure that becomes existential when AI needs accountability.
I'm doing deep tech talks at Capital Factory. The institutional friction I've experienced building this mirrors the pattern 8VC backs. The system couldn't metabolize what I was building.
Happy to share the technical validation docs. This might be a company you want to co-build, not just fund.
Elias
LinkedIn - Bedrock Capital
Subject: Narrative Violation - AI liability is solvable
[Name],
The narrative says AI liability is unsolvable, or that it's a legal problem not a technical one. My 25 years of work says that's wrong.
I have a patent filing in April that creates a new category of wrapper patterns for AI. The rejection I've faced building this is precisely because it violates the consensus narrative. That's your thesis.
The technical validation is from people who could actually evaluate the math. Would love to share it.
Elias
Phase 3: Active Fundraising (March)
Meeting Structure
| Time |
Topic |
Goal |
| 0-5 min |
The Hook |
"Institutional immune response" pitch. Eviction as badge of honor. April patent deadline. |
| 5-15 min |
The Secret |
25 years of work. What mainstream VCs can't evaluate. Technical validation from CTOs/professors. |
| 15-25 min |
The Category |
AI permissions as infrastructure, not feature. Why this is Palantir-level, not CRM-level. |
| 25-35 min |
The Proof |
CRM that proves the patent works. Demo if possible. Technical validation docs. |
| 35-45 min |
The Ask |
Capital to build the containment field. April deadline creates urgency. |
Channel Strategy
LinkedIn Direct
- Cold outreach to partners at Tier 1 funds
- Connect with portfolio founders for warm intros
- Post "High Voltage Founder" content
Capital Factory Network
- Deep tech talk audience
- Austin investor community
- 8VC / Joe Lonsdale connections
Podcast Appearances
- Tell the "institutional immune response" story
- Reach investors through their content consumption
- Create shareable content for warm intros
SXSW (if speaker slot secured)
- American Dynamism crowd attends
- Direct networking with investors
- Bryan + Kate can work the room
Objection Handling
| Objection |
Response |
| "Why hasn't this been built already if you've worked on it for 25 years?" |
"The same reason Palantir took years to build data infrastructure no one else would touch. This is foundational work, not a feature. The April patent filing is the crystallization event." |
| "The eviction concerns me." |
"Palmer got fired from Facebook. The eviction wasn't despite the work - it was because of it. I chose the patent deadline over housing stability. That's the kind of conviction you back." |
| "We can't evaluate the technology." |
"That's exactly why I'm here. If mainstream VCs could evaluate it, they'd already be funding it. Here are the technical validation docs from CTOs and professors who could evaluate it." |
| "IAM/permissions is a crowded space." |
"Traditional IAM is crowded. AI permissions is empty. No one is solving liability for agentic AI. That's why it's unfashionable - and why there's no competition." |
| "What's the traction?" |
"The CRM that proves the patent works. The technical validation from people who could evaluate the math. The April filing deadline that creates the IP event." |
Weekend Research Tasks
For This Weekend:
Map 2nd-degree connections to Founders Fund, a16z AD, 8VC through LinkedIn
Identify Capital Factory attendees who have connections to Tier 1 funds
Draft personalized cold outreach for top 10 targets
Review CRM leads for anyone with American Dynamism connections
Prepare "Institutional Immune Response" pitch deck (1-pager)
Compile technical validation docs into shareable format
Follow up with Bryan on SXSW speaker slot status
Success Metrics
- January: 10+ warm intro paths identified, 20+ cold outreach sent
- February: 5+ meetings scheduled with Tier 1/2 funds or partners
- March: Active fundraising conversations, SXSW presence if secured
- April: Patent filed, term sheet discussions in progress
Ready for Meeting 2?
Once you've secured meetings, see the ThetaCoach Meeting 2 Playbook for specific preparation: demo scripts, traction targets, use of funds, and 18-month milestones.