[19] Random coffee shop conversation turned into helping raise a deep-tech fund. Trying to learn how people like you actually evaluate these opportunities.

Long-time reader here. First time posting.

Bit of a strange situation I ended up in.

I'm 19 and currently doing a remote internship at a US investment banking firm. A few months ago, I walked into a packed café and ended up sharing a table with a stranger just because there were no seats left.

We started talking.

Turns out he runs a small deep-tech investment fund focused on India (semiconductors, aerospace, robotics, GenAI, genomics, advanced manufacturing). The thesis is basically that India's government is pushing a massive R&D build-out right now and some interesting companies might emerge from it.

At the end of the conversation, he asked if I’d be interested in helping with outreach and connecting him with the right investors.

I said yes, mostly because it felt like one of those **“you’re 19, say yes and figure it out later”** moments.

So for the past few days, I've been trying to learn how this whole fundraising world actually works.

My first instinct was to go after family offices in the US, UAE, and UK.

Sent \~200 emails.

Result:

Almost nothing.

Maybe 2–3 replies.

Which honestly made me realize I probably have **no idea how capital actually moves in this world**.

So now I'm trying to step back and understand how people who already have significant capital (like many of you here) actually think about opportunities like this.

Not pitching anything here, genuinely trying to understand the mindset.

A few things I'm curious about:

**1. When someone brings you a new venture fund or deep-tech thesis, what actually makes you take the first meeting?**

**2. Are emerging-market tech funds (India, etc.) something you even look at, or is that usually a pass unless it comes through trusted networks?**

**3. For operators/founders here who have invested as LPs or angels what were the biggest green flags and red flags when you first started evaluating funds?**

The honest realization for me through this process is that **raising capital seems way more relationship-driven than I initially thought**.

Cold outreach feels almost useless so far.

Anyway, I'm mostly treating this whole thing as a learning experience. At 19, I figure the worst outcome is that I learn how the investing world actually works.

Would really appreciate hearing how people here think about this.

ps:sorry if i am not supposed to post this here