LinkedIn networking for Oslo founders
How founders in Oslo can reach angels, operators and first customers on LinkedIn: connect while an event is fresh, write in the language they post in, and keep the pace personal in a small scene.
The short answer
Oslo's startup scene is small enough that a careless message gets passed around. Connect within a day of meeting someone and mention where you met. Write in the language they post in, Norwegian or English. Warm people up for a week or two before asking for anything, and keep your list short enough that you could greet every person by name at the next event.
On this page
#Why a local note is different
In a big city, a forgettable message is just ignored. In Oslo, the angel you messaged may share a board with the operator you messaged the same day. Your notes are part of your reputation in a way they aren't elsewhere. The upside is that a thoughtful note travels just as fast.
#Who goes on a first Oslo list
| Person | Where you probably met | Good first line |
|---|---|---|
| Angel who writes about your sector | Their recent post | A point in it you agree or disagree with |
| Operator at a local scale-up | A meetup or panel | The question they asked, or the one you wanted to |
| Founder a stage ahead | A founder dinner or community chat | The problem you're both working through |
| Potential first customers | A job post or product update | The workflow you think is broken |
#The two weeks after you meet
- The next day
Connect while the meeting is still fresh. One sentence on where you met. No deck.
- That week
React to one post. If you have nothing honest to add, don't comment.
- The following week
One comment or short message with a real update: users, a pilot, a Norwegian design partner.
- The ask
20 minutes, two times, and a reason tied to their work. Not "pick your brain".
Hei Emma, takk for praten etter panelet ditt på tirsdag om å ansette første selger. Vi jobber med det samme for et utviklerverktøy. Vil du koble deg til?
In English: "Hi Emma, thanks for the chat after your panel on Tuesday about hiring the first seller. We're working on the same thing for a developer tool. Would you like to connect?"
#Pace in a small market
You don't need volume to cover Oslo. A list of fifteen to twenty people you can tell apart is plenty. If you automate the warm-up steps, ramp a new account slowly and keep 3–9 minutes between actions, so it doesn't look like you messaged the whole scene in one evening.
Frequently asked questions
Use the language of their recent posts. When in doubt, a short Norwegian greeting with an English body works well.
