# Investor update email template that investors read

> This investor update email template gives founders a monthly structure: a three-line summary, key numbers compared with last month and defined the same way each time, what went well, what didn't, the round status if you are raising, and specific asks. Send it on the same day each month to investors and to prospects in your pipeline. Honest bad news, sent early, builds more trust than a polished story.

Source: https://delsivo.com/templates/investor-update-email · Updated 2026-11-06

## Key takeaways

- Lead with a three-line summary: the best result, the biggest problem and your ask.
- Define each metric once and keep the definition the same every month.
- Include what didn't work and what you are changing.
- Make asks specific enough that a reader can act on them in one reply.

## Investor update email template to copy

Replace every bracket. Delete the fundraising section when you are not raising.

Investor update email (plain text):

```text
SUBJECT: [Company] update, [month year]: [one line on the most important thing]

Hi [first name or "everyone"],

TL;DR
- [The single most important result this month, with the number and its definition]
- [The biggest problem, stated plainly]
- [Your ask, if you have one]

KEY NUMBERS ([month] vs [previous month])
- Revenue: [ ] vs [ ] ([MRR / ARR / recognised revenue], as defined in earlier updates)
- Customers: [paying] paying, [unpaid pilots] pilots
- Cash in bank: [ ]          Monthly net burn: [ ]          Runway: [ ] months
- [One metric specific to your business]: [ ] vs [ ]

WHAT WENT WELL
1. [Result, with the evidence behind it]
2. [ ]

WHAT DIDN'T
1. [What happened, what you learned, what you are changing]
2. [ ]

FUNDRAISING (only if you are raising)
- Round: [instrument], target [amount], [amount] committed, lead [name or "not yet"].
- Next step: [what happens next and when].

ASKS
- Introductions: [specific person or kind of company, and why]
- Hiring: [role, and the profile you want]
- Advice: [one clear question]

THANK YOU
[Name anyone who helped since the last update, and how.]

[Your name]
[Role, company, how to reach you]
```

## Who to send it to

- Current investors, every month, whether the month was good or bad.
- Investors in your pipeline who asked to be kept informed, so they see progress before the next conversation.
- Advisers who help with introductions.

Use blind copy or a mailing tool, so replies come to you and not to the whole list.

## Writing the numbers

Investors compare updates over time, so a number that changes definition without a note looks like a mistake or worse. Say whether revenue is monthly recurring revenue, annual recurring revenue or recognised revenue, separate paying customers from unpaid pilots, and keep the same order every month. If a definition must change, say so and restate the previous month on the new basis. Our glossary entries on [MRR](https://delsivo.com/glossary/mrr) and [burn multiple](https://delsivo.com/glossary/burn-multiple) explain common metrics.

## Asks that get answers

"Any intros would help" rarely gets a reply. "An introduction to the head of operations at a mid-sized logistics company, to test our routing product" often does. Give one or two asks, name the kind of person, and say why. Thank people who helped since the last update by name.

## Updates and your fundraising pipeline

An update is a light, regular touch with investors in your pipeline. Keep a note of who received each update in your [investor pipeline tracker](https://delsivo.com/templates/investor-pipeline-tracker). Delsivo's planned [fundraising CRM](https://delsivo.com/fundraising-crm), after its first release, keeps notes, meetings and files per investor; sending updates from it is not part of the plan.

## Frequently asked questions

### How often should founders send investor updates?

Monthly is common and easy to keep up. Whatever you choose, keep to it, because a missed update is often read as bad news.

### Should an investor update include bad news?

Yes. Say what went wrong, what you learned and what you are changing. Investors would rather hear it from you early.

### How long should an investor update be?

Short enough to read in a few minutes. The summary at the top should stand on its own for readers who stop there.

## Related pages

- [Investor pipeline tracker](https://delsivo.com/templates/investor-pipeline-tracker)
- [Fundraising CRM for founders](https://delsivo.com/fundraising-crm)
- [MRR](https://delsivo.com/glossary/mrr)
- [For founders](https://delsivo.com/founders)