Greg Isenberg vs Gust/OpenVC: The Better Way to Match with Investors Using Capitaly.vc Signals

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If you've ever searched for faster, smarter investor matching tools, you've probably asked yourself whether Greg Isenberg's approach is better than established platforms like Gust.com or OpenVC.app. As the founder of Capitaly.vc—a modern Gust alternative and OpenVC alternative—I've spent years helping startups connect with the right investors efficiently using our unique Signals feature. In this blog post, I'll break down what works, what doesn't, and why Capitaly.vc Signals might just be your next secret weapon for funding success.

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Greg Isenberg vs Gust/OpenVC: The Better Way to Match with Investors Using Capitaly.vc Signals

Here's what you'll learn today:

How Greg Isenberg approaches investor matching differently
The pros and cons of Gust.com and OpenVC.app
How Capitaly.vc Signals disrupts traditional deal sourcing
Actionable advice for founders raising capital

1. Who Is Greg Isenberg and Why Is He Relevant to Modern Fundraising?

Greg Isenberg is an entrepreneur, investor, and builder who made a name for himself by connecting communities with capital. He’s become a reference point for modern investor matching because he champions tools and processes that cut through the noise. If you’ve heard Greg talk, you know he’s obsessed with frictionless discovery—in other words, cutting out the middle layers so startups and investors can connect fast.

2. Why Do Startups Look for Gust Alternatives?

Thousands of startups try Gust.com every year—so why are so many still looking for a Gust alternative? The answer is simple: Gust was built in the early days of online investing. Its platform can feel rigid, slow, and impersonal. Founders today want more than just a list of investors—they want actionable insights and direct signals that someone is interested.

Static profiles
Manual (sometimes unclear) application processes
Lack of actionable "signals of intent" from investors

For more on the rise of modern alternatives, see our blog post: Ultimate Guide to Gust Alternatives.

3. Why Is OpenVC Popular (and Where Does It Fall Short)?

OpenVC.app arrived with a promise: transparency, open data, and community-driven matching. It’s a breath of fresh air compared to older portals. But if you use OpenVC, you’ve likely noticed:

Matching still relies heavily on founders digging through data
Little actionable feedback or signals on investor interest
No clear prioritization among responsive investors

In short, better data, but not a radically better outcome for founders seeking warm connects.

4. What Makes Greg Isenberg’s Investor-Matching Philosophy Different?

Greg Isenberg is famous for rethinking "connectivity-layer" tools in tech—including investor matching. His superpower: flipping the script so that investors show intent signals first, allowing founders to focus efforts where there’s real traction. It’s all about saving time, avoiding generic blasts, and focusing on what works. Sound familiar? It's core to how we do things at Capitaly.vc.

5. How Does Capitaly.vc Signals Work?

Signals on Capitaly.vc are the modern answer for founders asking, “Who is actively looking for a deal like mine, right now?” Here’s how we use them:

Investors set real-time "open-to-invest" flags
Signals show what sectors/ticket sizes they're actually focused on—right now
Founders see live dealflow indicators before pitching

This data is updated continuously, based on direct user activity and intent—no static directories.

6. How Can Founders Use Signals to Close Faster?

I’ve seen dozens of teams cut their fundraising time in half just using Signals. Here’s a typical scenario:

Review which investors are actively reviewing fintech deals (for example)
Send targeted, context-rich pitches to those showing recent engagement
Get notified when a VC’s investment scope changes—before your competitors do

By acting on live feedback instead of static lists, you move to "yes" or "no" outcomes much more quickly.

7. Comparing Capitaly.vc vs Gust.com for Investor Access

At Gust.com, you submit, wait—and follow up blindly. At Capitaly.vc, you get real-time activity feeds and instant notifications on investor engagement. Investors signal their availability and current interest, reducing wasted outreach. On Gust, investors can be inactive or not looking. On Capitaly, only actively searching investors show up for you.

8. Comparing Capitaly.vc vs OpenVC.app for Signal-Driven Matching

OpenVC offers transparency, but actual signals of investor interest (like “open this week to Healthtech deals”) are rare. With Capitaly.vc, these signals are core to the UX. It’s like seeing a "green light" above an investor’s head—so you always know when it’s “go time.”

9. Can Signal-Driven Matching Replace Warm Intros?

Not every founder can rely on a network of warm intros. With Signals, you get a measurable edge even if you start cold. Investors want efficiency too: they can indicate, “I’m reviewing AI/ML SaaS this quarter—open to chat now.” It’s the next best thing to a warm intro, done at scale.

10. What Do Investors Think of Capitaly.vc Signals?

Feedback from investors on Capitaly.vc has been clear: signals help cut down on irrelevant inbound and make it easier to process only the deals they care about right now. They report higher quality deal flow and less "spray and pray," which means more meaningful conversations for both sides.

11. How Do I Get Started With Capitaly.vc Signals?

If you’re a founder, just sign up and set your industry, stage, and location. You’ll instantly see which investors are actively searching for deals like yours. If you’re an investor, configure your current focus areas and activate your "open" status for inbound startups that fit.

For a detailed onboarding checklist, check our blog post: Getting Started with Capitaly.vc.

12. What’s the ROI of Using Signals for Fundraising?

We’ve seen Signal-powered founders raise rounds in 4-6 weeks (vs. 6-12 months industry average). The number one factor: less wasted time, fewer cold emails, and more time pitching people who care.

13. Are There Real-World Success Stories?

Yes, and one stands out: An AI-enabled HRtech company closed a $1.2M seed round in under two months after using Capitaly.vc Signals to identify and target five actively open investors.

14. How Secure Is My Data on Capitaly.vc?

As a fundraising platform, data security is non-negotiable. Unlike legacy tools that list your info for all to see, Capitaly.vc builds privacy into every layer. Profiles and activities are visible only within your chosen network, and we never sell user data.

For more info, see: Data Security for Founders.

15. What Unique Signals Does Capitaly.vc Offer?

Unlike generic status updates, our Signals include:

Real-time "open-to-review" flags
Industry, stage, and ticket size focus
Recent activity timelines
Feedback loop on initial pitch outcomes

16. How Should Founders Interpret Signals?

Think of Signals like green, yellow, and red lights on the fundraising highway. Green means go (high recent activity in your sector), yellow is for cautious outreach (investor possibly shifting focus), and red means probably not the best fit right now. This visual short-circuits wasted effort.

17. What Is the Pricing Model?

Capitaly.vc is free for founders at the basic level. Premium tiers unlock advanced analytics, enhanced signals, and featured placement. Investors pay for access to a more curated deal flow. Transparent, no hidden fees, and always with upfront value.

18. How Does Capitaly.vc Help Investors Source Deals?

Investors use Capitaly.vc to:

Set investment readiness
Receive curated pitch decks matching live investment mandates
Engage only with founders whose timing and focus are aligned

19. Can You Share Expert Tips for Effective Use?

Founders: Regularly update your fundraising status but don’t spam; let signals guide your weekly outreach.
Investors: Keep your focus areas updated on Capitaly.vc—founders and other investors notice active profiles first.
Both: Use the feedback loop to adjust strategy—if you’re not getting traction from Signals, consider re-framing your summary or updating targets.

20. What’s Next for Signal-Driven Investor Matching?

Signal-driven investor matching is still in its infancy. Expect to see more AI-powered features, automated smart matching, and even "predictive" insights into investor intent. At Capitaly.vc, we’re already testing these features to stay a step ahead.

For more on the future of AI in fundraising, see our blog post: The Future of AI in Venture Capital.

FAQs

Who is Greg Isenberg? Greg Isenberg is a well-known tech entrepreneur and investor with a focus on building community-driven tools for deal matching.
What makes Capitaly.vc a better Gust alternative? Capitaly.vc uses real-time Signals so you know which investors are actually open to deals now, not just a stale directory.
How is Capitaly.vc an OpenVC alternative? Capitaly.vc puts signal-driven matching front and center, so you act on timely data instead of just browsing lists.
Are investor signals accurate? Yes, signals are based on live activity and investor intent updates, so they’re always current.
Is my fundraising information private? Absolutely. Only your matches and network see your data, never the public web.
What industries does Capitaly.vc cover? All high-growth tech industries: SaaS, fintech, health, climate, AI, and more.
Can investors opt-out of signals? Yes, investors control their visibility and can go "private" at any time.
How often are signals updated? Signals update continuously, reflecting the latest intent and deal activity.
Is Capitaly.vc free for founders? Yes, basic matchmaking is free for founders, with advanced features available at premium levels.
Do you support global fundraising? Yes; we cater to founders and investors worldwide.

Conclusion

In today’s fast-paced venture landscape, platforms like Gust.com and OpenVC.app have paved the way—but it’s the Greg Isenberg-inspired, signal-driven approach at Capitaly.vc that truly empowers startups and investors for next-generation matching. By leveraging Signals, both sides save time, find each other faster, and close deals at record speed.

Ready to match with investors the smarter way? Subscribe to Capitaly.vc Substack (https://capitaly.substack.com/) to raise capital at the speed of AI.