How to expose my startup to seed investors instead of cold calling them?

How can I expose my startup to seed and angel investors instead of cold calling them?

Is there any way to get feedback from them?

In Silicon Valley or other major startup scenes.

I'm approaching this from a UK rather than valley background, but before you approach any investor, angel / seed or otherwise you need some real social traction and commercial validation.

With this in mind you need to get your story out there and your product in front of their eyes so that when you do contact investors, although it's a "cold-call" they're already aware of you.

A way of doing that it obviously PR, try and get your story in industry and local press, but you might also consider targeting Linked in groups and companies with an ad. So that every time they login they see your product.

I'd also recommend when the time to contact investors comes, that you see if you can find someone to introduce you to investors. Your pitch will be far better received if you're introduced via a mutual friend, someone they've invested in before etc. But don't worry if you can't get that. Trust me, if your product and market opportunity is right they'll be interested!

Good luck!