How to find leads in r/startups the right way
r/startups runs on growth, distribution and tooling questions. Inbown surfaces the threads where someone wants what you sell, scores them 0–100, and drafts your reply.
About r/startups
r/startups skews more operational than r/Entrepreneur. The recurring threads are about distribution, hiring, fundraising, and which tools a small team should adopt. For founders selling into other startups, the value is in the tool-and-process questions, where someone describes how they work today and asks the community for a better way. Those threads are warm, because the person has already decided they have a problem worth solving.
The community is reasonably strict about overt promotion, so the founders who do well here lead with genuine operating experience and treat the product mention as a footnote. Inbown fits that style: it finds the thread while it is still active, scores it so you know it is worth your time, and drafts a reply grounded in the specifics of what the person asked. You post it yourself, in your own voice.
What buying intent looks like in r/startups
- 'What does your team use for X' process and tooling threads
- Distribution questions where your product is the channel or the tool
- Scaling pains that map directly to what you sell
- Vendor-comparison threads in your category
Threads Inbown surfaces here
- We hit some traction but distribution is still 100% manual. What are people using?
- What is your stack for finding and reaching potential customers?
- Looking to replace [tool] for our team. What works at our stage?
- How are early startups doing outbound without a big sales team?
Who finds customers here
B2B and SaaS founders selling tools or services to other startups find some of the most operational, high-intent threads here.
See the playbook for B2B startups →Replying without getting removed
r/startups removes promotional comments, so the safe play is experience-first with a light product mention. Inbown drafts in that shape and checks self-promo and cooldown signals before you post, and never posts on your behalf.
r/startups questions
How is r/startups different from r/Entrepreneur for leads?
r/startups is more operational and a bit higher-signal: more 'what does your team use' and fewer motivational posts. Intent still varies, so Inbown scores each thread and surfaces the ones where someone is actively looking for a tool or process like yours.
Can Inbown draft a reply that fits the r/startups tone?
Yes. Drafts are generated from your product and the specific thread, so they read like operating experience rather than a pitch. You edit and post from your own account.
Which plan should I use for r/startups?
Starter ($19/month) covers Reddit. If your buyers also ask these questions on X, Pro ($29/month) adds it. A free preview runs once against your URL with no signup.
The honest verdict
r/startups is operational and warm if you sell to founders and small teams. Inbown finds the tooling and distribution threads early, scores them, and drafts an experience-first reply so you add value instead of pitching.
See it on your own product
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Scan my product. Free →Other subreddits worth watching
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