If you’re in sales, business development, or just hungry for leads, you know how much time can die in clunky databases and copy-paste routines. Crunchbase is one of the go-tos for prospecting, but if you’re just searching and scrolling, you’re missing its real advantage: custom, saved searches that actually fit your workflow. This guide is for anyone who’s sick of reinventing the wheel every week and wants to set up efficient, repeatable searches in Crunchbase—without falling for shiny features that don’t help you close more deals.
Why Bother With Custom & Saved Searches?
Let’s be honest: Most people use Crunchbase like Google. Type a keyword, scroll a bit, maybe filter by industry, and call it a day. That’s fine for a one-off lookup, but if you’re prospecting regularly, it’s a time sink.
Custom searches let you: - Pinpoint exactly the right companies or people, using real criteria (not just buzzwords). - Save time—no more starting from scratch every morning. - Spot new opportunities automatically, not just when you happen to look.
But don’t get distracted by features you don’t need. The goal isn’t to build the fanciest search, it’s to build one you’ll actually use.
Step 1: Get Clear on What You’re Actually Looking For
Before you even log in, grab a notepad. Write down who your ideal prospect is. Be specific: - Company size (e.g., “Series A SaaS startups with 10–100 employees”) - Location (e.g., “North America, but not Silicon Valley”) - Industry - Funding history - Tech stack (if you care) - People roles (e.g., “CTOs” or “founders with product backgrounds”)
Pro tip: If you can’t describe your target in one sentence, your search will be a mess. Simpler is better.
Step 2: Log In and Find the Right Search Tool
Crunchbase splits its search between Companies, People, Investors, and Funding Rounds. Pick what matches your prospecting focus: - Companies: Most B2B sales start here. - People: Great for recruiting, partnerships, or getting past gatekeepers. - Investors/Funding Rounds: Useful if you care about recent funding or want to track who’s writing checks.
From the Dashboard, hit the “Advanced Search” button for your chosen category. Don’t bother with the basic search if you’re prospecting seriously.
Step 3: Build Your Filters (But Don’t Go Overboard)
This is where most users get lost. Crunchbase offers a boatload of filters: location, industry, funding, revenue, headcount, founding date, and more. Here’s how to use them without wasting hours:
- Start broad, then narrow: Set a couple of “must-have” filters, like industry and location. Run the search. If it’s too many results, add another filter.
- Funding filters: Use “Last funding date” or “Funding amount” only if it matters to your pitch. Otherwise, you’ll miss good leads.
- Headcount & revenue: These are estimates. Treat them as rough guides, not gospel.
- Keywords: Use the “Description” or “Keywords” field if you have a niche target, but don’t rely on it for everything.
What to skip: Don’t waste time on “similar companies” or “recent news” filters unless they’re core to your workflow. These often add noise, not signal.
Honest take: The more filters you add, the more you risk filtering out good prospects. Start simple, then tune as you go.
Step 4: Sort and Check Your Results
Don’t just save the first search you build. Scroll through the first couple of pages of results: - Are you seeing the kinds of companies or people you want? - Too many irrelevant results? Tighten a filter. - Too few? Loosen something, or remove a filter you don’t truly need.
Reality check: Crunchbase data is good, but not perfect. Some companies will have outdated or missing info. That’s life—no tool is flawless.
Step 5: Save Your Search (So You Never Start Over)
See the “Save Search” button near the top of the results page? Use it. Give your search a clear, honest name you’ll recognize next week. (“NYC SaaS 10-50 employees, Seed–Series B” beats “Test Search 5.”)
You’ll usually have the option to: - Set up email alerts: Get notified when new companies match your criteria. Good for catching fresh prospects, but don’t let it flood your inbox. - Save privately or share: If you’re on a team, you might be able to share the search. Only do this if your teammates will actually use it.
Pro tip: Save a “broad” version and a “narrow” one if you’re experimenting. That way, you can compare which one brings better leads.
Step 6: Export or Integrate (But Don’t Get Fancy Unless You Must)
Crunchbase lets you export search results to CSV (if you have the right plan). This is handy if you want to: - Import leads to a CRM - Run mail merges - Do deeper analysis in Excel
But: Don’t obsess over exporting every field. Most outreach only needs name, company, website, maybe a LinkedIn URL.
If you’re a power user, you can look into Crunchbase’s integrations (like Salesforce), but for most people, that’s overkill. Start simple.
Step 7: Revisit and Refine Your Saved Searches
Set a reminder to review your saved searches every month or so. Things change—industries shift, companies grow or die, your target profile might evolve.
Ask yourself: - Are the results still relevant? - Am I actually using this search, or ignoring it? - Should I tweak a filter (or delete a useless search)?
What Works, and What’s Hype
What actually helps: - Tight, simple filters based on your real criteria. - Saved searches with email alerts (if you’ll use them). - Occasional exports for outreach.
What to ignore: - “AI suggestions” or “Trending companies” unless you’re doing broad market research. - Overly complex searches with 10+ filters. - Any feature that promises to replace real prospecting—there’s no magic bullet.
Common Mistakes (And How to Dodge Them)
- Trying to be too clever: If you build a filter maze, you’ll end up with empty results or junk leads.
- Forgetting to update searches: Your ideal customer will change. So should your saved searches.
- Relying on Crunchbase alone: It’s a great starting point, but always double-check key details on LinkedIn or a company website before reaching out.
- Letting alerts pile up: If you stop reading search alerts, unsubscribe or tweak them. Inbox bloat helps no one.
Keep It Simple, Iterate Often
Crunchbase can be a huge time-saver, but only if you keep your searches tight, relevant, and up to date. Don’t chase every new feature or overthink your filters—start with who you really want to talk to, save the search, and refine as you learn what works. Repeat this process every so often, and you’ll spend less time searching and more time actually connecting with prospects. That’s the whole point.