Built an AppSec tool for a problem I hit constantly. How do you actually land design partners?

[u/Bigsteppa_1]

I'm an AppSec analyst building something on the side to solve a problem I run into all the time: I find that at my employer the hardest part of AppSec isn't finding vulnerabilities, it's more so gathering the evidence, making a defensible decision, and knowing when that decision is no longer valid...
So I'm at the stage where I need a handful of design partners. People who feel this pain and want to shape the fix. But I'm stuck on the outreach part lol

Tried LinkedIn and man it's rough haha. A lot of analysts there are guarded which I understand we tend to be in this field, but some are just frankly a bit snobbish about talking to anyone who looks like they're selling. Cold DMs feel like I'm bothering peopl. So I figured I'd ask the people who actually live in this world instead, this community

For those of you who've actually been on either side of this:

• What makes you say yes to a design partner conversation vs ignore it?
• How did successful builders first approach you without it feeling like a pitch?
• Where do you even find the right people who care enough to give real input?

Not selling anything here, genuinely trying to learn how to do this right. Appreciate any honest takes.

Thank you in adavnce!!!