PR agency for technology startups

Zecomms is an international PR agency that helps technology startups build visibility, credibility and recognition in new markets. Since 2022, Zecomms has supported more than 100 companies, including 30+ startups, with PR campaigns across the US, Europe, MENA and other international markets.

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TLDR

Zecomms is an international PR agency for technology startups, with experience across the US, Europe and MENA.
Startup PR should begin before a major announcement. Reputation, founder credibility and journalist relationships take time to build.
You do not need big news to get media coverage. Original data, expert commentary, market insights and newsjacking can all create relevant media opportunities.
PR priorities change as a startup grows, from establishing the founder and category at an early stage to supporting fundraising, international expansion and long-term market authority.

Zecomms in numbers

100+ companies supported
3B+ combined reach
2,000+ combined reach

How Zecomms works with startups

Zecomms works with startups at different stages of growth, from early-stage companies preparing to enter the market to Series A, Series B and later-stage businesses expanding internationally. Zecomms has experience working with both startups seeking investment and the venture funds and investors evaluating them, which gives our team insight into how founders, journalists, customers and investors assess an emerging company.

Zecomms’ approach combines international media relations, founder positioning, thought leadership, data-driven PR and creative newsjacking. Zecomms is particularly experienced in explaining complex technology to wider audiences and creating media opportunities even when a startup does not have a major funding round, product launch or other obvious announcement.

What is startup PR?

Startup PR is the strategic use of media relations, thought leadership, expert commentary and company news to build awareness and credibility around an emerging business. For technology startups, it also means turning complex products, markets and founder expertise into stories that journalists, customers and investors can understand. This is the approach Zecomms uses when working with technology startups across international markets.

Why is startup PR different?

Startup PR is different because emerging companies usually have to build awareness, credibility and category understanding at the same time. Unlike established brands, startups often need to explain not only what they do, but also why their market matters and why anyone should pay attention now.

The company is not yet well known. Journalists, customers and investors may be hearing about the startup for the first time, so PR has to build recognition from scratch.
The product may be difficult to explain. Technology startups often operate in complex or emerging categories. PR needs to translate the product into a clear story without losing the substance behind it.
Reputation has to be built before major milestones. Waiting until a funding round or product launch can be too late. Founder credibility, journalist relationships and search visibility develop over time.
Several audiences matter at once. Startup PR may need to speak to customers, investors, partners, employees and journalists within the same broader communications strategy.
Every milestone shapes the company narrative. Funding, expansion, hiring, customer growth and product development all influence how the market understands the startup.

At Zecomms, we treat startup PR as long-term reputation building rather than a sequence of isolated announcements.

Do I need startup PR?

Startups need PR because their reputation starts forming before most founders realize it. By the time a funding round, launch or expansion becomes public, journalists and investors may already be searching for the company, looking at previous coverage and forming an opinion about its founders and market.

Some of the most common mistakes we see are:

Starting PR too late. Founders often wait until a funding round or major launch is already happening. That leaves little time to build journalist relationships, prepare the narrative or decide how the news should be positioned.
Approaching journalists without a media strategy. Going directly to reporters without understanding what they cover, what makes a story relevant or how to frame the company can waste an important first opportunity.
Waiting for “big news.” Startups often assume they need major revenue milestones, funding or partnerships before the media will care. In reality, founder expertise, market analysis, original data and timely commentary can all create credible media opportunities.
Failing to control the narrative. If a company does not clearly explain its product, market and ambitions, journalists and other audiences will interpret that story themselves. PR helps establish the context before important milestones attract wider attention.
Treating PR as a one-off announcement. A funding round happens once, but reputation is built over time. The strongest communications strategies start before the milestone and continue afterwards, helping the company build trust for its next stage of growth.

A professional PR team brings the media knowledge, relationships and outside perspective needed to recognize which parts of a startup’s story are actually newsworthy — and to shape those stories before someone else does.

You don’t need big news to get media coverage

A startup does not need a funding round, major product launch or acquisition to earn media coverage. Relevant stories can come from the company’s data, founder expertise, market knowledge and connection to wider news.

At Zecomms, we regularly create media opportunities between major announcements by using:

Newsjacking. We connect a client’s expertise to stories journalists are already covering. For example, we used UK heatwaves as a timely hook for a climate-focused client and secured coverage in The Mirror.
Data and research. Proprietary data, surveys and studies can give journalists new evidence about an industry or consumer trend. We have used client research to secure coverage in specialist industry media.
Founder expertise. Founders and executives can contribute useful commentary on developments in their field. This can lead to interviews, expert quotes and thought-leadership opportunities even when the company itself has no news to announce.
Unexpected cultural hooks. Newsworthiness does not always come from business news. In one campaign, Zecomms connected a parenting expert’s knowledge to interest around Mercury retrograde, resulting in coverage in the New York Post.

The key is to understand the company closely enough to recognize where its expertise intersects with the wider media agenda. Zecomms works closely with startup teams like an extension of their in-house PR function, learning the product, market and founder perspective so relevant media opportunities can be identified quickly.

Startup PR by growth stage

Startup PR should evolve as the company grows. The priorities of an early-stage startup are different from those of a company raising a Series A, expanding internationally or preparing for its next phase of growth.

Pre-seed and seed
At an early stage, PR should focus on building the foundations of the company’s reputation. That can include explaining the market, introducing the founder, establishing expertise and making the product easier to understand.
Startups do not need to wait for a major funding round to begin this work. Research, founder commentary, customer insights and industry analysis can all help establish credibility before the company has significant brand awareness.
Series A
Series A PR should help connect the funding milestone to a broader business story. Investors and journalists will want to understand more than the size of the round: they will also look at traction, competitive advantage, the strength of the team and the company’s vision.
PR at this stage can support a funding announcement while also building founder visibility, demonstrating market demand and explaining how the capital will be used to grow the business.
Series B and growth stage
At Series B and beyond, communications increasingly need to show that the company is delivering on its earlier promises. Useful stories can include customer growth, new products, international expansion, key hires, original research and evidence of market leadership.
PR can also help maintain investor interest and strengthen the company’s reputation ahead of future fundraising.
Scaleups and later-stage companies
For scaleups, PR often becomes more international and more reputation-focused. Priorities may include Tier-1 media visibility, executive thought leadership, expansion into new markets and maintaining a consistent company narrative across different regions.

Zecomms has experience supporting startups across these stages, with particular expertise in Series A, Series B and later-stage companies expanding internationally.

FAQ

When should a startup start PR?

A startup should start PR before a major announcement or funding round. Reputation, founder credibility and journalist relationships take time to build, so waiting until the news is already public can limit your options. Early-stage PR can focus on founder expertise, market education and visibility, while later-stage PR can support fundraising, expansion and growth.

Can a startup get media coverage without a funding announcement?

Yes. Startups can earn media coverage through original data, founder expertise, market insights, customer trends and timely commentary on current events. Funding rounds and product launches are useful news hooks, but they are not the only ones. Zecomms regularly uses data-driven PR, thought leadership and newsjacking to create media opportunities between major company announcements.

Can startup founders do PR themselves?

Yes, but doing PR well requires time, media knowledge and an understanding of what journalists actually consider newsworthy. Founders can build relationships and share expertise directly, but a professional PR team can help identify stronger story angles, target the right journalists, shape messaging and manage outreach consistently while the founder focuses on running the company.

How do you choose the right PR agency for a startup?

Choose a PR agency with relevant startup experience, strong knowledge of your sector and proven experience in the markets you want to reach. Look for senior involvement, credible results and the ability to understand your product quickly. For technology startups, it is especially important that the agency can translate complex ideas into clear stories and work closely enough with your team to spot opportunities early.