In today’s tighter funding climate, the rules of the game for startups have changed dramatically. With venture capital harder to raise and runways shortening, early-stage founders are rethinking how to cut through the noise, attract capital, and gain traction. And one key shift is becoming clear: they’re turning to PR earlier than ever before.
Once viewed as a “Series A and beyond” activity, public relations has moved up the priority ladder for founders who are pre-seed, bootstrapped, or even still in beta. The reason? Visibility isn’t a luxury anymore, it’s a survival strategy.
Discoverability in a cluttered landscape
It’s a VC’s job to spot emerging talent before the rest of the market catches on. But how do they find startups that are still under the radar? The answer often lies in media breadcrumbs: an early blog feature, a bylined article in a sector-specific outlet, or a mention in a niche newsletter. These smaller signals of traction play a huge role in who gets discovered.
I’ve worked with enough founders and VCs to know that most investor decks get closed faster than they’re read. But a well-timed article in a relevant publication? That sticks. It gives your company discoverability beyond your network. It puts you in the path of the people who matter – whether that’s potential investors, talent, or future partners.
Standing out when everyone looks the same
Let’s face it: many early-stage startups are solving similar problems, often with comparable roadmaps and tech stacks. In any given vertical, there are usually half a dozen companies chasing the same white space. In the pre-execution phase, a company deck is a really convincing vision and product promise. So, how do you differentiate?
That’s where PR becomes a powerful tool, and founders are starting to leverage it earlier and earlier in the life of their business. Imagine six startups less than a year old, all competing for the same funding, talent, and attention. Now imagine that one of them has a sharp, founder-led interview in a respected media outlet, or a compelling thought piece on the future of their industry. Instantly, that startup appears more credible, more authoritative, and more likely to succeed.
PR doesn’t just inform, it positions. It makes a startup feel real, even if they’re still operating lean. And in an industry where perception often drives momentum, that perceived legitimacy is gold.
Credibility you can’t manufacture
One of the most overlooked aspects of media coverage is that it represents earned credibility. Anyone can write a Medium post or launch a slick landing page. But landing an interview or feature – even in a niche publication – means you’ve passed an editorial filter. You’ve convinced an independent journalist that your story is worth telling. That’s not just marketing. That’s third-party validation.
This earned media lends founders a kind of gravitas that owned content simply can’t replicate. It helps build your public profile, your narrative, and your company’s reputation in ways that compound over time. And in a capital-constrained environment, every bit of credibility counts.
PR is not just for later stages anymore
At ThirdEyeMedia, we’re seeing this shift play out in real time. More founders are coming to us at pre-seed or seed stage, not because they’re trying to “go big” early, but because they understand the value of shaping their narrative before others do it for them. They know that in a down market, silence isn’t neutral… It’s invisible.
Startups that embrace PR early are more likely to get noticed, remembered, and ultimately backed. They set themselves apart not just through what they build, but also how they tell their story. Because when capital is scarce, storytelling isn’t optional, it’s essential.