While the top source of startup funding is from personal savings and credit, many startup founders can turn their heads to friends and family for investment. If you’re careful to avoid personal complications, asking for financial help from your close connections is a great funding opportunity, as people will need less convincing than banks.
This is a type of financing provided by private investors to startups that they believe have long-term growth potential. This is similar to investment from angel investors, the difference being that angel investors are individuals investing their personal funds. In contrast, the source of venture capital is typically another firm or larger business.
There is also the option of securing loans from banks or exploring crowdfunding, of which the latter seeks to tap into collective interest in an idea. Government grants could also be an option depending on your location.
PR is a great tool for getting venture capitalists’ attention, and a funding press release is so important in obtaining venture capital. A funding opportunity announcement lets investors know you are looking for investment while simultaneously telling them you are worth investing in. They will consider investing in your company a low risk when compared to businesses they are unfamiliar with.
The goals and objectives of tech PR for startups are to increase brand awareness and position yourself as a thought leader within your industry. By using these strategic communications techniques to increase your credibility, investors will be more trusting of your brand. Venture capitalists generally don’t finance startups from the beginning, so taking time to earn media coverage with effective PR will help secure investor funding rounds.
Acquiring new funding can also attract the attention of top talent for your team and customers or clients for your business.
It is the first stage of equity based financing, and as such, is a high risk stage of investment. A seed startup has yet to demonstrate their profitability which is why there is rarely funding from venture capitalists or banks.
Seed rounds are probably the most complicated stage for funding, as a company has limited numbers and information to share with investors. This is why PR for seed funding will focus heavily on the story behind the brand, and why it is a viable and necessary product or service. Despite these risks, investment at the seed round stage can have huge payoffs if a company successfully grows.
Although the funding from angel investors often comes with a higher return rate than more traditional investments, it is far less risky when compared to a loan from the bank debt financing that you have to pay back.
PR is necessary for presenting your business in an exciting way that angel investors will take notice of, ensuring that you are taking advantage of the funding opportunities offered by these investors.
Typically angel investments come from family and friends, but because seed startups have a high rate of failure, it is very important to be upfront about these risks to avoid ruining treasured relationships. Alternatively, angel investments may come from wealthy individuals or groups of angel syndicates who pool their funds to obtain equity of new exciting businesses.
Venture capital is the term used for investment in a new startup, and commonly comes from firms that specialize in investing in new companies that are already generating revenue.
The objective of a series A funding round press release is to focus on reaching out to investors to ensure the continued growth of a company. Sharing your investment funding rounds in the press is a good way to secure further investment, as it can demonstrate trust from other investors and how ambitious a company is in utilizing the resources available to them.
This is the second round of investment for startups that comes from venture capitalists and is appropriate for companies that are generating stable revenues and demonstrating profit.
The financing from the series B round of funding is used to support a company’s growth to the next stage, which is achieved through increased talent acquisition, developing new products and services and expanding into new markets.
As companies have proven their success at this stage, investment is more low-risk and investors can be comfortable providing larger amounts of financing. These large numbers can speak for themselves in the PR funding opportunity announcement, as a company that is being heavily invested in will generate more interest from other investors. A series B funding press release should focus on how a company is already succeeding and achieving their mission and are looking for investors to continue their growth.
Due to the demonstrated success of companies in this round, groups such as hedge funds and investment banks will be looking to get involved in what is now a low-risk investment.
These large investments are great PR as it demonstrates fantastic credibility in a company. Additionally at this stage companies are ready to begin acquisition of other brands, which also provide moments for PR and cements a brand’s position as a leader in their industry.
It is usually a new opportunity that has presented itself, and as a company has already gone through series C, they need an extra boost of funding to achieve their objectives.
Due to the established success of companies going through this round of funding, PR can focus efforts on top tier publications during funding press releases. Acquisitions and new expansions of companies at this scale will be of great interest, and due to the specific reasons for funding at this level it is a great opportunity to connect your brand’s values into the story.
The saturation of communication in the digital age affects investors, who are constantly bombarded with innovative startups. Public relations can be of great service in distinguishing you from your competitors and helping to convince investors to invest in your company.
PR helps you handle media attention during a funding announcement press release. Establishing yourself in the media builds trust among your target audience and potential investors. This is because earned media is viewed as the most authentic form of marketing.
Obtaining funding provides great PR opportunities to present your business as credible and trustworthy. Using PR to increase your brand visibility and establish yourself as a leader in your industry is a sure way to increase interest in your brand and secure success at various investment rounds, as well as help you to expand the reach of your funding press release.
Getting the funding news covered across the Benelux Region
As part of the long-term strategy of Siilo, we communicated their latest funding round to tier 1 outlets across the benelux region which resulted in interviews and over 10 pieces of coverage across different outlets including TV. Read further about how we made it happen.
For Siilo we landed coverage in Netherlands, United Kingdom, Belgium
Subscription billing software
Driven by increasing demand for subscription models in businesses across the globe, only further fueled by the global pandemic, Chargebee had just closed their Series F funding round. They needed this funding news to reverberate and be heard globally, and that is why they came to PRLab - to get this news far and wide.
For Chargebee we landed coverage in Netherlands, United Kingdom, Belgium
Social intranet and collaboration platform
Happeo was raising its platform and scaling up to hundreds of employees. This was news, and it was big. For something like this you want to shout in exultation from a rooftop, but a voice can only carry so far. Happeo needed this launch of funding news to reverberate and be heard globally. That is why they came to PRLab, they wanted to make waves.
For Happeo we landed coverage in Netherlands, United States, Finland
From cash to credibility: how a funding announcement can generate over 50 pieces of coverage
Unifonic wanted to announce its global ambitions with its Series B raise, securing media coverage internationally and in the local MENA region. Our team of agile PR experts got to work, creating press releases suited for many different markets , honing pitch angles and securing coverage in the big leagues such as Reuters, Bloomberg and Forbes.
For Unifonic we landed coverage in Netherlands, Belgium
The HR & EdTech company using microlearning to increase employee learning and engagement
In 2020, MobieTrain remotely entered the Dutch market from Belgium. As a relatively unknown company at the time, our challenge at PRLab was to generate stories that would be make them relevant to a new market. Through thought leadership content, funding announcements and interviews, PRLab helped MobieTrain generate a buzz in the Netherlands.
For MobieTrain we landed coverage in Netherlands, Belgium
How PRLab adapts to the needs of different international markets
Having grown successfully since their launch, ChannelEngine raised their Series A funding round of 5 million euros to continue expanding into new markets. They approached PRLab to help secure coverage of this funding announcement in four different countries. Find out how we developed and responded to the needs of these different markets, evolving our strategy to ensure results for our client.
For C. Engine we landed coverage in Netherlands, United Kingdom, Germany, Italy
Agicap Fintech
With the series B funding coming at a key moment in Agicap’s business growth, PRLab was ready to celebrate the success alongside them. With a strict deadline, PRLab took on the task to make Agicap known in the Dutch market.
For Agicap we landed coverage in Netherlands
Landing a funding announcement in The Nordics + NL region
HiBob hired PRLab to efficiently land their latest funding announcement in 3 key European markets simultaneously: Sweden, Finland and The Netherlands. Read further about how we made it happen and how we managed to land over 20 pieces of coverage in key publications
For HiBob we landed coverage in Netherlands, United States, Schweden
Startup funding is the acquisition of finances from investors to start a business or to elevate it to the next level. There are many options to explore to secure financing for your business, which vary between country and industry. You should make yourself aware of its sources, finding one that is suited to your needs.
While the top source of startup funding is from personal savings and credit, many startup founders can turn their heads to friends and family for investment. If you’re careful to avoid personal complications, asking for financial help from your close connections is a great way to secure funds, as people will need less convincing than a bank.
Startup funding also comes from venture capital. This is a type of financing that private investors provide to startups that they believe has long-term growth potential. This is similar to investment from angel investors, the difference being angel investors are individuals investing their personal funds, whereas venture capital tends to come from another firm or larger business.
There is also the option of loans from banks and to explore crowdfunding, of which the latter seeks to tap into collective interest in an idea. Government grants could also be an option, and you should research what is on offer in your location.
Series A startup funding is the first stage of funding in which a business begins venture capital financing. It is similar to seed round funding in that it is equity based, and secures financing by selling the company’s shares. Venture capital is the term used for investment in a new startup, and commonly comes from firms that specialize in investing in new companies that are already generating revenue.
The objective of a series A funding press release is to focus on reaching out to investors to ensure the continued growth of a company. Taking advantage of funding press releases and sharing your current progress with the press is a good way to secure further investment, as it can demonstrate trust from other investors and how ambitious a company is in utilizing the resources available to them.
PR can help with funding and press release fundraising campaigns as it increases trust between your brand and investors as well as consumers. Sharing the news that you have acquired funding reinforces your brand's credibility. There will be fierce competition in seeking financial backing from investors, so PR can be a useful strategy to distinguish yourself from your competitors. By establishing yourself in the media and having a consistent content and marketing plan, you can increase your brand visibility and position yourself as a leader in your industry. It also helps with getting more reach for your funding opportunity announcements.
PR also helps to grow your consumer base and expand into new markets by generating awareness of your brand. Consumers and investors alike are drawn to established reputable businesses, so having a good public image demonstrates lower risk for those you approach for investment. PRLab can offer a range of services to help establish your reputation through earned media, including PR funding and a consistent content and social media plan. We also offer media training which can help you become better and more confident at pitching to journalists as well as investors.
Unless you work in financing or venture capital, you might not be familiar with funding rounds or investment rounds. A funding round is when a company looks to trade equity for investment in order to stimulate growth or achieve their next milestone. Typically there are a multitude of funding press release rounds for startups, each of which is defined by what stage the business is at and how much they need to move to the next stage and funding round. As a company grows they can secure more financial assistance as they move to different series.
The first round of funding is called a seed round, and it is when a company looks to launch themselves off the ground and begin developing their idea. This investment round is mainly focused on making funding opportunity announcements to secure funds for research & development. When your product or service has traction you can look to raise a series A round, and requires you to have a model to grow your business.
If you can demonstrate the growth and success of your business, you can move to the next round, series B. This startup investment round is for companies that are ready to scale up their business by increasing their team size and growing their consumer base. If this growth is achieved then a startup can move to series C funding, which is when a company is looking to expand into new markets or begin acquiring other businesses.
Finally there is series D, a funding round reached by few startups, and serves to fund unexpected new growth opportunities, or to help if the level of growth expected during series C was not met.
A funding press release is a fantastic opportunity for media coverage, as it demonstrates that investors believe in the potential of your company. Thus a funding announcement press release is a sure way to build credibility. It is important to have a good strategy for your press release funding announcement. You announce an investment round for startups by getting publications to share your funding achievements as well as why other investors should be interested in your company.
When it comes to PR funding the investment funding round your company is on will determine your approach to pitching your funding to the media. Top tier publications are only interested in very large investments and probably wouldn’t pick up a story from the early rounds of startup funding. However you don’t just send journalists the numbers, you need to still have a good story to tell to maximise engagement with the news. To do this you need to gather significant data within your business, and have accurate numbers that can demonstrate the growth and potential of your company.
There are many logistics to consider with a funding announcement such as the timing, the images used, reaching out to clients and distributing on your website and social media. These are all marketing strategies PRLab can assist you with.
Funding for your business could be anything from investments from friends, family or mentors, to investments from venture capitalists or banks. PR funding shares these achievements in the media, spreading your mission alongside positioning your business as one which investors believe in. PR funding also incorporates funding opportunity announcements, so that investors can approach you and get involved in growing your business.
PR fundraising is the process of obtaining new investments, using strategic PR techniques to gain the interest of potential investors. This could look like anything from press coverage to social media campaigns, but the overall goal is to position your business as worth investing in.
