The study, conducted by tech startup PR agency Rise PR, analysed the websites of hundreds of recently funded UK startups across sectors including technology, sustainability, fintech, and healthcare. It found that most are missing the basic tools needed to communicate effectively with journalists.

Key findings:

• Only 13.2% of startups have a dedicated press or news section
• Just 0.9% list a named PR or media contact
• Fewer than 2% provide downloadable media assets such as logos or product images
• Only 4.2% include company background information or a boilerplate
• Around a third (33.8%) maintain a blog or insights section, but few use it to share news or company milestones

“These are companies that have already achieved funding and are aiming for rapid growth or further investment, but most haven’t yet laid the basic groundwork to tell their story,” said Paul Allen, Director, Rise PR. “Irrespective of size, maturity or sector, a journalist must be able to find your news, your leadership team, a media contact, and downloadable images. For too many startups, that information isn’t there, highlighting how many early-stage companies are underprepared for media engagement. A lack of contact details is a pet peeve for many journalists.”

Allen added that a lack of PR infrastructure can have consequences for scaling businesses: “The startups that invest early in professional communications tend to build trust faster, with investors, customers, and prospective hires. It’s not about vanity; it’s about credibility and trust. Even the addition a of a clear media contact can make a significant difference in visibility and professionalism.”

Rise PR developed the analysis as part of its ongoing work with early-stage and scaling technology companies, looking to gauge the readiness of such companies for external engagement with media.

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