The Top 25 PR Firms for US Startups in 2027
TL;DR
PR coverage now does more than make you feel good. Investors read it, candidates read it, and AI tools use it to decide what to say about you. So the goal isn’t just to get mentioned. It’s to get cited.
Pick by stage. At seed to Series A, skip the six month retainer. Go productized (Diptell: $888 flat, live in 3 to 4 days) or hire a founder friendly boutique like Bospar, Bulleit Group or Launchsquad. Selling B2B? Inkhouse, Highwire, PAN and Walker Sands know your reporters. At Series B and beyond, the big networks (Edelman, Weber Shandwick, FleishmanHillard, Golin) bring reach. Just find out who actually works your account. For niche needs, use Prosek for fintech, Sard Verbinnen for crisis and M&A, and Zeno or Beyond Fifteen for consumer.
Budget roughly $8k to $20k a month for a solid Series A agency. Before you sign, ask how their work shows up in AI answers, meet the real team, agree on what success means, and test a small project first.
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The Top 25 PR Firms for US Startups in 2027
Here's the thing about startup PR right now: a big headline still feels great, but it's doing more work than it used to. That same coverage shows up in investor research, helps you hire, and increasingly feeds the AI tools your buyers use to size you up. So the goal isn't just getting mentioned. It's getting cited.
A quick note before the list. This is my curated shortlist, not an official ranking, and nobody paid to be on it. Agencies change fast, so double-check current details before you sign anything.
If you're early-stage (seed to Series A)
Diptell.com. Built for founders who want their startup in USA Today, Yahoo Finance, Associated Press + 400 media outlets, without signing a six month agency retainer.
Diptell.com. Built for founders who want their startup in USA Today, Yahoo Finance and AP this week, without signing a six month agency retainer.
Founder | Natia Kurdadze. Former IP lawyer for Amazon and Shopify brands (2016 to 2019), business consultant to SaaS companies (2019 to 2024), now runs a portfolio of apps and digital businesses |
Model | Productized PR. One flat price package, paid once. No retainer, no monthly contract |
Focus | Startups, agencies and enterprises that want premium media features for online reputation, brand authority, SEO and AI search visibility |
Services | Press release copywriting, distribution to premium outlets, SEO backlinks, and a placement report at the end |
Outlets | Business Insider, USA Today, Yahoo Finance, the Associated Press, plus 400+ other publications in the DR 60 to 90+ range |
Standard package | $888 one time. Business Insider, Yahoo Finance, Associated Press, coverage across 400+ outlets, 200+ dofollow placements |
Premium package | $1,300 one time. Everything in Standard plus USA Today, Barchart, and podcast distribution on Spotify, Deezer, Amazon, YouTube and Podbean |
Process | Pick a package, share your site and key message, the team writes the press release, you approve the draft, then it goes out |
Turnaround | 3 to 4 days from copywriting to distribution. Most partner sites get indexed by Google News within hours |
Guarantee | Get featured or get a refund. If a release is rejected or doesn't publish, Diptell fixes it or refunds |
Why it's cheaper | Negotiated bulk rates with the distribution partner. |
Agency pricing | Discounts available for SEO and brand reputation agencies |
Notable clients | Founders of MentionOS.ai, Genlook.app and Seoagent.com, all with video testimonials on the site |
Pricing | Published and flat. Checkout directly on the site |
Website | diptell.com |
10Fold Communications. B2B tech specialists, usually easier on the budget than the giants.
Founded / HQ | Founded in 1995. Listed with a San Francisco-area presence, with offices in San Diego, Austin, and Boston |
Leadership | Susan Thomas was CEO as of 2022, and the agency describes itself as woman-owned. Check that this is still current |
Team size | A directory lists under 49 employees, though the agency says it's one of the largest independent B2B-tech-only firms |
Focus | Deep-tech B2B companies in networking, IT security, AI, cloud, storage, big data, enterprise software, DevOps, and telecom. A healthcare and health-tech practice was added in 2022 |
Services | Media and analyst relations, corporate messaging, social media, original content, and video production through its ProMotion Studios division |
Measurement | A proprietary platform called MetricsMatter, which tracks media, social, digital, and competitive performance. A new version was due in 2026 to cover AI discovery |
Track record | Has supported 400+ B2B tech firms |
Recognition | Finalist for Agency of the Year at Ragan's 2026 Zenith Awards. Won the 2025 PRNEWS Platinum Campaign of the Year in Technology for launching Tuskira out of stealth |
Notable clients | Agiloft, Balbix, Cloudian, ForgeRock, and NGD Systems, per one directory listing. Tuskira was a 2025 launch client |
Pricing | A directory lists a minimum budget of $50,000 and up, but doesn't say whether that's per project or per year. Treat it as unconfirmed and ask for a quote |
Website | 10fold.com |
Bospar. A scrappy tech boutique. Expect founder-friendly service and quick turnarounds.
Category | Details |
What it is | A boutique tech PR firm, also described as the "politely pushy" tech and health PR and marketing agency |
Founded | January 1, 2015, by two tech PR veterans |
Headquarters | San Francisco, CA |
Model | All-virtual, with a boutique's focus and a large agency's footprint. It had expanded to 15 locations across the US by 2020. |
Team size | 80+ employees (per a third-party directory) |
Leadership | Each client team is led by at least one of three principals: a longtime PR industry guru, a former broadcast TV producer, and a manager with agency and corporate experience. |
Practices | Consumer, developer, enterprise, fintech, health tech, investor relations, and security |
Services | Full-service PR, corporate communications, and social and marketing services for B2B and B2C tech companies |
Specialties | Top-tier media coverage for big data, analytics, fintech, medtech, IoT, mobile, retail, consumer, and branding |
Notable awards | PRWeek Outstanding Boutique Agency of the Year in 2018 and again in 2019. Also two Bulldog Stars of PR golds in 2017. |
Other activities | Social media sales boot camps for sales teams, video production, and pro bono work for CloudNOW, a consortium of women in cloud computing |
Website | bospar.com |
Launchsquad. Bay Area firm that's guided plenty of startups from launch into growth.
Category | Details |
What it is | An independent storytelling, PR, and content marketing agency |
Founded | 1999 by Jesse Odell in San Francisco (one directory lists 2000) |
Headquarters | 340 Pine St #100, San Francisco, CA |
Other offices | NYC, LA, Boston, Chicago, Austin, Denver; virtual-first (older sources list fewer offices) |
Size | 100+ colleagues |
Clients | 900+ over its lifetime |
Services | Positioning, messaging, story development, media and influencer relations, awards programs, and reporting dashboards |
Specialties | AI, climate, healthcare, fintech, consumer tech |
Client types | Startups through large companies |
Reputation | Known for building brands from scratch; award-winning |
Work style | Flexible, hybrid environment |
Website | launchsquad.com |
The Bulleit Group. Lives in AI, robotics, and frontier tech, and made PRovoke Media's 2026 list of top US agencies. Great when your product is hard to explain.
Category | Details |
What it is | A narrative systems and strategic communications consultancy for AI, robotics, and technology startups |
Founded | 2012 |
Headquarters | San Francisco, CA (18 Bartol St) |
Leadership | Kyle Arteaga, CEO and co-founder |
Size (estimates) | About 31 employees and roughly $5.7M revenue, per Datanyze |
Sectors | AI, robotics, aerospace, defense, climate tech, logistics, fintech, and venture capital |
Services | Positioning frameworks, media strategy, thought leadership, content, social media, crisis communications, and AI-optimized visibility reporting |
Clients | Venture-backed startups, growth-stage companies, serial founders, and VC firms |
Past clients | Google, LinkedIn, Flexport, CTRL-labs, Veo Robotics, Elemental Cognition; Civitai |
Proprietary frameworks | AI Risk/Reward Ladder and Visibility Flywheel |
Notable outcomes | Fauna Robotics launched a humanoid platform and was acquired by Amazon within two months |
Recognition | PRovoke Media's 100 Best Agencies in the US (April 2026); PRovoke's Top 40 Technology PR Agencies in the World; PRNEWS Agency Elite Top 120 (2026); 2025 Innovation SABRE Award for its Civitai campaign; 2019 Technology PR Agency of the Year |
Website | bulleitgroup.com |
Mission North. Silicon Valley roots, with a knack for positioning. Handy if your story needs sharpening before you pitch anyone.
Category | Details |
What it is | An independent strategic communications agency for technology and innovation companies |
Founded | 2003 as Bateman Group, by Fred Bateman in San Francisco |
Rebrand | Became Mission North in February 2020 |
Headquarters | San Francisco, CA |
Offices | San Francisco, New York, and Portland, Oregon |
Size | About 87 employees |
Ownership | Private, independent, and employee-owned |
Leadership | Co-CEOs Bill Bourdon and Tyler Perry (as of the 2020 rebrand) |
Sectors | Technology, AI, biotech, financial services, sustainability, climate, energy, and life sciences |
Core offer | Building narratives around innovations and movements to shape market value and corporate reputation |
Clients | Fortune 500 companies, startups, and non-profits |
Corporate status | Described as a benefit corporation, with a focus on social impact |
Research | Publishes the Brand Expectations Index, an annual study on stakeholder trust and brand expectations |
Recognition | Fast Company Most Innovative Companies, #3 in the inaugural PR and Brand Strategies category |
Positioning | Says its stories have influenced hundreds of billions of dollars in market value (self-reported) |
Competitors | Ketchum, Racepoint Group, FINN Partners, Gallagher PR, and others |
If you sell to businesses
Inkhouse. Independent, respected, strong in tech and healthcare. A good next step once you've outgrown a boutique.
Category | Details |
Type | PR and strategic communications agency |
Founded | 2007 by Beth Monaghan |
Ownership | An Orchestra company (see above) |
Leadership | CEO Jason Morris since November 2024. Monaghan announced in December 2025 that she would end day-to-day work at year-end but stay on Orchestra's board. |
Headquarters | Sources disagree. Some say Waltham, Massachusetts, one says San Francisco. Historically it also had offices in Boston, New York and Seattle. |
Size | 140+ people reported in November 2024; the website says 100+ |
Focus areas | Technology, AI, cybersecurity, enterprise software, healthcare, venture capital, climate tech, education and consumer tech |
Services | PR, content marketing, digital marketing, social media, executive thought leadership, SEO and content strategy |
Recognition | PRNEWS Agency Elite Top 100 (2024); PRovoke Media's 2025 list of 40 technology PR agencies |
Culture | Known for an employee-first culture. Past policies include an email ban from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. and work-from-home Fridays. These may have changed. |
Notable work | Nearly 70 media pieces in the first 24 hours of ServiceTitan's IPO |
Highwire PR. Long-time enterprise and B2B player, from cybersecurity to cloud.
Category | Details |
Founded | 2008, by Emily Borders and Kathleen Gratehouse, both former journalists |
HQ | 727 Sansome St, San Francisco, CA |
Other offices | Boston, Chicago and New York |
Ownership | Independent, with a strategic investment from Shamrock Capital (made in September 2022) |
CEO | Michael O'Brien (since May 2025) |
Focus | B2B technology, cybersecurity, AI, healthcare, financial services, energy, and frontier tech such as robotics, quantum and climate tech |
Revenue | About $41.3M in 2024 net fees, ranked #18 among US independent PR firms (per O'Dwyer's) |
Headcount | Sources disagree: 142 employees on Built In, versus 90 in an older O'Dwyer's listing |
Acquisitions | Inner Circle Labs (January 2018) and the digital consultancy Wonderscript (April 2020); The Bliss Group (January 2026) |
Specialty units | Inner Circle Labs, a boutique focused on AI and robotics; Highwire Health |
Client range | Fortune-50 corporations, mid-size tech leaders and startups |
Team background | Many are former journalists, and the firm has a digital studio and a health communications team |
Gregory FCA. Deep bench in tech, healthcare, and life sciences. Worth a call for health-tech and bio.
Category | Details |
Name | The firm dropped "FCA" in a rebrand marking its 35th anniversary in November 2025, so it now goes by Gregory |
Founded | 1990 by Greg Matusky, who is still CEO and founder |
HQ | Ardmore, PA (Philadelphia's Main Line), with an office in New York City |
Size and ranking | 38th-largest independent PR firm in the US; LinkedIn lists 51-200 employees |
Ownership | Independent, with minority investor Copley Equity Partners |
Core strengths | PR plus investor relations. Financial services is a major pillar: sixth-largest financial PR firm after the BackBay deal. It is also the fifth-largest PR firm specializing in real estate |
Tech and healthcare | The 2021 acquisition of Affect, a B2B firm serving technology, healthcare, and professional services clients, expanded these practices |
Acquisitions | Affect (2021, NYC) and BackBay Communications (2024, Boston/London, financial services) |
AI focus | Calls itself the most AI-enabled communications agency in the industry. Its proprietary tools include WriteRelease, a generative AI press release tool |
Awards | 2025 PR Daily Content Marketing Agency of the Year and a PRSA Silver Anvil for Best AI Integration |
Other services | Media training, in-house editorial and creative teams, social media, and Here+Now video |
PAN Communications. PR tied closely to marketing for B2B tech.
Category | Details |
Founded | 1995 |
HQ | 125 High Street, Boston, MA |
Other offices | Older profiles list San Francisco, New York, Orlando and London; check their site for the current list |
Ownership | Independent |
Size | Directory profiles vary: 250-499 employees on DesignRush, 337 on Bouncewatch (vs. 150+ in an older profile) |
Positioning | Calls itself a "brand-to-demand agency forged from PR", combining PR, brand strategy, creative, digital and demand generation |
Core sectors | B2B tech and healthcare brands |
Specialty unit | PANBlast, a division for emerging, high-growth B2B SaaS brands. It came from the 2024 acquisition of BLASTmedia |
Acquisitions | BLASTmedia (June 2024), with deep experience in HR tech, martech, AI and retail |
Awards | Tech Agency of the Year from PRovoke Media (2021 and 2023), Forbes' America's Best PR Agencies (2021), and PR News Medium PR Firm of the Year (2019) |
Notable clients | Past clients include Toast, Samsung, Citrix, athenahealth, AppDirect, NGINX and Sift Science |
Reviewer-cited industries | Aerospace and defense, healthcare tech, cybersecurity, HR and recruiting, and enterprise digital infrastructure |
Other resources | An "AI Credibility Hub" covering how AI affects PR, SEO and ABM |
Walker Sands. PR plus digital marketing for SaaS, so one team covers more ground.
Category | Details |
Founded | 2001 |
HQ | 55 W. Monroe St., Chicago, IL |
Other offices | Seattle and Boston, per LinkedIn. Older profiles also list San Francisco and Atlanta |
Size | Estimates vary: 51-200 on LinkedIn, 100-249 on DesignRush, and about 228 on StartupHub |
Positioning | Full-service B2B marketing and PR agency for technology companies |
Approach | "Outcome-Based Marketing" (OBM): it starts from a target business outcome, such as category leadership, awareness, lead generation or loyalty, then builds the strategy |
Services | PR, demand generation, branding, creative, marketing strategy, web, SEO, SEM/PPC and content marketing |
Industries | Technology, healthcare, manufacturing, professional services, and supply chain and logistics |
Revenue | Over $20M in net fees in 2020, per O'Dwyer's; this figure is dated |
Acquisitions | March Communications (August 2021), a Boston tech PR firm founded in 2005 |
Recognition | 10-time Inc. 5000 honoree; PRovoke's top midsize agency to work for and a Crain's Chicago Business Best Places to Work pick (from an older announcement) |
Clients | Over 100 clients, including Ensono, Hub Group and Globant |
Leadership | Mike Santoro, CEO, as of the 2021 acquisition; I didn't confirm whether that's still current |
Matter Communications. Mid-sized and creative, with a hands-on style.
Category | Details |
Founded | 2003 by Scott Signore, who is CEO. It started in Newburyport, MA |
HQ | Boston, MA (197 Portland St., per LinkedIn) |
Offices | Eight across North America, per LinkedIn |
Size | Estimates vary: 115 (directory), 163 US employees (Top Workplaces), and 201-500 (LinkedIn) |
Revenue | About $25M a year, per a directory estimate (unverified) |
Positioning | A "Brand Elevation Agency" that integrates PR, marketing and creative services |
Services | PR, social media, digital marketing, creative, strategy, crisis communications, media training, influencer marketing, in-house video and podcast production, motion graphics and web development |
Industries | High-tech, healthcare, consumer technology, professional services and consumer markets; particularly strong in tech PR, both consumer and B2B |
Precision group | A PR and content division that pairs the agency's resources with tightly defined, smaller scopes of work. It handles thought leadership, rapid-response pitching and crisis counsel for tech, banking, consumer, sustainability and nonprofit clients |
AI practice | A formal AI communications and generative engine optimization offering; it hosted a 2025 AI Summit |
Notable clients | CVS Health, Blue Yonder, Hitachi, Vicarious Surgical, SailPoint and Cisco |
Pricing | Per Clutch reviewers, about $120K a year for a PR retainer, so this is a rough guide only |
Recognition | 14 "Agency of the Year" wins, Forbes' America's Best PR Agencies, PRSA PR Agency of the Year, and a 14-time "Best Place to Work"; Clutch rating 4.8 stars from 9 reviews |
Lewis. Global reach with a US presence, useful if you're eyeing other markets early.
Category | Details |
Founded | 1995 by Chris Lewis, who is CEO and founder |
HQ | London (Millbank, per a business directory) |
Regional HQs | London, San Francisco and Singapore (per older profiles) |
Global footprint | 26 offices across Asia, EMEA and North America, per a recent job-board profile. Earlier profiles cited 25-28 wholly-owned offices |
US presence | San Francisco is a regional HQ. A 2015 acquisition of Piston, a San Diego digital agency, added US digital capability |
Ownership | Independent |
Size | A directory lists 201-1000 employees; older sources cite 300+ consultants |
Revenue | $62M in global revenue and $8M in profit for fiscal 2017. In 2015 it cited $72M+ in revenue, so these figures are dated and don't line up |
Services | PR, analyst and media relations, digital and social media, SEO, creative and brand strategy, web development, internal communications, and international campaign management |
Sector focus | Technology is its preferred sector, along with consumer, corporate communications, financial services, biotech and automotive |
Executive services | LEWIS EXPRO, a consulting offer for CEOs and senior executives on personal branding |
Funding history | A $27M five-year funding package from HSBC in 2015 to expand through acquisitions, with a focus on India, China, South America and the US |
Recognition | PR World Awards' Best Global Headquartered PR Agency (2016), SC Magazine PR agency of the year, and multiple tech and retail awards |
Method Communications. Utah-based, a solid pick if you want senior talent outside the coasts.
Category | Details |
Founded | 2010 by David Parkinson, a former VP of communications at the Sorenson Companies. It launched with eight full-time staffers, and Sorenson was an early client |
HQ | Salt Lake City, Utah |
Size | 50-249 employees, per Clutch |
Ownership | Not stated in what I found |
Positioning | Describes itself as an award-winning technology marketing and PR agency for "challenger brands" and innovative companies, and as a global PR and marketing partner |
Focus | B2B tech PR; its open roles are all on its B2B tech PR team |
Services | Mostly PR, with event management (a 90/10 split, per Clutch) |
Service model | A "Concierge Service Delivery Approach", with account teams acting as daily client contacts and responding quickly |
Team structure | Roles from PR associate through junior and account executive, senior account executive and account director, with directors sitting on the leadership team |
Work culture | Remote-friendly: hybrid roles are listed, and the agency cites the Quartz Best Companies for Remote Workers list. It also cites PRWeek Best Places to Work and PRovoke Small Agency to Work For |
Recognition | Described as "award-winning", though the specific awards weren't listed in my sources beyond the workplace honors above |
Hotwire. International tech firm with US offices, built for multi-market launches.
Category | Details |
Founded | More than two decades ago, so roughly the early 2000s |
Positioning | Global technology communications and marketing consultancy, pitched as a "global alternative" to the big multinationals |
Scale | A recent profile cites 400+ experts in 15 offices across 11 countries; older sources say nine offices |
Europe | Offices in the UK, Germany, France, Spain and Italy, so it can run pan-European programs from staffed local offices |
US presence | Offices include New York and San Francisco. It bought Eastwick Communications, a US tech agency, to strengthen its North American presence |
Ownership | It was owned by Australia's Enero Group when it bought Eastwick; I didn't verify whether that is still current |
Leadership | Brendon Craigie was global CEO at the time of the Eastwick deal; I didn't confirm whether that's still current |
Core sectors | B2B enterprise tech, cybersecurity, fintech, consumer tech, industrial tech, and ecommerce/retail tech. Other profiles also cite health tech and emerging tech |
Services | Communications, PR, digital marketing, social and influencer programs, content, public affairs, and research and insights |
Data offerings | An insight suite launched in February 2023: Account IQ, Audience IQ, CommsIQ and PerformanceIQ |
Notable clients | Meta, Adobe, SAP, Uber, Sony, Qualcomm, Palo Alto Networks, Atlassian, Honeywell and Swisscom; 2023 wins include Vivint Smart Home, Tekion and Bolt |
Recognition | PRovoke Media's Global Technology Agency of the Year and a Ragan Top Place to Work in Communications |
If you're growing fast (Series B and beyond)
These big networks cost more. Whoever pitches you, ask who will actually work on your account.
Finn Partners. Strong global tech credentials across corporate and product stories.
Category | Details |
Founded | 2011 by Peter Finn, who left a long-running agency that carried his family name |
HQ | 1675 Broadway, New York, NY |
Ownership | Independent |
Size | 1,400+ professionals across roughly 33-35 offices on three continents (counts vary by source) |
Revenue | Grew from about $24M in fees to almost $200M in 13 years, per the PRCA. A directory lists $195M |
Rankings and awards | PRovoke Media 2022 Agency of the Year; also named Best New Agency and Best Mid-Sized Agency three times |
Sectors | Health (the largest practice, especially pharma and medical institutions), technology, consumer, travel, education, arts, CSR, and public and corporate affairs |
Services | PR, digital and social media, integrated marketing, crisis and issues management, corporate affairs, government relations, creative and design, research, and event management |
Network | Member of the global PROI network, giving access to partner agencies worldwide |
Growth model | Organic growth plus acquisitions, including Outré Creative and Hyderus in EMEA |
EMEA arm | 244 professionals; EMEA fees grew 18% to £18.8M, with 65 new clients in 2023. Clients include 2K Games, Accor and Sanofi Pasteur |
Offices (older list) | Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Fort Lauderdale, Jerusalem, London, Los Angeles, Munich, Nashville, Paris, Portland, San Francisco, Seattle, Shanghai, Singapore, Washington D.C. |
Edelman. The world's largest independent PR firm. Think reputation and big campaigns.
Category | Details |
Founded | 1952 in Chicago by Daniel Edelman, a former journalist, who started with three employees |
HQ | Co-headquartered in Chicago and New York |
Ownership | Private and family-owned; the only top-tier global PR firm that isn't part of a holding company |
Leadership | Richard Edelman, CEO since 1996 (his 30th year). Kirsty Graham is US CEO |
Size | About 6,000 employees across 66 offices in 28 countries |
Revenue | About $950M globally in 2025 (O'Dwyer's-ranked), down roughly 4% after layoffs of 330 people in 2024. For comparison, 2022 revenue was $1,079M |
Signature property | The annual Edelman Trust Barometer, now in its 26th year, which measures trust in institutions worldwide |
Sectors | Consumer goods, technology, healthcare and finance, among others; also crisis and reputation work |
Recognition | PRovoke's Global Agency of the Year (2022), PRovoke's Agency of the Decade across multiple cycles, and Cannes Lions Grand Prix awards for PR (2016) |
Regional leaders | Examples include Nils Giese (Germany), Omar Qirem (Middle East) and Karena Crerar (Johannesburg) |
Employee sentiment | Indeed shows a 3.7 out of 5 rating and a 43% CEO approval rating |
Weber Shandwick. A global heavyweight with broad sector coverage and public affairs muscle.
Category | Details |
Formed | January 2001, from the merger of Shandwick International and Weber Public Relations Worldwide (the Weber Group dates to 1974) |
HQ | 909 Third Avenue, New York, NY |
Ownership | Part of Omnicom Public Relations Group since Omnicom's acquisition of Interpublic Group closed on November 26, 2025. It was an IPG unit before that |
Position in Omnicom | One of four cornerstone networks, alongside FleishmanHillard, Golin Ketchum and MMC. In February 2026, OPRG CEO Chris Foster said there would be no leadership or brand changes |
Leadership | Susan Howe was CEO from December 2024. A July 2026 announcement said Karen Pugliese, a 15+ year veteran, becomes CEO in September 2026 |
Size | About 5,000 employees and 60+ offices on six continents; older profiles cite 79 cities in 34 countries, with a wider network in 127+ cities |
Sectors | Consumer marketing, corporate reputation, healthcare, technology, financial services and communications, public affairs, CSR, and crisis management |
Public affairs | A dedicated global public affairs practice, led at one point by Pam Jenkins, who was president of Global Public Affairs |
Approach | Data-led, with proprietary social, digital and analytics methods |
Recognition | PRWeek Global Agency of the Year (2015-2018), Holmes Report Global Agency of the Year (several years) and 25 Lions at Cannes in 2019 |
Client policy | Publicly stated it won't work with the tobacco industry or on e-cigarette products |
FleishmanHillard. Integrated campaigns, with real depth in tech and healthcare.
Category | Details |
Founded | 1946 in St. Louis by Alfred Fleishman and Robert Hillard |
HQ | St. Louis, Missouri |
Ownership | Omnicom Group since 1997; now part of Omnicom Public Relations Group after Omnicom's acquisition of Interpublic closed in November 2025 |
Leadership | J.J. Carter, Global President and CEO; Jillian Janaczek, Americas CEO (since February 2026); Sakima Johnson, Chief Integration Officer |
Size | About 80 offices in 30+ countries, plus affiliates in 45 countries. One directory lists 5,001-10,000 employees |
Recent change | In February 2026, it absorbed Porter Novelli, which now operates as a dedicated brand within the firm |
Services | PR, reputation management, public affairs, brand marketing, digital strategy, social engagement and content strategy, research and analytics |
Methodology | The proprietary "FleishmanHillard Compass" process, with three phases: navigate, ideate and activate |
Health and life sciences | An open role for an Enterprise Lead in Health and Life Sciences suggests it's an active focus, tied into the wider Omnicom PR network |
Public affairs | A dedicated team of policy experts supported by the global network |
Competitors | Edelman, Weber Shandwick and Burson, for Fortune 500 and multinational clients |
Work model | Hybrid |
Golin. Good at helping brands jump from early adopters to the mainstream.
Category | Details |
Formed | The merger was announced February 10, 2026, and the unified brand launched June 10, 2026 |
Heritage | Golin was founded in 1956 in Chicago by Al Golin; Ketchum was founded in 1923 in Pittsburgh |
Ownership | Omnicom Public Relations Group, led by CEO Chris Foster. It is one of four cornerstone networks, with FleishmanHillard, Weber Shandwick and MMC |
Leadership | Matt Neale (formerly Global CEO of Golin) is CEO and Tamara Norman is President. Ellen Ryan Mardiks is Chairman, and Dawn Langeland is President, North America |
Size | A directory lists 5,001-10,000 employees; I couldn't confirm an office count |
Practice areas | Brand and consumer, corporate affairs, food/agriculture/nutrition, health and technology |
Golin's approach | A proprietary "Relevance Model", with specialist roles called Catalysts, Creators, Connectors and Strategists |
Services | Earned media and PR, product launches, influencer campaigns, crisis communications, social and content, executive thought leadership, and healthcare/pharma communications |
Signature client | McDonald's, a relationship dating to 1957 and among the longest in PR |
Recognition | Its site calls it the most awarded PR agency of the decade |
Competitors | Edelman, Weber Shandwick and other top-tier networks |
If you need something more specialized
Prosek Partners. Financial services expertise, handy for fintech and anyone eyeing capital markets.
Category | Details |
Founded | 1990 by Jennifer Prosek, who is still founder and CEO (one source says 1991) |
HQ | New York, NY |
Offices | Five, including London, with a wider international network |
Ownership | Independent and founder-led; certified as a woman- and minority-owned business |
Size | 101-250 employees, per an older profile |
Positioning | Founder-led integrated marketing and communications firm for financial and professional services. It uses the "Unboxed Communications" and "un-agency" labels for its flexible, client-first approach |
Services | Media relations, financial communications, investor relations, crisis and issues management, thought leadership, public affairs, digital and social, creative and design, media training, editorial, and branded entertainment |
Marketing arm | Prophecy, an integrated marketing division covering brand strategy, design, digital and advertising |
Sectors | Financial services and professional services; its roles also cite technology and B2B |
Notable clients | Goldman Sachs, Bridgewater Associates, Citibank, Capital One, Synchrony, Hiscox and EverBank (a mix of current and older client lists) |
Capital markets credentials | No. 5 by revenue among US financial services PR firms (O'Dwyer's), and No. 11 in the US and No. 20 globally in mergermarket's league tables of PR advisors; it also handles transaction communications for mergers |
Recognition | PRovoke Media's 2026 Global Agency of the Year (per a recent job posting), a Global Financial Agency of the Year honor, an Inc. 5000 listing and PR News Top Places to Work |
Sard Verbinnen & Co. Crisis and strategic communications, often called in around IPOs and M&A.
Category | Details |
Founded | 1992 in New York by George Sard and Paul Verbinnen |
HQ | 909 Third Ave, New York, NY |
Ownership | Part of FGS Global, the strategic communications group that combines SVC with Finsbury, Hering Schuppener and Glover Park Group. One profile says FGS Global is KKR-majority-owned. Sources differ on dates: CB Insights lists a merger with Finsbury Glover Hering in October 2021, while another says the combination came in 2023 |
Earlier investor | Golden Gate Capital made a minority equity investment before the merger |
Brand status | The Sard Verbinnen name and operating model have been preserved inside FGS Global |
Leadership | George Sard has led the firm since founding; Paul Verbinnen has led the transatlantic practice |
Acquisitions | Oakhill Communications, a UK public affairs and communications firm (September 2020) |
Size | Sources conflict widely, from about 91 to 200+ employees (with 20+ partners) for SVC itself; FGS Global overall is 1,000+ |
Core work | Corporate positioning, M&A and transaction communications, activist defense and proxy contests, IPOs, litigation support, crisis communications, public affairs, investor relations, and cybersecurity and data privacy |
Typical clients | Boards, CEOs and legal counsel at Fortune 500 companies and major financial institutions, plus investment firms and professional services firms |
Rankings | Chambers and Partners Band 1 PR firm, and regularly cited as a top global M&A and crisis communications advisor |
Approach | A senior-heavy, specialist model, not general marketing or consumer PR |
Zeno Group. Consumer-focused, with growing tech work. A fit for direct-to-consumer brands.
Category | Details |
Founded | Sources conflict: 1998 or 1999 as PR21, Edelman's conflict agency, renamed Zeno Group in 2004 (one source says 2012, which looks wrong) |
HQ | New York, NY (140 Broadway, per a directory) |
Offices | New York, Chicago and São Paulo per a recent directory, with older profiles also listing Washington DC and Los Angeles. Reach spans North America, Europe and Asia |
Ownership | Part of DJE Holdings, the parent of Edelman, so the two are sister agencies. It describes itself as "fiercely independent" |
Leadership | Barby K. Siegel appears as CEO in older profiles; I didn't confirm whether she is still in the role |
Size and revenue | A directory lists 393 employees and $152M in revenue. Treat both as unverified estimates |
Practice areas | Consumer, corporate (about a third of revenue), healthcare, technology, purpose and impact, sports and entertainment, and data and analytics |
Positioning | A global, integrated communications agency "born from PR", with the "Fearless Pursuit of the Unexpected" tagline |
Differentiators | Proprietary research such as its "Strength of Purpose" study, a Zeno Media Network of former journalists and producers, and an AI Culture Change Center |
Notable clients | Starbucks, Pizza Hut, Clorox, Lenovo, Skyscanner, Prudential and AstraZeneca (older lists, so may be dated) |
Recognition | 2022 PRWeek Global Agency of the Year, 2025 PRovoke Purpose-Driven Agency of the Year, 2024 PRWeek US Outstanding Large Agency of the Year, and a four-time PRWeek Best Places to Work |
Allison+Partners. Global firm with strong healthcare and tech practices.
Category | Details |
Founded | September 2001 by Scott Allison and Andy Hardie-Brown |
Current name | Allison Worldwide (formerly Allison+Partners), reflecting a shift from PR-first to global integrated marketing and communications |
HQ | Sources differ: San Francisco in older profiles, Dallas (1919 McKinney Ave) in a recent directory listing |
Ownership | Stagwell, which also owns PR firms Hunter, KWT Global, SKDK and Sloane & Company. It was previously part of MDC Partners, Stagwell's predecessor |
Reach | 34 markets worldwide in a 2022 press release; older profiles cite 27-30 offices across North America, Europe and Asia Pacific |
Size | Estimates vary: 300+, 500+, and 500-999 employees depending on the source and date |
Practice areas | Consumer Brands, Corporate, Reputation Risk + Public Affairs, Health and Technology (a 2022 list); older profiles also cite social impact |
Specialty units | Allison+Sports, a sports marketing offering launched in 2022 |
Services | Media relations, social and influencer work, cause marketing, sustainability communications, executive branding, and customer and employee communications |
Recent news | OPPO named it PR and influencer agency in Singapore (January 2026), working alongside other Stagwell agencies |
Recent clients | GE Appliances, Blue Bunny, Bomb Pop and Stix Golf (2022 wins in the Chicago office) |
Recognition | Holmes Report Digital Agency of the Year (2017), PRWeek Midsize Agency of the Year (2015), and 130+ industry awards |
Pricing signal | A directory lists an average rate of $149/hr, which is an unverified estimate |
Beyond Fifteen Communications. Consumer and lifestyle, great when culture and creators drive your growth.
Category | Details |
Founded | 2009 by Lauren Ellermeyer and Leslie Licano |
HQ | Irvine, CA (Orange County). It was earlier described as Newport Beach-based |
Size | Under 49 employees, per a directory. A July 2026 note says it operates as a fully distributed US team |
Ownership | Independent, founder-led |
Positioning | A senior-led, full-service PR, digital marketing, social media and influencer marketing agency. It pitches "big-agency results" with boutique service and no mega-agency bureaucracy |
Services | PR, SEO and Google Ads, social media, influencer marketing, video production, thought leadership, executive social programs and event marketing |
Recent news | H1 2026 added clients CPS Products and TalentForce, plus Mackenzie Martin as senior client advisor. It reports a campaign that went from a blank page to 182M impressions in 90 days |
Sample work | A 51-day rebrand for Kyuden Energy Partners (August 2026), a long-running program for IHI Power Services, and PR, video and thought leadership for AMPP (40,000+ members). The portfolio also includes a tire brand's social presence on Instagram, YouTube and TikTok, and a health clinic's search and social work |
Client mix | Healthcare, energy, aviation, technology, security, education and real estate, per past announcements |
Recognition | 2025 Merit Awards gold for event marketing; listed among Orange County Business Journal's fastest-growing PR firms for seven consecutive years (by 2020) |
Client feedback | Clutch reviews praise responsiveness and industry knowledge. Some suggest expanding international media outreach |
Cost signal | A directory lists a low minimum budget, so expect an agency aimed at smaller budgets |
So what will it cost?
Industry guidance puts a Series A tech startup at roughly $8,000 to $20,000 a month for a good agency. Blended programs that mix PR, content, and demand generation at larger firms can run higher. Seed-stage teams can often start with a smaller, project-based scope instead of a full retainer. Treat those numbers as ballpark and ask for real quotes.
How to pick one
Match the firm to your stage. Boutiques give you senior attention. Big networks give you reach.
Look for people who know your world. A team that already knows your reporters and buyers beats a generalist.
Ask about AI visibility. A good agency can explain how earned media shows up in AI-generated answers.
Meet the actual team. The logo isn't doing your pitching. Talk to current startup clients too.
Agree on success early. Name the goal, whether that's top-tier placements, analyst briefings, or investor buzz, instead of counting clips.
The bottom line
The best agency is the one that fits your next 12 to 18 months. Shortlist three to five, ask for startup case studies, and try a limited-scope project before locking into a long retainer.
This list is editorial, not an official ranking. Confirm services, leadership, and fees with each agency directly.
Want a version with a tighter intro for LinkedIn, or one with a Georgian translation?
