HOW TO FIND THE BEST PR AGENCY FOR UK TECH STARTUPS?

So, you have a brilliant tech startup that’s making headway in the UK. You have a good initial customer base and there’s some word getting out about you. Congratulations! However, you need to keep driving growth in customers, in partners and in profile, to show to potential investors that your business is ready for that all-important funding. It’s the perfect time to invest in PR, but how do you go about finding the right partner? Who is the best PR agency for UK tech startups? 

For ambitious, young companies, PR matters more than ever, and thanks to our track record, we are often referred to new clients as the best PR agency for UK tech startups. Thank you lovely clients and everyone who recommends us!  However, we also know that there are lots of amazing agencies out there so here’s our advice to find the right partner for you.

What Makes a PR Agency ‘the Best’ for Tech Startups? 

First-up, don’t be surprised if an agency says no, it could be a good thing! With some of the early-stage companies who approach us, our best advice is to forget doing PR… for now. This isn’t because we don’t believe in their business or their opportunity, it’s because often it’s far too early for them to start PR. The product may not be ready, the team is not clear on the market proposition and there aren’t the processes in place to capture the interest that good PR will generate. PR is an investment and to work at its very best, sometimes there is a little bit of groundwork for clients. So, perhaps the best PR agencies sometimes push back on potential clients who are not quite ready, so that they get PR right first time. 

There are almost 7,000 Public Relations & Communications agencies in the UK, but finding “the Best” is not necessarily always the first, the cheapest, the largest or even the one with the best ideas.  The answer to finding the best agency is actually “the Fit”. 

The Fit is what makes an agency/client relationship work. Having experience in similar markets is important but if the experience is too niche, it means that you could be getting a service that your potential competitors have already received. Rule number one is to think more broadly about market knowledge and complementary experience that the PR agency can apply to your brief. 

Next, understand if they understand the world of startups. This stage of a company’s life is quite unique. Often the product is new and innovative, sometimes difficult to explain easily, or perhaps the business is in rapid evolution, likely to pivot, and so the agency must be used to being agile but also consultative. Being able to advise on the best way to communicate a potential change in direction is critical. 

The best PR agency for tech startups will also be plugged into the UK startup ecosystem, This means that they can drive media coverage in tech media like Wired, Sifted or TechCrunch, but also consider the impact and opportunity from that coverage. Perhaps, bringing new introductions for an enigmatic founder, or the ability to drive strategic connections with investors even? Ask yourself, can they really advise me of the implications to public perception of my business strategy?  

Finally, fit is about attitude, and that has to be a can-do attitude. Being as passionate, enthusiastic and energetic as the founder is sometimes the unique fairy dust that turns good PR into brilliant PR and the start of a much-cherished relationship. 

What are the top PR agencies for UK Tech Startups in 2025? 

They call it cobblers’ shoes but sometimes PR agencies are the last people to publicise themselves. Finding a good agency often means searching through lists and reviews from media, communities or getting referrals from individuals online. 

Here are three really good places to start you UK Tech Startup PR agency search, featuring Cherish PR of course! 

Entrepreneur Handbook: An independent digital publication for entrepreneurs, small business owners and decision makers. 

Sortlist: A great supplier platform focused on the advertising and marketing industries. 

PR Week: The industry magazine featuring the very latest news and work from the UK PR industry. 

How to Choose the Right PR Partner for Your Startup? 

So, you have made your shortlist from reviewing lists, reviews and recommendations and are moving into the qualification stage.  

As this stage, we recommend taking some time to  focus on what you really want PR to achieve and then using this insight to shape the first introduction to potential agency candidates and to get their feedback on your brief. Putting in the time at the start will help both you and the agency save time in the long run. Unlike an off the shelf product, PR teams create bespoke programmes and campaigns designed to meet your objectives so having a clear idea of what you need helps the agency build their credentials, give you accurate budgets and indicate the scope of work.  

At this stage consider the scope of what you need – media relations, influencer relations, social media, events, speaking and conferences, product placement and reviews. Also consider the budgets available and whether your business needs consistent support – retainer, or project support for a one-off event such as a funding round or a product launch. 

This “credentials” phase may refine your shortlist further and then it’s time for the all-important chemistry meetings and discovery calls to start to assess the fit we mentioned above. On these calls, agencies can share more detailed overview of previous client work, can introduce the proposed team and answer any specific questions you have about the PR objectives. Throughout these calls, you can assess whether this a team that understands the challenge, knows the sector and most importantly, whether you can work with them to deliver the results needed to grow your business. 

At this stage, you should be left with no more than three agencies that you then take through to pitch. Pitches and proposals are a big investment for agencies. They dedicate significant team time to researching the market, building the strategy and then developing approaches and ideas. Reading and considering the detail of a proposal is also a pretty big investment of your time and you should be clear that these last three agencies are all people who you could work with. The ideas that are presented at this stage are the property of the agency and if you like the ideas but don’t want to work with the agency, then it is fair to reimburse the agency for their ideas. 

Am I ready for PR? 

From working with UK tech startups for over 20 years, we know that no client’s business is ever perfect and no product is complete. Being ready for PR is being confident that the market will understand what you are offering and how it is different, better and ofcourse, being ready to deliver.  

Results do not happen overnight and so it is also important to be able to commit to the financial investment required to make PR a success and give the agency the time to realise the opportunities that they can create.  

PR for Tech Startups inevitably begins at seed stage with low level freelancer or small agency support before moving into in-house and then larger agency partnerships. This progress is often driven by funding availability, so you can choose the level of support that’s right for your stage.  When it comes to Series A, B or C round, the scale increases significantly and you need an agency partner you can trust and has the capabilities to help you scale, quickly. 

Give us a call if you’d like to know more about how we have helped startups on their journey to becoming some of the world’s biggest companies.