About CodePR

Transcript

1. An Overview June 2025
2. A bit about us… We’re a senior team who operates like a fast-moving Silicon Valley startup. We feel that to be successful we have to think like founders, and all of us are very active in the daily activities of our clients’ businesses. Mary Magnani Co-Founder San Francisco Stacy Williams Director of Content San Francisco Tim Turpin Partner San Francisco/LA Michael Celiceo Co-Founder San Francisco/NYC
4. Our experience over the last 15+ years Current and previous clients
5. The key to reaching audiences CO-INVESTORS AND LPs FOUNDERS & TECH EXECUTIVES TECH INFLUENCERS (Media, Analysts, etc)
6. Research
7. What entrepreneurs look for in new investors In a survey of entrepreneurs looking for VC investment, respondents said value added services (e.g., technical expertise, business advice, etc.) and reputations were the most important attributes. 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% Value Added Service Reputation of Investors Market Access Reputation of Company Collaboration Reliable Investment Activity / Support Personal Relationships History of Follow-ons Marquee Start-up Investments Sponsored / Hosted Events Industry Rankings Size of Portfolio *Respondents were able to choose up to five options.
8. 0% 25% 50% 75% Start-up & Tech Media Events VC Website Traditional Media Presence on Linkedin Partners' Blogs Industry Blogs & New Sites Sponsored / Hosted Events VC Blog Industry Rankings Twitter How entrepreneurs learn about investors Entrepreneurs looking for VC investment read the startup / tech press, consider speaking at industry events and an up-to-date website as the best ways to learn about new investors. *Respondents were able to choose up to five options.
9. Factors entrepreneurs use to select a new investor Entrepreneurs looking for VC investment consider peer recommendations and strategic alignment as the top two most important factors when choosing a VC. *Respondents were able to choose up to five options. 0% 25% 50% 75% 100% Peer Recommendations Traditional Press Stories Social Media Presence / Followers Reputation of Investors Strategic Alignment Relationships w/ Internal BUs Relationships w/ External Partners, Markets & Biz Opps Value Added Services Sector Knowledge & Expertise
10. Programs that raise your profile
11. Lifecycle of a Venture Capital Firm Each phase can benefit from a tailored marketing and PR strategy I. VC Firm Formation Initial Launch (Fund One) Initial Investments Subsequent Funds and Strategies V. Strategic Renewal Investment Thesis Tweaks New Funds to Deploy Evolved Strategies Rinse and Repeat II. Deployment Market Deep Dives Deal Sourcing Due Diligence New Investments Partner Thought Leadership IV. Expansion and Distribution Team Additions Portfolio Support New Investments Partner Thought Leadership Exits (M&A, IPO) III. Curation and Maintenance New Investments Portfolio Support Ecosystem Support Partner Thought Leadership VC Firm + Fund Lifecycle
12. PR programs and activities for each phase To engage audiences you need to use multiple programs and activities. We suggest that our clients use the following programs to keep the firm top-of-mind with their audiences. News Releases Press Interviews Content Creation & Placement Conference Speaking & Events Social Media Story / Narrative Creation Profile Stories Metrics Portfolio Company Support
13. Developing a narrative Building off your existing brand and story efforts to date, we recommend fine-tuning your narrative to broader audiences including VC, LPs, entrepreneurs and business leaders in the tech sector. This includes: • Evolving your core set of messages and press materials to reach broader audiences, that will be applied consistently across all outbound channels (press, social media, website, blog, etc.). ◦ Backing up all messaging with data/proof points and external validation whenever possible, including the portfolio. • Crafting partner plans identifying core issues to own and who is a best fit to discuss certain topics with press and at events.
14. Media Relations Turn press and your portfolio company executives into proxies to raise the profile of the Firm through “on the record” briefings with business / VC, tech, crypto and gaming press. From print and digital, to broadcast and influencers, we connect our clients’ stories to the right people at the right time. Not only do our efforts increase awareness, but also follow-on placements increase, expand, or sustain earned value. Katie Roof Bloomberg Alex Wilhelm Cautious Optimism Connie Loizos StrictlyVC Allie Garfinkle Fortune Ben Bergman Business Insider Iain Martin Forbes Ben Weiss Fortune (Crypto) Dan Primack Axios (Pro Rata) Kate Clark Bloomberg Marc Vartabedian WSJ Pro VC Dean Takahashi VentureBeat Marlize Van Romburgh Crunchbase Rebecca Szkutak TechCrunch Krystal Hu Reuters Erin Griffith New York Times
15. New fund announcements Announcing a new fund is a great way to drive a news cycle. These announcements are also good way to reinforce the firm’s thesis, highlight portfolio company investments and showcase your team with investor, entrepreneurial and partner audiences. CASE STUDIES: Piva ForgePoint Capital Sony Innovation Fund
16. Content is king Thought leadership content written, placed and syndicated is key to our approach to raise awareness and position the firm and its investors as a go-to authority. CONTENT PARTNER PLANS DATA & RESEARCH
17. Partner programs Building thought leadership platforms around your partners and key stakeholders will raise overall brand awareness and cement the firm’s leadership position in the market. We find it successful to create tailored plans that will elevate the investment team’s profile in the press based on expertise, passions, and focus areas that map back to the firm’s core mission. We would work closely with the team to identify core spokespeople across regions, verticals or funds to identify the right themes.
18. Engaging the portfolio to tell your story PR support for portfolio companies is critical to elevating your firm’s reputation with investors, LPs and entrepreneurs and demonstrate thought leadership. Key programs for portfolio companies: • Launches • Fundraise announcements (Seed and beyond) • Media strategies and profiles • Events • Crisis communications
19. Conference Speaking 2025 Events: • Bloomberg Technology Summit • Cerebral Valley AI Summit • EmTech MIT 2025 • Fast Company Innovation Summit • Fortune Brainstorm Tech • RSA • SaaStr Annual • South Summit • SXSW • TechCrunch Events • The Information AI Agenda Live • Web Summit Vancouver • Viva Technology • WSJ Tech Live Pitch conference organizers to include your partners in their speaking agendas and schedules
20. Bespoke events & dinners Consider Hosting a Media Dinner • Host a themed media dinner highlighting new investment areas, technology trends, etc. • Develop discussion framework based on approved themes/topics. • Host a moderated dinner in NY, SF, LA, etc. • Select venue that is a draw and additive to the the overall success of the event (e.g. a nice private room inside a Michelin 2- or 3-star restaurant). • Include partners (2-3), portfolio company founders (2-3) and key press (7-10) to engage in the discussion with the goal of relationship building, planting seeds for future news and brand awareness.
21. Social media: what’s best? Twitter The pulse of the firm LinkedIn Thought leadership Blog / Medium Investor voices Twitter’s fast, real-time nature creates a space for brands to participate in short-form trending conversations, provide “live” updates, and comment on timely industry news LinkedIn is the best platform for Venture Capitalists to reach stakeholder audiences using owned content and paid media campaigns. Think of the blog as a place to tell stories. The focus should be on personal anecdotes and thought-provoking opinions from the investment team, rather than brand-centric or self-serving content
22. Thank You MICHAEL CELICEO michaelc@codepr.com MARY MAGNANI marym@codepr.com TIM TURPIN timt@codepr.com
23. Case Studies
24. A New Narrative CASE STUDY: Verizon Ventures CHALLENGE: Build a brand platform and communications architecture to help Verizon Ventures reach and engage entrepreneurs and founders, the VC community, and internal product teams/business units. ACTIVITIES: Launched Twitter, LinkedIn, and Medium presences, with content spanning topics of desired influence to attract deal flow. Provided strategic counsel and PR support to portfolio companies and pursued joint content development opportunities for the Verizon Ventures blog. OUTCOMES: 77 Blog Posts Developed and Published 13 Funding Announcements Supported 23 Conferences Investors Spoke at in First Year 15% Increase In Website Traffic YoY 80% Increase In Twitter Presence YoY 14% Increase In Linkedin Presence YoY In addition, lead investors have been quoted in media outlets related to their investment sector and thought leadership posts are quoted in articles
25. Sports Tech Demo Day CASE STUDY: Scrum Ventures CHALLENGE: Engage with key business, tech and SportsTech press in both the US and Japan, to bring awareness to the firm and event, while also generating content that creates continued interest. ACTIVITIES: Built a campaign focused on securing media attendance and stories around Demo Day. Invited reporters, who moderated panels during the event. Distributed and promoted content throughout the day via social channels. OUTCOMES: 29 Appeared Stories 554M Online Readership 766K Estimated Story Views 981 YouTube Views
26. Firm Hosted Events CASE STUDY: Verizon Ventures CHALLENGE: Expose Verizon Ventures’ portfolio companies to leading edge brands and technologists pioneering AI and ML. ACTIVITIES: Hosted a Venture Forum to discuss the future of artificial intelligence. Investors, portfolio companies and leading experts presented ideas and networked. Shared content from event on social channels and leverages for blog posts. OUTCOMES: 105 Attendees 4 Hirings made through event
27. Security Media Dinner (off-record) CASE STUDY: NEA CHALLENGE: Position four portfolio companies as experts in cybersecurity while also showcasing the firm’s track record in sector. ACTIVITIES: Hosted a lightly moderated, off-the-record discussion to build relationships with 14 top journalists covering the space. Developed the theme and discussion points of the evening. Coordinated dinner logistics. OUTCOMES: 3 NEA investor hosts (GPs/Partners) 4 Portfolio Founder Participants 14 Media in Attendance
28. Media Dinner (on the record) CASE STUDY: IVP CHALLENGE: Host a series of media dinners on the current state of the IPO market, featuring two of the firm’s partners to showcase IVP as the leader in late-stage venture investing ACTIVITIES: Planned and executed a dinner event, invited press, identified restaurant, determined menu choices and handled logistics on-. OUTCOMES: 15 Top VC Reporters in Attendance including: Axios, Bloomberg, Business Insider, CNBC, Forbes, Financial Times, VentureBeat, Reuters, TechCrunch, Fast Company, Fortune, New York Times, & The WSJ 4 Stories in Top Tier Publications: Bloomberg, Financial Times, New York Times and The Wall Street Journal
29. Newsjacking CASE STUDY: Blumberg Capital CHALLENGE: Highlight expertise in early stage-investing by showcasing the firm’s founder as the first investor in Nutanix. ACTIVITIES: Crafted messages around IPO and early stage investing to prepare firm’s founder for interviews. Ensured that talking points were in line with regulatory parameters. Pitched and secured meetings with reporters to discuss the IPO and the current landscape. OUTCOMES: 6 Appeared Stories
30. New Firm and Fund Announcement CHALLENGE: Launch a new fund focused on the next era of energy, industry and materials to global audiences, while stressing unique structure of a corporate backed fund that operates independently. ACTIVITIES: Built a campaign around launch focused on pre-briefing venture capital, energy and business reporters. Announced the news after stories published. OUTCOMES: 27 Appeared Stories 415M Online Readership 484K Estimated Story Views CASE STUDY: Piva
31. Announcing a New Sector-Specific Fund CHALLENGE: Established firm announces it has raised the largest-ever Cybersecurity Fund the week prior to RSA. Educate the market on the firm’s unique approach while highlighting thought leadership in the sector to reach key audiences. ACTIVITIES: Announced new fund. Pre-briefed venture capital, business, tech and security reporters. Released the news via press release and created accompanying blog post. OUTCOMES: 29 Appeared Stories 141M Online Readership 212K Estimated Story Views CASE STUDY: ForgePoint Capital
32. New Fund Announcement CHALLENGE: Announce joint new fund by Daiwa Securities and Sony to global audiences, while stressing unique structure of a joint corporate fund that’s raising outside capital ACTIVITIES: Build a campaign around launch focused on pre-briefing reporters in Japan, the US and Israel. Announce the news after the stories post and support the news with supporting social content. OUTCOMES: 34 Appeared Stories 307M Online Readership 406K Estimated Story Views 1.02K Social Shares CASE STUDY: Sony Innovation Fund
33. New Portfolio Company Announcement CASE STUDY: Luminous Ventures CHALLENGE: Climax Foods seed funding and company launch ACTIVITIES: Support Luminous Ventures’ PortCo in its first company announcement with the goal of raising awareness of the new company with key audiences. Worked with former Impossible Foods data scientist whose company is using AI to bring new, plant-based cheese to the market. OUTCOMES: We conducted broad outreach to secure coverage in top Tech/VC and Food publications as well as broadcast. 25 Appeared Stories 33.1M Online Readership 84.9K Estimated Story Views
34. Portfolio Company Announcement CASE STUDY: White Star Capital CHALLENGE: Highlight the firm’s first investment in Southeast Asia ACTIVITIES: Announced the Series B investment in Singapore-based Dahmakan. At the same time, released a report highlighting the firm’s insight into the SEA market to garner attention for the portfolio company while also highlighting thought leadership on the region. Built a campaign around the funding news and offered the investor as a spokesperson on the report. Supported the news with a blog and social content. OUTCOMES: 24 Appeared Stories 32.1M Online Readership 83.4K Estimated Story Views
35. Bylined Article Drives News Cycle CASE STUDY: White Star Capital CHALLENGE: Position the firm as a key player in the NYC ecosystem while raising its profile with founders and potential co-investors in the area. ACTIVITIES: Created and placed an opinion article in VentureBeat on the NYC ecosystem, accompanied by an explainer video featuring a GP distributed via social media. The article included a call-to-action for VCs to add their names to a list of late-stage investors located in NYC to drive engagement. OUTCOMES: 124 Appeared Stories 6.66M Online Readership 62.1K Estimated Story Views 778.6K Social Reach 186K Video Views
36. Data Storytelling CASE STUDY: Blumberg Capital CHALLENGE: Position the firm as a leading early stage FinTech investor at Money2020 ACTIVITIES: Commissioned a FinTech focused survey—on Americans’ attitudes toward FinTech—released on stage at Money2020. Unveiled the results through an exclusive offered to a leading publication (Forbes). Developed press materials and amplified the results via social channels. Placed byline in VentureBeat and scheduled press meetings. OUTCOMES: 24 Appeared Stories 1 Byline Placement in VentureBeat 10 Meetings with Reporters
37. Conference Speaking CASE STUDY: Web Summit CHALLENGE: Maximize conference attendance and leverage travel for corporate VC client ACTIVITIES: Set-up panels, prepped our VCs and set-up press interviews. OUTCOMES: 2 Panel discussions secured 11 Interviews with reporters 1 Major profile story was appeared in CNBC