This post is one of a series exploring how biotech startup communications need to evolve as your company grows from pre-seed through to Series A and beyond.
It builds on our earlier article, Building a biotech startup? Don’t forget to evolve your story alongside your science, which looks at why and how your communications and marketing need to mature as your science and company develop, and our advice for pre-seed and seed stage biotech startups.
This time, our founder and Chief Creative Officer Kat Arney explains how to lay the communications groundwork ahead of a Series A fundraise to building visibility, coherence and investor confidence without last-minute panic.
For biotech startups gearing up for a Series A fundraise, now’s the time to start taking your communications seriously.
Investors are scanning for signals of maturity. Potential partners are on the lookout for a good fit. Future hires are deciding whether you look like a serious bet. And the wider world is watching to see what you’re going to do next.
The founders who raise efficiently aren’t the ones who suddenly realise they “need some PR” the week before heading to JPM or BIO.
They’re the ones who’ve been strategically planning when and how to deploy their limited time and resources, building credibility and awareness that compounds over time and lays the foundations for what’s coming after the close.
Even when the clock ticking and your runway running down, thinking about comms is no longer something you can kick down the road for another day. Here’s what to focus on at this crucial stage in your biotech startup journey.
Shore up your story ahead of your Series A raise
Your team has been hard at work since your Seed round closed.
Data has come in, things have moved on, and your company and innovation have evolved. There may have even been a more significant pivot, either in your technical approach or your business strategy.
So, what you said about yourself back then may no longer fully reflect what you’re doing now.
What this looks like is a website that’s woefully out of step with where you are now, decks and BD materials that tell slightly different stories, and a leadership team that’s getting increasingly stressed about the disconnect between yesterday’s messaging and today’s reality.
This often manifests first in the pitch deck. You’ve got used to telling yourself a story about who you are and what you’re doing, and it can be hard to step back and see how it needs to change to get you to the next level.
Importantly, a strong story starts with a clear vision and strategy. If you’re struggling to clearly articulate the value of your innovation and get alignment across the team, that’s a sign to do some more work on the underlying bones of the business first.
There’s also a delicate balance to be maintained between possibility and reality. You to construct a confident narrative about what you’re building and why it matters, but spinning a story that doesn’t stand up to scrutiny is risky.
Smart people can see through hype, and a narrative that collapses under due diligence will do more harm than good.
A useful test is to ask: what is the boldest thing we can say that is absolutely true, and that we could confidently stand up with evidence if challenged?
That’s the story worth telling.
- Need an external perspective on your story? Our Pitch Perfect Bootcamp is a on-on-one deep dive into your deck with detailed follow-up recommendations and advice.
Don’t leave comms until the last minute
A common misconception among biotech founders planning a Series A raise is that momentum and awareness can be created through a short burst of comms activity right before you plan to close.
In reality, credibility is cumulative and timing matters. A hurried PR campaign ahead of a major conference or a brief flurry of activity on LinkedIn ahead of a major conference
Investment fund deployment is seasonal, with the peak time for closing funding rounds coming in September and October. That means getting out and building investor relationships from the start of the year, leading to serious conversations in the summer.
Trust isn’t built overnight. Consistent, strategic communications that compound over time is better in the long run than a ‘one and done’ press release in January that will be forgotten by June.
How biotech startups should think about communications ahead of Series A
When the pitch deck is the primary focus, it can feel like there’s no time left for sorting out your external positioning and messaging. But leaving all of this stuff until after you’ve landed a Series A raise means missing out on a valuable force multiplier for your fundraising.
When time is tight and money is even tighter, it’s important to be deliberate and strategic with your communications efforts as you gear up for Series A.
First, focus on getting your digital footprint cleaned up.
Like everybody else, potential investors and partners are searching the internet for information about your company, technology, and others in your space. And in the era of AI-driven ‘zero click’ searches, it’s vital to make sure that these tools can pull an accurate picture of who you are and what you do.
Now isn’t the time for a full rebrand or website rebuild (save that for after the raise…) but it’s worth doing a quick refresh of the copy on your website and LinkedIn page to make sure it reflects what you want people to know about you now, not what you did a year or two ago.
PR and LinkedIn strategies for biotech startups raising Series A
Founders should be talking about the problems you’re solving, what makes your approach different, and how they fit in the wider industry context, using the same messaging. Look for opportunities to get out in person at events and panel discussions, and also on LinkedIn and through internal or external thought leadership.
It’s also worth stepping up the messaging on the company LinkedIn page, again focusing on credibility and differentiation around your technology, as well as other signals that you’re ready to level up such as the strength of your team and your understanding of the market.
Press releases and media opportunities for interviews are incredibly valuable here, as it’s probably been a while since your Seed raise. It’s also worth entering some relevant industry awards – such as those run by OBN, One Nucleus and BioNow – for an additional boost.
Wherever possible, strategically plan key announcements to come out just ahead of significant events such as conferences or a run of pitches. Nobody has to run your story, so package and pitch each press release in a way that will appeal to your target outlets.
(And no, mainstream media like the BBC isn’t interested in a story about your partnership with a drug company. But they might like a story about a patient that’s taken part in your clinical study, an interesting personal angle, or something very cool and unusual about your scientific approach – especially if it’s backed up by an academic research institution.)
Not every release will land, and that’s fine. The value comes from building relationships and media recognition over time.
Don’t forget to keep the News section of your website updated with stories and articles as they go out. News flow is a sign that your company is growing, and also signals your authority and relevance to search engines.
It’s a lot to think about and stay on top of at a busy time, so it’s worth speaking to an experienced specialist comms agency that can provide strategic advice and light touch support exactly when and where it’s needed.
- Not sure what you need? Here are five comms solutions for growing startups.
How First Create The Media helps biotech startups raising Series A
As a boutique communications and marketing agency for the life sciences, First Create The Media acts as a plug-in extension to your team, combining deep science knowledge with strategic clarity and flexible delivery support.
We help companies preparing for Series A clarify their story and messaging so they stand out from the crowd, build credibility with strategic communications that build over time, and present themselves as investable, serious businesses.