2. How to Announce Your Fundraise Without a Headache - A PR Crash Course With Elisheva Marcus from Earlybird VC

Scaling Nerds | Communications, PR and Storytelling for Startup Founders (prev. Red To Green)

A crisp crash course on announcing your fundraise correctly, including:

• a good timeline for drafting, reviewing, and sending out the press release

• how to correctly manage stakeholder feedback

• and how to maximize the benefits of the announcement

The guest you’ll hear from today, Elisheva Marcus, and I met at the Deep Tech Momentum conference in Berlin and connected over nerding out about comms.

Elisheva Marcus has an MSc in Biomedical Communication and brings expertise from the San Jose Mercury News, Ada Health, Bayer, and more. Since 2020, she has been the VP of Communications at Earlybird Venture Capital, supporting portfolio founders as a sparring partner.

By the way, Earlybird Venture Capital was founded in 1997 and is among the most experienced venture investors in Europe, covering all development and growth stages from pre-seed to growth in industries like fintech, health tech, and deep tech.

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Links

Connect with Elli:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/elisheva-marcus/

Check out Earlybird:

https://earlybird.com/

Connect with me:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/schmidt-marina/

Structure of a Strong Press Release or Announcement

1. Title

   • Use active, direct language.

   • Avoid buzzwords.

   • Commit to a single, powerful title (no subtitle).

2. Key Bullet Points

   • Three concise bullets summarizing the essential news.

   • Designed for quick journalistic scanning.

   • Represent the three to four main ideas the body will expand on.

3. Header Information

   • Include date and location.

4. Opening Paragraph

   • Start with a strong, engaging first sentence.

   • Avoid generic or slow openings.

5. Main Body

   • Expand on the bullet points in a clear, logical flow.

   • Ensure coherence and story progression.

   • Cover the who, what, where, when, and why.

   • Include:

     • Amount raised (with correct denomination)

     • Impact and significance

     • The team and why they’re the right people

     • A quote from leadership or a client

     • How the funds will be used and why it’s memorable

6. Closing Section

   • End with a short About section or call to action.

   • Provide contact or follow-up information.