When you are building a business, there are a lot of things to think about, including the idea itself, the product, the team, and the budget. However, there is also one aspect that matters, but its value is often underestimated. It is PR. In this episode of the Innovantage podcast, its host and Sigli CBDO Max Golikov and his guest Remco Janssen are talking about the role of media coverage in the startups’ success. And that’s not the only point discussed. AI, tech innovation, and regulation in Europe are among other topics that you can learn about in this episode.
Remco’s professional journey began just after the dot-com bubble burst in 2001. When he was a student, he started working as a customer service agent at a food-ordering website. Later, he left college to work full-time at the startup and took on everything from customer service and sales to copywriting. However, the startup was acquired by a bigger company, and the Amsterdam office was moved to Brussels. Remco chose to finish his studies.
Then, he became a sports journalist. But the role was pretty demanding, with long hours and weekends spent at football matches. Looking for a better work-life balance, he decided to change his professional path and started a career in tech PR.
By 2008-2009, he was deeply involved in both the Dutch and Austrian startup scenes and was helping fast-growing tech companies shape their public image.
In 2014, he launched a simple WordPress blog dubbed Silicon Canals (a nod to Silicon Valley and canals of Amsterdam) to cover the updates in the startup world. It started in Dutch, and posts were quite infrequent at that time.
Now, 11 years later, Silicon Canals is one of Europe's leading publications covering startups.
Many startups believe they don’t have the time, money, or resources for PR, especially in the early stages. They are focused on building the product (and of course, that’s essential). But according to Remco, such a mindset can hold them back.
Coming from the Netherlands, he understands the cultural hesitation among startup founders in Europe. Unlike Americans, people in Europe are not accustomed to promoting themselves. Nevertheless, this modesty shouldn’t stop founders from thinking about media, PR, and marketing early on.
It is not necessary to go straight to the biggest tech media on day one. It will be more sensible to start small. For example, it can be a good idea to write articles for a blog, launch a podcast, get invited to one, or just post regularly on LinkedIn or Instagram. Building your media presence starts with quite simple steps.
Establishing visibility early helps position a startup for faster growth. By the time product-market fit is achieved or early funding rounds are raised, the existing media presence becomes a valuable asset. At this moment, it will make sense to reach out to bigger tech media and news outlets.
In multilingual markets like Belgium, for example, startups need to prepare press releases in English, Dutch, and French. This adds complexity. But it is vital for reaching the right audiences. In contrast, the Netherlands often requires only Dutch, with English content used for broader coverage.
Instead of avoiding PR due to any challenges, founders should build a media strategy into the company’s DNA from the first steps of their business journey. Today, in different regions, there are specialized PR agencies tailored to early-stage tech startups that can offer targeted support and guidance.
Moreover, creating a basic PR and marketing plan has become quite simple. Such tools as ChatGPT or EU-based alternatives such as Le Chat from Mistral can help founders quickly define their messaging, draft content, and plan outreach strategies in just a few hours.
For startups, building social proof isn’t optional. It’s essential. It plays a critical role in two key areas: fundraising and customer acquisition.
In their early days, most startups rely on their inner circle to find their first customers. These are people who already know the founders or the company. But once product-market fit begins to take shape, that network of contacts is not enough. Then, startups enter a much harder phase. They need to reach cold prospects and unfamiliar buyers.
At that point, potential customers and investors will almost certainly look up the company on the internet or have AI tools do it for them. If there is no media coverage, no podcast appearances, no LinkedIn activity, and no visible sign of expertise, the likelihood of scheduling a meeting or closing a deal drops dramatically.
Startups need to be discoverable. Especially for bootstrapped companies or those in competitive sectors like AI, visibility can make a huge difference.
The same principle applies to fundraising. Investors are far more likely to respond to startups that have been visible in the ecosystem and have already demonstrated value. Social proof always accelerates trust.
Many startup founders may be worried about the risks of a negative media reputation. However, as Remco explained, in reality, negative PR is rare unless a company is engaging in fraud or unethical behavior. Most early-stage startups aren’t under that kind of scrutiny. In fact, in the vast majority of cases, any media attention generates curiosity, which can lead to discovery, trial, and even growth.
Founders shouldn’t fear press exposure. The real danger lies not in negative coverage, but in no presence at all. When a startup is invisible, it’s more likely to be associated with bad actors who make headlines on a regular basis. If a legitimate company has no visible track record, and only questionable projects do, public perception can blur the line between them.
This is where high-quality, consistent PR becomes critical. Especially for investors conducting due diligence, clear media coverage helps distinguish legitimate startups from those that don’t deserve their attention.
According to Remco, one common pitfall among startup founders is a sense of entitlement. While confidence is essential in entrepreneurship, it can sometimes transform into narcissism.
This inflated self-perception often leads founders to view the media as a marketing tool rather than an independent voice. However, journalists are not obligated to show a company in a specific light. When founders want to earn media coverage through press releases or pitches, they should understand that journalists maintain editorial independence. They may reference competitors, raise critical points, or highlight historical parallels, even those that founders may prefer to hide.
Control over the narrative should come only through paid content, such as sponsored articles or native advertising.
Remco mentioned a recent incident with a founder from a top incubator who reacted aggressively when a photo published alongside a story wasn’t taken down upon request. The founder cited GDPR. However, media outlets operate under press laws that prioritize freedom of information and speech.
The key takeaway here is that media coverage is not a courtesy. Journalists don’t work just to promote companies. They report stories they believe are interesting to the public.
Remco deeply believes in journalism as a pillar of democracy. While some may say that tech coverage doesn’t have any relation to politics, European tech now plays a critical role in preserving democratic values. As geopolitical tensions rise, Europe can no longer afford to be dependent on foreign tech.
To safeguard its future, Europe must invest in its own innovation, from chips, drones, and defense tech to cloud infrastructure. This isn’t just about sovereignty. It’s also about ensuring that European data is governed by democratic standards.
Regulation plays a crucial part in that. While GDPR may not always apply to media, it is a powerful framework that protects individual rights. Major US-based tech firms continue to violate these rights. That’s why Europe needs to build its companies with the key democratic values in mind.
Max described regulation as a necessary framework that guides how technologies should be applied, where their limits lie, and where they add the most value. Regulation, in his view, helps define responsible innovation.
However, he also acknowledged the opposing argument: excessive regulation can become a barrier to growth.
In a capitalist system where profit often defines success, this raises a controversial question: Does looser regulation fuel innovation, or does it just create a situation where data and rights are less protected?
Remco emphasized that, in his opinion, Europe is fundamentally a democratic society, not just a capitalist one. In a democracy, the goal is to protect all citizens equally, while capitalism often focuses solely on winners and losers.
Remco compared Europe with other regions where capitalism has led to power being concentrated in the hands of a few. Such a situation weakens public institutions and increases inequality. In the European democratic system, founders should look beyond wealth creation or investor returns. They can help shape the future of European society, which comes with a responsibility to uphold democratic values.
He acknowledged that bureaucracy and fragmented laws across the EU can slow progress. But the solution isn’t to abandon regulation. The best way to address such issues is to coordinate regulation better. Ethical innovation and strong governance are where Europe can lead.
One of Europe’s persistent challenges in tech innovation is early-stage funding. Pension funds, for example, often invest heavily in US markets or traditional banks instead of supporting local startups. Redirecting capital into European tech could generate strong returns and power the region’s innovation ecosystem.
Despite this funding gap, Europe has a unique strength. The region is actively building sustainable businesses without relying on massive investment. Unlike the US model of hyper-growth, European founders often focus on profitability from the start. This mindset has roots in the region’s long tradition of family-owned, multi-generational companies.
With the rise of AI, this lean approach is proving even more viable. Many bootstrapped startups are reaching significant revenue milestones without raising large rounds. Instead of concentrating on IPOs or mega funding rounds, more European startups are building long-term, profitable businesses. They are not unicorns. They are zebras. And in today’s capital-efficient landscape, this may be a much smarter choice.
In an increasingly crowded and complex tech landscape, content remains one of the most effective tools for growth (especially when its quality is high). According to Remco, founders should treat content as a core part of their strategy.
Content builds credibility, fosters learning, and creates long-term value. Many successful careers and businesses, including those in tech journalism, have been launched through consistent blogging and publishing. Becoming your own media channel (articles, podcasts, or newsletters) can grow your network and even generate new business opportunities.
The hype around AI is still strong, and with it comes concern about mass job displacement. These fears are especially strong in the tech space.
While AI will likely reduce the need for junior developers doing repetitive work, it won’t replace skilled engineers.
Nevertheless, here comes the next question: How will future seniors gain experience without junior roles? The industry must rethink the learning pipeline to ensure talent can still grow.
AI-powered personal learning could play a crucial role here. Personalized tutors that adapt to each learner’s pace could accelerate skill development. This can be highly valuable for roles that now require faster onboarding and higher adaptability.
Instead of eliminating jobs, AI may enhance them.
Apart from this, such a shift calls for a reassessment of how we work. Many jobs still follow outdated 9-to-5 patterns. In a tech-driven knowledge economy, AI could encourage the introduction of more flexible and balanced work lives.
Remco mentioned that Europe has a real chance to lead in deep tech. As AI is accelerating and energy consumption is increasing, there is a growing need for innovation in infrastructure to address pressing climate change problems. Quantum computing, photonics, and ultra-efficient data centers are some of the possible solutions.
But it’s not just about AI. Europe must also tackle fundamental challenges, including sustainable food production, land use, nitrogen reduction, and energy efficiency. Apart from this, innovation in defense is required as well. Fortunately, the European Commission and national governments are beginning to align on this vision.
Many startups are shifting away from venture capital. But deep tech still requires substantial early-stage funding. These companies often face long runways, sometimes taking 10 to 12 years to reach maturity. This makes them look not very attractive in today’s risk-averse market.
That’s precisely why Europe’s pension funds, family offices, and private investors need to enter the game. These institutions manage large pools of capital and, beyond financial returns, they have a moral responsibility to support innovation that serves the long-term well-being of European society.
Investing in deep tech today isn’t just about future profitability. It’s also about shaping the next 10 to 20 years of innovation.
As Remco emphasizes, in this aspect, there is no time to be wasted.
His call to action is clear: European pension funds, family offices, venture capitalists, and private equity firms must act together and invest in early-stage deep tech and innovation. Europe’s future competitiveness and progress depend on it.
Find this conversation insightful? Don’t miss the next episodes of the Innovantage podcast! Max Golikov, together with his guests, will discuss a lot of other topics and offer new perspectives on technologies and their impact on the way businesses operate today.
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