Your Best PR Guide to European Startup Media

Europe hosts over 50 dedicated tech and startup publications. They reach founders, VCs, corporates, and policymakers across 40+ countries. Coverage here opens doors that global outlets can't.

European journalists care about local context. They understand EEA regulations, GDPR nuances, and regional funding ecosystems. They cover Series A rounds that Silicon Valley outlets ignore.

The numbers prove it. Startups featured in top-tier European media raise follow-on funding 2.3× faster, per Atomico's State of European Tech 2024 data. Coverage drives tangible results.

Not all outlets deliver equal value. Here's how to prioritize.

Tier 1: Pan-European heavyweights. TechCrunch, Sifted, The Recursive, EU-Startups, Tech.eu, Silicon Canals, These reach the entire ecosystem. They cover funding rounds, exits, and major product launches. Competition is fierce—pitch only with real news.

Tier 2: Regional leaders. ArcticStartup (Nordics), Ukranian Startups (Ukraine), FinSMEs (Italy/Germany/France/UK), Maddyness (France), StartupReporter.eu (all EU countries), Startup Europe News, UK Tech News, TechRound (UK startups), and Tech Funding News. They dive deeper into local markets. They're more accessible and care about regional context.

Tier 3: National business press. Handelsblatt (Germany), Les Échos (France), Cinco Días (Spain), Público (Portugal). They reach decision-makers and corporates. Coverage signals legitimacy to traditional partners.

Tier 4: Industry newsletters and podcasts. Not Boring (tech strategy), Startup Pirate (founder stories), European Straits (analysis). Small but influential audiences. Easier to land, strong engagement.
Start with Tier 2 and 3. Build credibility before pitching Tier 1.

European tech journalists receive 50–200 pitches weekly. Most get deleted in seconds. Here's what makes them pause.

News with local impact. Funding rounds over €2M. Product launches solving European-specific problems. Regulatory wins or compliance breakthroughs. Expansions into new European markets.

Data and evidence. Don't claim "revolutionary" or "game-changing." Show month-over-month growth, customer metrics, or market research. Journalists validate claims—make their job easy.

Founder perspective. They want quotes from founders, not PR teams. Real insight about challenges, pivots, and lessons learned. Authenticity beats polish.

Timing. Most outlets plan coverage 3–7 days ahead. Breaking news gets same-day coverage. Embargo-based pitches work only if the story matters.

Exclusivity (sometimes). Tier 1 outlets often want exclusive first coverage. Tier 2 and 3 accept coordinated releases. Know who expects what before pitching.

A DePIN (decentralized physical infrastructure network) startup we worked with landed Sifted coverage by sharing user-growth data from three European markets. The pitch took four sentences. The story drove 340 qualified leads.

Start by defining your ideal reader. VC-backed SaaS founder in Berlin? Corporate innovation manager in Paris? Match outlets to audience.

Research 10–15 publications in your tier and vertical. Read their last 20 articles. Note what they cover, tone, story format. Track bylines—journalists move between outlets frequently.

Use tools like Prowly, Cision, or ResponseSource to find journalist contacts. LinkedIn works too. Verify email addresses with Hunter.io or RocketReach.

Build a simple spreadsheet: outlet name, journalist name, coverage focus, contact info, pitch status, and results. Update it after every interaction.

Quality beats quantity. Fifteen well-researched contacts outperform 100 generic ones.

Step 1: Hook in 25 words. Lead with the news. Don't bury it in context or background. "X raises €5M to solve Y problem for Z customers in Europe" works. "We're excited to announce" doesn't.

Step 2: Prove relevance in 75 words. Why does this matter to their readers? Include one metric, one market insight, or one problem-solution fit. Connect your story to broader European trends when possible.

Step 3: Offer assets in 50 words. Founder available for interview? Data or reports you can share? High-res photos or product demos? Make it easy for them to say yes.

Step 4: Respect their time. No follow-up within 48 hours. If they're interested, they'll reply. One polite follow-up after 5 days is acceptable. Then move on.

Subject lines matter. "Exclusive: Berlin fintech cuts SMB payment costs 40%" beats "Partnership announcement."

Attach nothing. Paste relevant links in the email body. Journalists won't open attachments from strangers.

Generic blasts. Sending identical pitches to 50 journalists signals you don't care. Personalize the first two sentences at minimum.

Pitching the wrong beat. A fintech story to a hardware reporter wastes everyone's time. Research their coverage.

Overpromising access. Don't offer CEO interviews if your CEO isn't available within 24 hours. Journalists remember broken promises.

Ignoring guidelines. Many outlets publish submission guidelines. Follow them exactly or don't pitch.

Pitching too early. Wait until you have real traction. "Pre-launch" stories rarely happen unless you're a known founder or have unusual credentials.

One founder pitched 40 outlets with a vague "innovative blockchain solution" pitch. Zero responses. We rebuilt the pitch around regulatory compliance metrics. Six features in three weeks.

Track these metrics to improve your media outreach.

Response rate. Aim for 15–25% reply rate from personalized pitches. Below 10% means your hook or targeting needs work.

Coverage rate. 30–40% of responses should convert to coverage. Lower rates signal weak follow-through or story value.

Traffic and leads. Use UTM parameters on links in press releases. Track referral traffic from each outlet. Measure leads generated within seven days of coverage.

Quality of coverage. Did they mention key messages? Include founder quotes? Link to your site? Quality matters more than quantity.

Long-term relationships. How many journalists replied to your second or third pitch? Relationship-building compounds.

Review these monthly. Adjust your list and approach based on what works.

Start small. Pick five Tier 2 or 3 outlets aligned with your market and vertical. Research their last month of coverage.

Draft three pitch variations for your current news. Test different hooks, angles, and data points. Track which performs best.

Set a weekly goal: reach out to three new journalists or nurture three existing relationships. Consistency beats sporadic effort.

If your story isn't landing, revisit the "why now" and "why this matters" angles. Weak stories don't improve with better pitching.

Need a second set of eyes? Message us—we'll review your pitch and media list strategy.