From pre-seed to Series C: how to announce your funding round to European and US media

Your startup has closed a funding round. Now you want the news to reach potential customers, future employees and investors following your growth. For a European company with US ambitions, that may mean coverage in your home market, European publications such as Sifted and international tech outlets such as TechCrunch.

But securing coverage takes more than sending an English-language press release to a long list of journalists. Your story needs to reflect your funding stage, explain what makes the company interesting and give each publication a reason to pay attention.

A pre-seed announcement needs different evidence from a Series C. And a story that resonates in your home country may need a different angle to interest readers across Europe or in the US.

Here is how to shape your announcement and plan your outreach.

What makes a funding round interesting to tech media?

The amount raised is an important fact, but it is only part of the story. A journalist also needs to understand what you are building, why it matters and what distinguishes your company from existing players.

Start with a few questions: What has changed? What can you demonstrate? And what will this investment make possible?

A smaller round can offer a compelling story when the technology, founding team or early results stand out. A larger round still needs context: why is this company attracting capital, and what does that tell us about its market?

Choose publications based on the relevance of your story to their readers. Treat TechCrunch and Sifted as distinct editorial targets, with pitches tailored to the journalist and their coverage.

Your funding stage helps determine which facts deserve the most attention. The following sections offer a guide, rather than a rigid formula.

Pre-seed: explain why this company needs to exist

At pre-seed, there may be limited revenue or usage data to share. The story therefore centres on the problem, your approach and the team’s ability to deliver.

Explain whose problem you are solving, why existing options fall short and what makes the founders qualified to tackle it. Relevant industry experience, research or technical expertise can help make the case.

What questions should a press release about pre-seed funding answer?

• Who are you? Who are the founders, and what experience makes them well placed to solve this problem?
• What are you building? What problem does the product address, for whom, and how does it work?
• Why is it needed now? What has changed in the market or technology to make this the right moment?
• Where does development stand? Do you have a prototype, active pilots or customers using the product?
• How much have you raised, and from whom? State the amount and identify the participating investors.
• What will the funding enable? Name the next concrete milestone.

Distinguish clearly between what exists and what you plan to build. Explain whether a pilot is paid, and keep waitlist numbers separate from active users.

If you have US ambitions, describe them at the appropriate level. An intention to explore US demand is different from having US customers or a confirmed launch.

A familiar product comparison can help explain an unfamiliar concept, but only if it is accurate. A plain-language description is usually more useful than a forced “Uber for X” analogy.

Example headline: “[Startup] raises €1 million in pre-seed funding to develop drought forecasting software for agriculture.”

Seed: show the first evidence that your approach works

At seed, support the original idea with early evidence of demand or technical progress.

That could include paying customers, repeat usage, completed pilots or measurable improvements for users. Give each figure enough context to be meaningful.

What questions should a press release about seed funding answer?

• What can your product do today? How does it work in practice, and who is using it?
• What have you achieved so far? Which customer wins, revenue figures or technical results support your approach?
• Who are your customers, and what have you learned from them? Explain how feedback or pilot results have shaped the product. Name customers when you have permission.
• How much seed funding have you raised, and from whom? State the amount and participating investors.
• What comes next? Explain how the funding will improve the product, validate demand or help you reach more customers.

Avoid growth percentages without a baseline or timeframe. Growth from two customers to four tells a different story from growth from two hundred to four hundred.

For a transatlantic story, early US demand can be useful evidence. Be precise about whether it consists of enquiries, trials, paid pilots or recurring customers.

Example headline: “[Startup] raises €4 million in seed funding to expand scheduling software for field service teams.”

Series A: explain what supports the next stage of growth

At Series A, the announcement should explain why the business is ready to scale and what the capital will help it achieve.

The evidence depends on the sector. Software companies might highlight recurring revenue and customer retention. Deeptech companies might focus on technical validation, manufacturing milestones or industrial partnerships.

What questions should a press release about Series A funding answer?

• What have you achieved since the previous round? Show progress in customers, revenue or product development.
• How do you make money, and who buys your product? Explain the business model and target market.
• What supports your ability to scale? Identify the customer demand, recurring revenue or technical progress behind the next step.
• How much Series A funding have you raised, and from whom? Name the lead investor and other participants.
• What growth will the funding enable? Specify the markets, teams or products you will prioritise.

“The funding will accelerate growth” says little on its own. Explain what you will do and why.

If US expansion is part of the plan, describe what that means: hiring a sales team, supporting existing customers, adapting the product or establishing a local presence.

Example headline: “[Startup] raises €15 million in Series A funding to expand its logistics platform and build a US sales team.”

Series B: make scale and execution concrete

At Series B, explain how the company will execute its next phase of growth. Show which parts of the strategy are already working and where additional capital will make a difference.

Support expansion plans with target markets, relevant results and a realistic timeline.

What questions should a press release about Series B funding answer?

• How fast are you growing, and what demonstrates that growth? Show changes in revenue, customer numbers or production capacity over a defined period.
• What have previous expansions delivered? Explain the results achieved in new markets or with new products.
• How much Series B funding have you raised, and from whom? Identify the lead investor and other participants.
• Where will the capital go? Which countries, customer segments or product lines take priority, and why?
• How will the organisation support further growth? Describe the necessary investment in people, infrastructure or production.

If you already operate in the US, distinguish your existing presence from the expansion being funded. Relevant regional results can make the story more concrete, provided they are cleared for publication.

Example headline: “[Startup] raises €40 million in Series B funding to expand its US operations and European engineering team.”

Series C: explain what the investment changes in the market

A Series C announcement may focus on international expansion, acquisitions, production capacity or a stronger competitive position.

Claims about leadership need evidence. If you describe the company as a market leader, define the market and explain the basis for that claim.

What questions should a press release about Series C funding answer?

• Where does the business stand today? Which revenue figures, customer numbers or operational metrics demonstrate its scale?
• What have you achieved since the previous round? Explain the financial or operational progress behind the next phase.
• How much Series C funding have you raised, and from whom? Identify the lead investor and participating new and existing investors.
• What will the capital fund? Be specific about expansion, acquisitions, products or production capacity.
• What changes for customers and the wider sector? Explain how the investment affects your offering, reach or competitive position.

Only include an IPO or acquisition plan if it is sufficiently concrete and approved for public discussion.

Example headline: “[Scaleup] raises €100 million in Series C funding to expand battery production in Europe and establish US manufacturing capacity.”

These headlines are fictional. The amounts are illustrative, not fixed thresholds for funding stages.

The European press release: connect the story to relevant markets

Europe contains many distinct media markets. A story that matters in your home country may need additional context elsewhere.

For national or regional media, relevant angles might include local founders, university research, jobs, customers or investors. For a publication covering European technology, consider what the announcement reveals about a wider sector or the company’s position beyond its home market.

Keep your European roots visible when they contribute to the story. Explain how the business’s research, expertise or customer base supports its next step.

Use a clear English-language master release for cross-border outreach, and consider local-language versions for priority markets. Localisation should explain relevance to that audience as well as translate the text.

The US-facing press release: make the US relevance specific

A US-facing announcement needs to explain why the company matters to the publication’s readers. An ambition to enter the US becomes more useful when supported by concrete plans or evidence.

Depending on your stage, that might include:

• Existing US customers or measurable demand.
• A confirmed launch, office opening or local hiring plan.
• A partnership that helps the company serve US customers.
• Technology with a clear application in the US market.
• A defined competitive advantage relevant to buyers there.

Explain what is already happening and what the funding will enable. If US expansion remains exploratory, say so.

Introduce unfamiliar European investors, institutions or market references briefly. Describe the competitive landscape accurately, and use examples that help readers understand the product.

Keep the original funding currency clear. If you include a US dollar equivalent, label it as approximate and use a consistent conversion across your materials.

You do not need an entirely separate announcement for every territory. A shared factual foundation, adapted introduction and targeted pitch can be enough.

What should remain consistent across every version?

The angle can change, but the underlying facts must stay aligned.

Use the same funding amount, round designation, investor names and approved performance figures. Clarify whether the announced amount is the new round or total funding raised to date, and whether it includes debt alongside equity.

Keep your terminology precise. Revenue, annual recurring revenue, bookings and transaction volume are different measures. Likewise, customers, users and registered accounts should not be used interchangeably.

Agree these details with the founders and investors before outreach begins.

Pitching TechCrunch and Sifted: start with the journalist

The press release provides the facts. The pitch explains why those facts deserve this particular journalist’s attention.

Review recent coverage to identify reporters working on your sector, technology or funding stage. Read their articles closely enough to understand the questions they explore.

For TechCrunch, consider whether the technology, customer problem or competitive landscape offers a compelling angle. US traction may strengthen the pitch when relevant, but avoid forcing a US expansion narrative onto a story whose real strength lies elsewhere.

For Sifted, consider the company’s significance within European technology and venture capital. A European startup’s US expansion can form part of that story when it is specific and consequential.

These are possible approaches, not editorial rules or guarantees of coverage.

Keep the pitch brief. State the news, offer the strongest supporting evidence and explain what interviews or additional information are available.

Coordinate embargoes, interviews and publication across time zones

Prepare the announcement before approaching journalists. Agree the facts, quotes and timing with investors, and make sure the founder is available for interviews.

If you want to share news under embargo, obtain the journalist’s agreement before sending the embargoed information. Specify the exact date, time and time zone.

For European and US outreach, check the time conversion for the announcement date. Daylight saving changes do not always happen on the same dates.

An exclusive requires a separate agreement. Define what the publication receives, how long the arrangement lasts and when wider outreach can begin.

Align your website, social posts, newsletters and investor communications with those commitments. Schedule interview availability that accommodates relevant European and US working hours.

Prepare a press kit with founder photos, product images, a company overview and a responsive media contact. Clear materials and prompt answers help journalists assess and complete the story.

Build a funding story that travels

The strongest angle changes as the company develops. At pre-seed, explain the problem, the approach and the team. At seed, add early evidence. From Series A to Series C, make growth, execution and market position increasingly concrete.

For European companies with US ambitions, connect that progress to a credible expansion story. Show what you have achieved, where demand exists and what the new capital makes possible.

Preparing a pre-seed, seed, Series A, B or C announcement? Contact EUSA PR to discuss a media strategy that connects your European story with your US ambitions.

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