In this episode of A Brief Coffee With…, Cathy sits down with Martin Bryant, founder of PreSeed Now, to unpack what really makes an early-stage startup stand out — and why storytelling can be just as important as the technology itself.

From deep tech communication challenges to the realities of modern startup media, Martin shares what he’s learned from covering hundreds of pre-seed companies across the UK startup ecosystem. The conversation also explores how founders can improve their narrative, why investors sometimes struggle to understand technical businesses, and what PRs should stop doing when pitching journalists.

Key moments

00:00 – Meet Martin Bryant & the story behind PreSeed Now 02:15 – Why Martin launched a publication focused on pre-seed startups 03:10 – How the startup funding landscape has changed in recent years 04:30 – From ElevenLabs to hidden gems: spotting startups early 05:40 – How PreSeed Now has helped founders attract investors 06:20 – Why deep tech founders struggle with storytelling 07:00 – The importance of leading with impact, not complexity 08:10 – Martin’s journalism journey: TNW, Tech Nation & startup comms 09:30 – Journalism vs communications: can the two coexist? 10:45 – Why Martin moved from Substack to Beehiiv 11:40 – The rise of creator-led media in tech journalism 12:20 – How Martin handles startup pitches today 13:50 – Why email still beats LinkedIn DMs 15:00 – Tips for first-time founders doing media interviews 16:40 – The “duty of care” Martin feels towards early-stage startups 17:20 – Why founders shouldn’t obsess over early valuations 18:50 – Quick fire: pitching, press releases & PR mistakes 21:50 – Martin’s advice for every founder: build a “micro pitch” 22:40 – How to contact Martin & pitch PreSeed Now

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