In this episode of A Brief Coffee With…, Cathy sits down with Thomas Ohr, founder of EU-Startups, to discuss the evolution of startup media, the realities of running an independent publication, and what founders need to understand if they want to earn meaningful coverage.

Thomas shares the story behind building EU-Startups from a hobby blog into one of Europe’s leading startup publications, reflects on the company’s recent acquisition, and explains why storytelling, not product features, is often the difference between getting noticed and getting ignored.

From AI-generated pitches to startup events, media relationships, and the future of European tech journalism, this episode is packed with practical advice for founders, PR professionals, and anyone trying to stand out in a crowded market.

Key moments

00:00 – Meet Thomas Ohr, founder of EU-Startups

02:00 – Reflecting on the EU-Startups Summit in Malta

03:00 – Building EU-Startups from a hobby project to a leading publication

06:00 – The acquisition of EU-Startups and what changes next

07:20 – The changing startup media landscape in the age of AI

08:15 – What EU-Startups looks for in startup stories

09:15 – Why founders need better narratives, not more features

11:00 – How to get a journalist’s attention

12:20 – Why AI-written pitches are hurting founders

14:15 – The role of thought leadership and opinion pieces

15:00 – What makes a great podcast guest

16:30 – Quick fire: pitching journalists, exclusives and press releases

18:00 – What founders consistently get wrong with media

19:15 – New projects, African Startups and the Me Out Summit

21:00 – How to pitch EU-Startups and connect with the team

If you’re looking for support with your communications, get in touch at cewcomms.com.

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

If you're looking for support with your communications, get in touch at cewcomms.com.

In episode five of A Brief Coffee With…, Cathy sits down with Freya Pratty, Associate Editor at Sifted, to unpack what’s really happening inside Europe’s startup ecosystem right now — from AI hype cycles and robotics to media narratives, founder storytelling, and the return of “tech bro” culture.

Fresh from her promotion at Sifted, Freya shares what’s catching her attention across the UK startup landscape, why she’s increasingly interested in the “middle generation” of startups adapting to the AI era, and what founders still misunderstand about working with journalists.

The conversation also dives into the growing problem of AI-generated comments and press materials, how tech media should balance amplification with accountability, and why some of the most important conversations in tech are still the hardest to have.

00:00 – Meet Freya Pratty, Associate Editor at Sifted 02:00 – Freya’s new role and evolving UK coverage 03:00 – What startup stories are standing out right now 05:00 – Why hardware and AI companies are spreading beyond London 07:00 – The best way to pitch Freya and Sifted 08:30 – AI-generated comments, press releases, and “slop” 10:30 – The psychology of AI-generated writing 11:00 – Inside Freya’s “tech bro culture” article and the backlash 13:00 – Why criticism and accountability matter in tech media 16:00 – Tech media’s role beyond startup amplification 19:00 – What Freya wants to hear from founders right now 20:00 – The “middle generation” of startups navigating the AI boom 21:00 – Is climate tech disappearing or just being rebranded? 23:00 – Quick fire: pitches, PR mistakes, and founder storytelling 25:00 – Why Sifted doesn’t cover product launches 27:00 – Freya’s preferred ways to connect

If you’re looking for support with your communications, get in touch with CEW Communications at www.cewcomms.com

In episode four of A Brief Coffee With…, Cathy is joined by Tasmin Lockwood, a freelance journalist covering tech, climate, and impact across Europe.

From her time at CNBC to launching an independent newsletter, Tasmin shares how her perspective on journalism has evolved—and why human, impact-driven storytelling is more important than ever. They also explore the realities of freelancing, the decline of climate coverage, and how AI-generated commentary is changing the media landscape.

Key moments 00:00 – Meet Tasmin Lockwood (freelance journalist) 01:30 – Life on the road and recent work at CNBC 03:00 – What she learned from covering global markets 04:30 – Transitioning back to freelancing 05:30 – What stories she’s looking for now 06:30 – Balancing meaningful work vs paid work 07:30 – Expanding into editorial strategy & consulting 08:30 – The shift in tech media (Business Insider & beyond) 10:30 – Why climate coverage is declining 12:00 – Launching the Verdant newsletter 13:30 – The role of independent media & Substack 15:00 – Climate, energy, and global instability 17:00 – Why human impact stories matter most 18:30 – Quick fire: pitching, formats & timing 20:30 – What PRs should stop doing 21:30 – What founders get wrong in interviews 23:00 – AI-generated content & “slop” in journalism 24:30 – How to contact Tasmin

In episode three of A Brief Coffee With…, Cathy sits down with David Savage, host of Tech Talks, to explore what it really takes to create engaging conversations in podcasting.

From building one of the world’s most popular tech podcasts to producing documentary films, David shares how storytelling opens doors—and why the best interviews feel like conversations, not performances. They also dive into what makes a great guest, how to stand out when pitching, and how to make the most out of the content you create.

Key moments 00:00 – Meet David Savage (Tech Talks) 02:00 – The origin story of Tech Talks 04:00 – What makes a great podcast guest 05:30 – Why over-preparation can hurt interviews 07:00 – Creating natural, conversational interviews 08:30 – From podcast to documentary filmmaking 10:30 – Standing out in a crowded content landscape 14:00 – How to pitch podcast guests effectively 16:00 – Quick fire: pitching, formats & timing 18:30 – What PRs should stop doing 19:30 – Why guests need to share content 21:30 – Repurposing content across platforms 23:30 – How to contact David

If you're looking for support with your communications, get in touch at cewcomms.com.

In episode two of A Brief Coffee With…, Cathy White sits down with Jane Wakefield, former BBC tech journalist and now freelance writer and podcaster, to explore what’s shaping today’s tech media landscape.

From the relentless pace of AI to the rise of sophisticated online scams, Jane shares what’s capturing her attention—and why human storytelling still matters more than ever. She also reflects on her shift from newsroom journalism to podcasting, and what founders and comms teams need to know to stand out.

Key moments 00:00 – Meet Jane Wakefield (former BBC, freelance journalist & podcaster) 01:10 – What’s on Jane’s radar: AI and scam stories 02:30 – From BBC to freelance: career journey and shift in focus 04:30 – Podcasting vs writing: how her work has evolved 06:00 – What makes a great podcast guest 07:30 – Why human stories and anecdotes cut through 10:30 – How founders can find and tell their story 13:00 – The role of vulnerability and relatability in storytelling 15:00 – What makes a strong media pitch 16:30 – Why simple, searchable emails work best 18:00 – Quick fire: pitching, press releases & timing 20:00 – What PRs should stop doing 21:30 – Advice for founders speaking to journalists 23:00 – How to contact Jane

If you're looking for support with your communications, get in touch at cewcomms.com.

In episode one of A Brief Coffee With…, Cathy White sits down with Cate Lawrence, Senior Journalist at Tech.eu, to unpack what really makes a story stand out in today’s fast-moving media landscape.

From AI saturation to health tech, sustainability, and Europe’s push for tech independence, Cate shares what’s catching her attention—and what founders and PRs need to know to cut through.

Key moments 00:00 – Meet Cate Lawrence (Tech.eu) 01:20 – Choosing events & avoiding burnout 03:15 – What stories are getting attention now 04:45 – What makes a strong founder story 06:20 – The rise of younger founders 06:45 – Beyond AI: health, materials & impact tech 09:00 – Hype cycles & Europe’s tech momentum 12:20 – Quick fire: how to pitch journalists 13:40 – What PRs should stop doing 14:40 – What founders get wrong 16:30 – Why every pitch needs a clear “why” 17:10 – How to contact Cate

If you're looking for support with your communications, get in touch at cewcomms.com.

A Brief Coffee With… is a podcast from CEW Communications, hosted by Cathy White, featuring honest, unfiltered conversations with journalists and content creators. In a fast-moving media landscape shaped by AI, shifting markets, and constant demand for content, we explore how stories are formed, what makes them stand out, and how to cut through the noise.

From pitching and storytelling to media trends and startup coverage, this is your inside track on modern media—one brief coffee at a time.

Join us for the first episode, live on April 21st.