AI Tech / news
Honeyjar builds AI tools to bring PR expertise to every company
A startup founded by two veteran communications executives is using artificial intelligence to automate core public relations tasks, from drafting announcements to matching companies with the right journalists.
Honeyjar is led by CEO Michelle Masek and chief communications officer Nadia Jamshidi, both of whom have spent decades in public relations, working in-house and at agencies. Masek most recently served as senior vice president of marketing and communications at Obvious Ventures, the venture firm founded by Ev Williams, where she handled communications and marketing support for 110 portfolio companies.
The startup's pitch is to package the judgment and expertise of experienced PR professionals into software that anyone can use, including founders who have no idea how to begin a communications program.
According to the company, the tools automate processes such as writing announcements, identifying the best journalists to pitch and surfacing the most promising speaking opportunities.
Honeyjar is taking part in the Startup Battlefield 200 showcase at this week's Disrupt conference, where it is presenting its approach to an industry that journalists, entrepreneurs and even some of its own practitioners describe as broken.