LaunchSquad vs Sam Brown: Which Startup PR Firm Is Right for You?

When you compare LaunchSquad vs Sam Brown for your startup PR needs, you are really asking one question. Does this agency understand my world?

Both firms have been running startup PR since 1999, have real records, and they operate in completely different industries.

LaunchSquad is a tech and consumer communications agency.

Sam Brown is a healthcare and life sciences communications agency. Hiring the wrong one will cost you time, money, and six months of explaining your industry to people who should already know it.

This article gives you an honest, objective comparison. You will find facts from PRWeek, O’Dwyer’s, Business Wire, and Fierce Pharma ,so you can decide which startup PR firm fits your brand.

How LaunchSquad vs Sam Brown Took Different Paths in 1999

Both LaunchSquad and Sam Brown launched in 1999. That shared start date is where the similarity ends.

The two firms made vastly different choices about where to focus, and those choices still define who each agency is today.

LaunchSquad was co-founded by Jason Mandell in San Francisco.

Mandell had previously worked at Schwartz Communications and Cunningham Communications before building LaunchSquad into a 110-person agency.

The firm grew up alongside Silicon Valley, close to venture capitalists, tech journalists, and the startup founders who were shaping the future of the internet.

Sam Brown healthcare communications agency was founded by Laura Liotta in Wayne, Pennsylvania. She was restless in a corporate communications role and saw the PR industry as ready for a new kind of firm.

She named the agency after her grandfather, Samuel Mastrangelo, who performed as “Sam Brown” with his big band orchestra in Atlantic City in the 1920s.

LaunchSquad vs Sam firms made the right call for their markets. LaunchSquad grew alongside Silicon Valley’s startup ecosystem. Sam Brown grew alongside the biotech and pharma boom.

Today, LaunchSquad vs Sam are listed in O’Dwyer’s Top PR Firms database, have teams of 50-plus. And both have quite different answers to the question of which startup PR client they serve best.

  Read Also: JPA Health vs Hoffman: Which Agency Wins in Tech PR?

LaunchSquad vs Sam Brown: What LaunchSquad Offers as a Startup PR Agency

LaunchSquad describes itself as a storytelling agency first and a PR agency second. Before pitching any journalist, the team works out what the brand story is.

According to O’Dwyer’s PR Firms Directory 2025, LaunchSquad has 110 employees across offices in San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, Boston, Chicago, Austin, and Denver.

According to PRWeek’s Agency Business Report 2024, the agency reported $18 million in revenue in 2023, a 10% decline from the previous year.

The firm projected $19.2 million for 2024. PRWeek also featured LaunchSquad on its Dashboard 25 list of the most innovative PR agencies in the technology sector.

In November 2024, LaunchSquad made its first acquisition. It bought Megawatt, a Boston-based content marketing firm focused on cybersecurity, AI, and deep tech.

Megawatt brought in $2.2 million in revenue in 2023. The acquisition strengthened LaunchSquad’s content strategy and SEO capabilities for technically complex B2B brands.

Client highlights from O’Dwyer’s include Uber, Netflix, iHeartRadio, On Running, Waabi, Cohere, General Catalyst, and Hippocratic AI.

LaunchSquad and its clients ASICS and Oyster were named finalists at the 2024 SABRE Awards North America.

The agency was also recognized on the PRNews 2022 Agency Elite Top 100 list. These are verifiable recognition points, not self-reported claims.

Where LaunchSquad Likely Falls Short

LaunchSquad has three real limitations you should know before signing.

First, revenue declined. PRWeek confirmed a 10% drop to $18 million in 2023.

That was a tough year for tech PR broadly, as startup funding tightened.

The firm projected recovery at $19.2 million for 2024, but you should ask directly about team stability and account continuity during that period.

Second, healthcare is not a core strength. LaunchSquad has worked with Hippocratic AI, which focuses on AI applications in healthcare.

However, the agency does not have the deep clinical communications expertise that life sciences startups need.

Managing press around Phase 3 clinical trial results or navigating FDA regulatory language in a press release requires extremely specific skills.

LaunchSquad does not list clinical communications as a service.

Additionally, senior attention to a large portfolio is a real concern. LaunchSquad serves more than 75 client accounts across a 110-person team.

Smaller startups may find themselves managed day to day by mid-level account managers rather than senior partners.

Before committing, ask specifically who oversees your account daily and how often a senior partner reviews strategy.

Also, because LaunchSquad’s deepest relationships are in tech and consumer media, brands trying to reach financial trade press, life sciences investors, or healthcare journalists will find the agency’s network less useful.

The firm is strong where it focuses. Outside that focus, the fit thins out.

What Sam Brown Offers as a Startup PR Agency

Sam Brown is a healthcare and life sciences PR agency. That focus defines every hire, every client, and every media relationship the firm has built since 1999.

Sam Brown has more than 50 professionals serving more than 40 clients from its base in Wayne, Pennsylvania.

The agency’s website states it uses only senior-level professionals on all client accounts and maintains exceptionally low staff turnover.

That stability matters in healthcare PR, where the trust between communications and science teams takes time to build and cannot be quickly replaced.

On September 18, 2024, Blue Matter,  a life sciences consulting firm with more than 230 team members and 120 active clients, acquired Sam Brown.

This was confirmed by both Business Wire and MM+M. Sam Brown retained its name. Founder Laura Liotta continues to lead the agency and joined Blue Matter’s executive management team to head a new strategic communications division.

Sam Brown’s verified client list, from O’Dwyer’s and PR News, includes Corium, JSR Life Sciences, Harmony Biosciences, Tris Pharmaceuticals, NervGen, SR One, and Velia.

The agency works with biotech and pharmaceutical companies at all stages, from stealth mode through Phase 3 trials and commercial launch.

Its website explicitly describes collaborating with companies “whether you are emerging from stealth, entering Phase 3 studies, or launching your commercial brand.”

The Biohaven and Nurtec ODT Story

The most documented example of Sam Brown’s work is the Biohaven communications campaign. Biohaven hired the agency to build its brand and lead communications for Nurtec ODT, a new migraine therapy that received FDA approval in February 2020.

Sam Brown led a digital-first launch campaign with Khloé Kardashian, a genuine migraine sufferer since sixth grade, as the brand’s first celebrity spokesperson.

According to MM+M’s reporting at the time, confirmed by Biohaven CEO Vlad Coric in multiple media interviews, a single Instagram post from Kardashian received more than 700,000 likes and 5 million views.

Coric told MM+M that Kardashian’s posts gave Biohaven “the highest web traffic we’ve had to date.” The launch also included appearances on Good Morning America and The View.

The launch happened during the COVID-19 pandemic, with no in-person events.

According to Fierce Pharma’s reporting, Nurtec ODT led in new-to-brand prescriptions shortly after launch, despite AbbVie’s competing drug Ubrelvy having an eight-week head start in the market.

It is also important to note that in March 2021, the FDA sent Biohaven an untitled letter about misleading claims Kardashian made during a View appearance, per Fierce Pharma.

That is a real compliance risk in healthcare PR that you should discuss with any agency in this space.

Pfizer acquired Biohaven for $11.6 billion in May 2022, as confirmed by Fierce Pharma’s reporting.

Sam Brown Likely Limitations

Sam Brown also has specific limitations. Understanding them protects you from a poor fit.

First, Sam Brown does not serve non-healthcare brands. If you run a fintech startup, a consumer app, or an enterprise software company, this agency has no media relationships, no editorial contacts, and no relevant experience in your industry.

The firm is a specialist. That specialization is its greatest strength and its hardest boundary.

Secondly, the agency is selective about the clients it takes on.

According to its published values and interviews with founder Laura Liotta, Sam Brown prioritizes long-term partnerships with companies working on scientifically meaningful therapies.

Not every healthcare startup will be accepted. You should have a candid conversation about their current intake criteria before investing time in a pitch.

Also, the Blue Matter acquisition closed in September 2024. Any acquisition brings workflow changes and reporting adjustments, even when the founding leader stays.

Ask directly about day-to-day operations since the deal closed and how client account structures have changed.

Furthermore, independent third-party reviews are limited. Sam Brown does not have a large volume of publicly available reviews on platforms like Clutch or G2.

Most performance evidence comes from the agency’s own case studies and published industry profiles.

Requesting independent client references in your specific therapeutic area is important before you commit.

Lastly, the agency’s focus on senior-led, high-touch service means it works with a small number of clients.

If you need rapid scale across multiple markets at once, the team size may be a constraint.

LaunchSquad vs Sam Brown: A Side-by-Side Comparison for Startup PR Decisions

Use this table to compare LaunchSquad vs Sam startup PR agencies across the factors that matter most when you are choosing a PR partner:

Sources: O’Dwyer’s PR Firms Directory 2025; PRWeek Agency Business Report 2024; Business Wire acquisition announcement

How to Decide if LaunchSquad vs Sam Brown

Fits Your Brand

The LaunchSquad vs Sam Brown decision comes down to your industry first and your startup stage second. Neither agency is universally better.

Each is better for a specific kind of client.

Choose LaunchSquad for startup PR if you match this profile:

• Your brand is in tech, AI, climate, deep tech, fintech, or consumer products.
• You need earned media coverage in TechCrunch, Wired, Forbes, Bloomberg, or CNBC.
• You want content marketing, verbal brand design, and PR managed by one team.
• You have raised at least a seed round and need to build credibility quickly.
• You are navigating a product launch, a funding announcement, or a new market entry.

Before signing, ask which team member manages your account daily. Also ask how the 2023 revenue decline affected headcount.

Those two questions tell you a lot about what your experience will be.

Choose Sam Brown for startup PR if you match this profile:

• Your startup is a biotech, pharma, medical device, or health-tech company.
• You need clinical trial communications, investor relations, and product launch support.
• You want a senior-led team that stays on your account year after year.
• You are planning to raise institutional investment or pursue a future partnership or acquisition.
• You want a team with specific experience taking a brand from stealth to commercialization.

Before signing, ask about how day-to-day operations have changed since the Blue Matter acquisition. Also ask for client references in your specific therapeutic area.

That will tell you whether the agency knows your science well enough to tell your story accurately.

LaunchSquad vs Sam Brown for Your Startup PR Strategy

Both LaunchSquad and Sam Brown are credible startup PR agencies with more than 25 years of records.

Neither is a poor choice within its own field. The problem only appears when a brand picks the wrong field.

LaunchSquad is one of the strongest tech startup PR firms in the United States.

Its O’Dwyer’s ranking, PRWeek Dashboard 25 recognition, SABRE Awards finalist history, and client roster, including Uber, Netflix, and Hippocratic AI, show a firm that has consistently delivered for growth-stage tech brands.

The 2024 Megawatt acquisition further deepens its capabilities in cybersecurity, AI, and climate tech content.

Sam Brown is one of the most respected healthcare startup PR agencies in the industry.

Consequently, the LaunchSquad vs Sam Brown comparison is not about which agency is better. It is about which one is right for you.

If your startup lives in tech or consumer, choose LaunchSquad. If your startup lives in life sciences, choose Sam Brown.

Verify every claim yourself. Request client references in your specific field. Compare at least two agencies before you sign.

The right startup PR firm shapes how your brand is understood at the moments that matter most.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the main difference between LaunchSquad and Sam Brown?

LaunchSquad specializes in tech, AI, climate, fintech, and consumer startup PR. Sam Brown focuses exclusively on healthcare and life sciences PR. The two firms target entirely different client types, media contacts, and investor audiences.

When was Sam Brown acquired by Blue Matter?

Blue Matter acquired Sam Brown on September 18, 2024. This was announced via Business Wire. Sam Brown retained its name, and founder Laura Liotta continues to lead the agency. She also joined Blue Matter’s executive management team to head a new strategic communications division. Blue Matter has more than 230 team members and 120 active clients, according to the acquisition announcement.

What is LaunchSquad’s revenue?

According to PRWeek’s Agency Business Report 2024, LaunchSquad reported $18 million in revenue in 2023. That was a 10% decline from the previous year. The firm projected $19.2 million for 2024. Those are the most recent publicly verified figures.

Did Nurtec ODT succeed after Sam Brown’s launch campaign?

Yes. According to Fierce Pharma, Nurtec ODT led in new-to-brand prescriptions shortly after launch, despite AbbVie’s competing drug Ubrelvy having an eight-week head start. A single Kardashian Instagram post received over 700,000 likes and 5 million views, per MM+M. Biohaven was later acquired by Pfizer for $11.6 billion in May 2022. It is also worth noting that the FDA sent Biohaven an untitled letter in March 2021 about misleading claims made during the launch, so healthcare PR compliance remains a real consideration in this space.

Is LaunchSquad good for early-stage startups?

LaunchSquad has worked with early-stage brands, but its most prominent clients are well-funded, growth-stage companies. Ask specifically about minimum retainer requirements and who manages daily account work before you engage. That conversation will tell you whether the relationship makes practical sense at your current stage.

Can Sam Brown work with a non-healthcare startup?

No. Sam Brown is a healthcare-only agency. Its team, media relationships, and services are built entirely around the life sciences industry. A tech, fintech, or consumer startup would not find the right media connections or strategic expertise at this firm.