Is media relations startups’ most underrated growth and trust lever?

Join Simon Thomsen, editor of Startup Daily, the media covering all things startups across the Australian and New Zealand tech ecosystem, for a blunt live interview with PR tech founder Marie Dowling, on the good, the bad and freaking stupid things founders do with their PR. Startup founders are often told they need PR, but much less is said about when media relations genuinely helps, what makes a story worth covering, and what founders repeatedly get wrong. In this live interview, Simon Thomsen brings the journalist's perspective from Startup Daily while Marie Dowling brings the perspective of a PR tech founder working with companies trying to earn attention and trust. Together they will unpack the good, the bad and the freaking stupid things founders do with their PR, what journalists actually need, and how media relations can support growth and credibility when it is done well. What you'll leave with A clearer understanding of when media relations can genuinely help a startup What makes a startup story interesting and useful to journalists Common PR mistakes founders make and why they fail A better sense of how to approach journalists and media more effectively Practical lessons for using PR to build trust and support growth rather than simply chase coverage FormatLive interview, candid discussion and audience Q&A. Who it's forStartup founders, CEOs, marketers and communications people who want to understand how media relations actually works and how to approach it more effectively. Speakers Simon Thomsen, Editor, Startup Daily Marie Dowling, Founder, Gust PR The Startup Growth Lab is 2-days of practical workshops, live demos and real conversations, part of Spark Festival at UTS, 23-24 September 2026.