TechCrunch no longer reigns. Who's taking the crown?

Author

Ash + Lizzy
April 26, 2025

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A pattern we’re seeing at Colab—our clients aren’t asking to be in TechCrunch anymore.

We’re also not getting much demand for paywalled outlets.

More often than not, they’re asking to be in newsletters—Axios, Morning Brew, niche Substacks, and other media written by operators for operators. Anything that directly hits the inboxes of their target audience.

It’s no small shift. For a decade, TechCrunch was the crown jewel of startup PR—a badge of legitimacy you couldn’t buy. But the game has changed. Founders still want credibility, but more important is attention that turns into pipeline.

So where do you get that attention? Increasingly its outlets that didn’t even exist a year ago. Just this week, Erik Torenberg’s Turpentine Network was acquired by A16Z for its reach, and John Coogan left Founders Fund to go full time on TBPN—a three hour daily live streamed show on X. Yup, things are changing.

So, if TechCrunch isn’t the crown jewel anymore, where does the spotlight land?

Here’s where we see things heading:

  1. Media Personalities > Legacy Logos

    This week, Perplexity rolled out an assistant for iOS. Where did their CEO pop up on launch day to talk about the launch? TBPN.


    Hosted by John Coogan and Jordi Hays, they’ve basically brought X to life with a three-hour daily live streamed show featuring the who’s who of tech. They’ve nailed the branding, built a community, and turned it into a prestige placement. Unlike a Venture Beat, TechCrunch, or Financial Times, you can’t just pitch the right editor.

    To land a spot on this show, you need the right connections—or you need to create content so compelling that they’ll come to you. As we said last week… publish, don’t pitch. In this new media landscape, you’ve got to give creators a reason to know who you are.

  2. Audience is everything

    A16Z’s acquisition of Erik Torenberg’s media network was a clear signal. They didn’t need another General Partner—they needed distribution. Turpentine’s portfolio of newsletters and podcasts gave them access to more inboxes, ears, and social feeds.


    Right now, you can automate everything except attention. Founders should be thinking the same way. Build your own distribution channels. Launch a podcast. Write a newsletter. Publish consistently and insightfully, so that people want to feature you—and you’re in a position to feature them in return.

  3. From PR Ladder → PR Surround Sound

    There used to be a playbook for PR: start with the trades, move up to TechCrunch, aim for WSJ or NYT if you’re really killing it. But today, it’s not about climbing a ladder of legitimacy. It’s about creating surround sound across every channel you can—inbox hits, podcast appearances, viral video clips, and earned social buzz.


    Legacy media still has its place in the mix, but if you’re putting all your effort into it, you're missing out. Many of your users have stopped consuming that kind of content. Newsletters are the new front page—Pro Rata, Term Sheet, Not Boring. Even niche Substacks with 5K subscribers can move the needle when the right people are reading them.

The rise of media personalities and influencers has changed the game—attention now comes from creators who own the platforms, not just from legacy logos.

The new playbook? It’s about building your own audience while still leveraging the power of legacy outlets. Think of it as adding to your PR stack—creating attention across every channel. Publish consistently, build your brand, and show up where your audience is.

📱 New in non-traditional media

Tracking the newsletters, podcasts, and creators reshaping media influence.

📰 In the news

  • 🚨 New AI pod just dropped

    Lenny Rachitsky, of the very popular Lenny’s Newsletter, just announced the first ever attention to the Lenny’s Podcast network: How I AI with Claire Vo. It will show how people from all walks of life have figured out how to use AI tools in their day-to-day life to improve the quality and efficiency of their work.

  • Former Business Insider editor launches a media startup
    Nicholas Carlson, former BI editor, launched Dynamo with a profile in the NYT. Dynamo will produce ‘cinematic; video stories for YouTube, TikTok, and LinkedIn.

  • Ryan Lizza launches Telos
    The former Politico reporter launched his new Substack, Telos, to “build a community of plugged-in news consumers who are as frustrated as he is about what’s happening in America and how it’s all being covered.”

🎤 Spotlight on femtech creators

The femtech market will hit $130 billion by 2034. If you’re building in femtech, here are a few non-traditional media outlets to keep on your radar:

  • 🎧 Femtech Focus

    • 235k+ downloads

    • Bi-weekly episodes featuring interviews with leading experts on innovations and investing in female health

    • Hosted by geneticist and entrepreneur, Dr. Brittany Barreto

  • 📧 Femtech Insider

    • 15K+ subscribers

    • Weekly newsletter covering women’s health innovation industry news and insights—insights, analysis, and deep dives.

    • Founded by Kathrin Folkendt, consultant and speaker on women’s health innovation, fertility, and entrepreneurship

  • 📧 FutureFemHealth

    • 8,000+ subscribers

    • Newsletter dedicated to the world of women’s health innovation and femtech, includes coverage on funding, research and global policies 

    • Founded by Anna O’Sullivan, a trained journalist and entrepreneur

  • 🎧 Femtech Health 

    • Bi-weekly interviews with leading health care providers and entrepreneurs tackling biotech, women’s health and more.  

    • Hosted by Sheree Dibiase, entrepreneur and physical therapist

⭐️ Favorite story of the week:

  • “A new media order is emerging” - Hamish McKenzie, Substack

    Sensing a theme this week? This piece from Substack’s CEO shows how they want the media world to evolve—individual media creators rising in the rubble of legacy media institutions. While it’s not that black and white, it certainly signals a shift in how to think about the future of press and PR.

⚡️ Steal this pitch

Here’s a real pitch we used to pitch for in-persons at an industry event:

Subject: [Event] - Meet with [NAME]?

[NAME], [TITLE], will be attending the [Conference Name], taking interviews, and coffee chats. He's also moderating the [PANEL], [TIME].

[BIO information, detail what makes the speaker unique].

  • NAME’s market insights are considered a trusted voice in high-stakes decision-making across industries and are frequently featured in top-tier media platforms.

  • Most recently, he's covered the market's strategic positioning in AI and data centers, dynamics of semiconductor manufacturing, and competitive strategies in high-performance computing. ($NVDA, $GOOG, $META, $MSFT, $TSLA, $AMZN, $TSMC, etc.)

  • As the author of six best-selling books exploring leadership, digital disruption, and future-ready strategies, [NAME] is known for his data-driven thinking and real-time market savvy.

[NAME] is currently booking in-person appearances at [EVENT]. Please let me know if you're interested in snagging a spot, or having coffee.

💫 Client Wins

Our clients are making headlines. Check out the coverage our clients got this week in PYMNTS, VentureBeat, and Carbon Capture Magazine.

Want coverage like this? Say hello.

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