A few years ago, I began working with a company building demand flexibility technology, the kind that lets utilities call on distributed energy resources during moments of peak demand. The technology was genuinely differentiated, but the market around it was getting crowded fast, and almost nobody outside the utility world had heard of them. Their own executives were not yet recognized voices in the conversations shaping where the industry was headed.
We spent the next stretch of time building two things at once: sharpening what actually made their approach different so it would not get lost among a dozen similar sounding competitors, and putting their executives in front of the right audiences consistently, not just when there was news to announce. Bylines in the trade press. Speaking opportunities. Real engagement with the analysts and journalists covering demand flexibility and grid modernization.
It took time, but the payoff showed up in the ways that matter most for a growing company: coverage in publications their target buyers actually read, and executives who started getting called by reporters trying to understand where the market was headed, instead of the other way around.
That is not a communications success story so much as a business one. It is what happens when a company treats visibility as infrastructure to build early, not a milestone to chase once the technology speaks for itself.
The Communication Gap in Energy Innovation
Energy companies often prioritize technical milestones, such as product validation, operational efficiency, and regulatory approvals, in their early stages of growth. Communications is treated as a secondary need, something to pick up after launch or when there is news to announce.
But waiting until after key milestones to establish clear messaging leaves a critical gap. Audiences including investors, regulators, and communities form impressions with or without your input. New technologies and business models get misunderstood, which slows adoption. And the early window to shape public perception and build momentum closes whether or not you used it.
I know a cleantech founder who waited until she was in the middle of a Series A raise to start building her media presence. By then, the journalists she needed relationships with did not know her. The analysts covering her space had already published market maps without her company on them. Investors doing diligence were searching her name and finding almost nothing. She closed the round, but she told me afterward that the communications gap made everything harder than it needed to be.
What Strategic Communications Looks Like Early On
Strategic communications at early stages doesn't require big budgets or flashy campaigns. It means defining your narrative so it's clear what problem you solve and why it matters, aligning internal and external messaging so employees, partners, and investors tell the same story, and preparing leadership to speak confidently about complex solutions in ways that resonate beyond technical audiences.
Companies that embed communications strategy early are better positioned to navigate regulatory reviews, attract funding, and drive project acceptance.
Key Areas to Focus Early in Communications Strategy
Stakeholder Mapping: Know who your critical audiences are and what they need to hear.
Message Development: Explain your technology or solution clearly, for the audience in front of you.
Executive Visibility: Put leadership in front of media, speaking opportunities, and community conversations before there's news to announce.
Scenario Planning: Prepare for hard questions before someone asks them.
Build the Foundation Before You Need It
Building a strong communications foundation doesn't require a large team at the outset. It requires thoughtful strategy, consistent execution, and the discipline to anticipate how different audiences will respond to new ideas and new technologies, well before a launch date or a funding round forces the question.
The companies that treat communications as infrastructure, not promotion, are the ones still standing when the regulatory review gets tougher, the funding environment tightens, or a competitor tries to define the category first. In a sector where technology changes fast but trust builds slowly, early communications strategy isn't optional. It's an investment in long-term success.
I'd be curious how others here have seen this play out. Has anyone worked at a company that waited too long to build a communications presence, or one that got it right early? What made the difference?