What 1AB does

1AB is a strategic external communications consultancy exclusively serving the life sciences sector. Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Tampa, the firm provides professional services to an 'elite group' of biotech and pharmaceutical companies across every corporate phase, including private and public company launches, financings, IPOs and reverse mergers, M&A transactions, drug and device development milestones, regulatory approvals, commercial launches, and crisis situations such as clinical trial setbacks, FDA advisory committee meetings, and approvable letters/CRLs.

The company's capabilities span executive counsel, message development and refinement, corporate communications, media relations, executive visibility, investor relations and capital markets advisory, presentation and media training, crisis management, digital/creative/social media strategy, and website and brand development. 1AB does not operate a proprietary software platform; its offering is specialized human advisory work delivered through a team of 22+ named professionals. The firm is a private corporation (1AB, Inc.) with no disclosed funding rounds, parent company, or ownership structure.

The business model is professional services revenue via quote-based, engagement-scoped fees acquired through direct enterprise sales targeting biotech and pharma executives. The active client roster includes roughly 43 named life sciences organizations, ranging from early-stage biotechs (e.g., Actio, Aera Therapeutics, Apogee, Blossom Hill, CellCentric, Corsera Health, Curie Bio, Dispatch, Gondola, LifeMine, Mirador, Neuron23, Ollin BioScience, Pelage, Sling, Splice Bio, Spyre, Star, Stylus, Sundance, Ventus) to enterprise-class companies (Vertex Pharmaceuticals, BridgeBio Pharma, Beam Therapeutics, Insitro, Loxo Oncology at Lilly, Nuvalent, Relay Therapeutics, Stoke Therapeutics, Structure Therapeutics, Tango Therapeutics, Travere Therapeutics, Xilio Therapeutics, Bicara Therapeutics, Celldex Therapeutics). Credibility is reinforced by earned media placements for client executives in The New York Times, CNBC, Bloomberg, Wall Street Journal, and Forbes.

Name

1AB

Legal name

1AB, Inc.

Website

https://1abmedia.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

1AB is a Tampa-based strategic communications consultancy exclusively serving life sciences companies, providing media relations, investor relations advisory, crisis management, and corporate communications services to biotech and pharma clients across all corporate milestones.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Strategic Communications Consulting

NAICS

Public Relations Agencies (54182), Advertising Agencies (541810)

akta.pro primary industry

Technology & B2B PR (MPAAADAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

B2B/ABM Creative Agencies (MPAAAAAI)

Keywords

• Strategic communications consulting
• Life sciences public relations
• Investor relations advisory
• Crisis communications management
• Corporate communications services

Headquarters

HQ city

Tampa

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Strategic Communications Consulting: Professional services fees for strategic external communications counsel, including executive advisory, message development, corporate communications, media relations, investor relations support, presentation and media training, crisis management, and digital/creative strategy services. Revenue is generated through consulting engagements with life sciences companies across various corporate milestones.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

1AB is a strategic external communications consultancy serving life sciences companies, delivering an integrated suite of professional services including executive counsel, message development, corporate communications, media relations, investor relations and capital markets advisory, crisis management, and digital/social media strategy. The firm supports clients through corporate milestones such as company launches, financings, IPOs/reverse mergers, M&A, drug development phases, regulatory approvals, and commercial launches.

Product overview

1AB is a strategic external communications partner providing an integrated suite of professional services to life sciences companies. The company offers a unified portfolio of communication and advisory services including Executive Counsel, Message Development, Corporate Communications, Media Relations, Investor Relations Advisory, Crisis Management, and Digital/Social Media Strategy. These services support clients across all phases including company launches, financings, IPOs, M&A, drug development milestones, regulatory approvals, and commercial launches. 1AB does not offer a software product platform but rather delivers specialized communications expertise as a service offering.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Executive Counsel
• Message Development/Refinement
• Corporate Communications
• Media Relations
• Executive Visibility & Speaking Opportunities
• Investor Relations & Capital Markets Advisory
• Presentation & Media Training
• Crisis Management
• Digital, Creative & Social Media Strategy
• Website & Brand Development

Named customers44 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Real Chemistry (formerly W2O Group): Large healthcare-focused communications and data science firm serving biotech, pharma, and health tech. Larger, broader portfolio incumbent that competes with 1AB for life sciences PR mandates.
• FGS Global: Global strategic communications and advisory firm with a healthcare and life sciences practice. Larger incumbent that competes with 1AB for high-stakes biotech communications, M&A, and crisis mandates.
• Edelman: Global communications firm with a dedicated health practice serving major pharma and biotech. Competes with 1AB for enterprise life sciences communications engagements but operates at vastly greater scale and breadth.

Direct peers

• ICR (ICR Inc.): Strategic communications and advisory firm with a deep healthcare and life sciences practice, including IR and capital markets advisory. Highly comparable business model and client overlap with 1AB.
• Canale Communications: Specialized life sciences communications agency serving biotech, pharma, and medtech with media relations, IR, and corporate communications. Direct vertical peer to 1AB in size and scope.
• Russo Partners: Boutique strategic communications and IR firm dedicated to life sciences and healthcare companies. Closely comparable to 1AB in vertical specialization, client type (biotech/pharma), and service mix (media relations, IR, crisis).
• JPA Health: Full-service health communications agency supporting biotech, pharma, and health tech clients through product, policy, and corporate milestones. Comparable boutique-to-mid-market life sciences PR peer.
• KCSA Strategic Communications: Boutique communications and IR firm with a strong life sciences practice, supporting biotech companies through financings, IPOs, and corporate milestones. Comparable in scale, vertical, and service mix to 1AB.
• Spectrum Science: Independent health and science communications agency with biotech and pharma clients. Comparable specialized positioning to 1AB with parallel service offerings in media relations and scientific storytelling.
• Westwicke (an ICR company): Healthcare-focused investor relations and strategic communications firm serving public and pre-IPO biotechs. Closely comparable to 1AB in IR advisory, capital markets communications, and life sciences vertical focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/1ab

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles22 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about 1AB