ClearStory International

What ClearStory International does

ClearStory International is a Dublin-headquartered boutique public relations agency founded in 2017 by James McCann, specializing in international tech PR for early-stage and growth-stage technology companies. The firm serves start-ups, emerging ventures, and expanding companies seeking global recognition, with a stated focus on verticals including AI, FinTech, E-commerce, VR/AR, Sustainability, Cybersecurity, and EdTech. Its core services span Brand Awareness, Reputation Building, Market Education, Market Positioning, Digital Marketing, and International Media Coverage, delivered through a proprietary global network of over 150,000 journalists and editorial contacts across 80+ countries and three continents.

The business operates as a sales-led professional services firm on a retainer/quote-based model with multi-year contracts. ClearStory differentiates by hiring former journalists to craft narratives, and supports its go-to-market through thought-leadership content (Tech Trends Reports, blog, CMO webinars), active participation in major tech conferences (Web Summit, Dublin Tech Summit, Techsauce), and direct discovery-call sales. The firm maintains offices in Dublin (Ireland, headquarters), Hamburg (Germany), and Bangkok (Thailand), with a stated presence spanning Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and North America. Its customer base of 50+ clients includes names such as Keelvar, Huckletree, Bloom Diagnostics, Maform Design, Incomlend, and AirSensa.

In June 2025, ClearStory was acquired by Irish digital marketing agency Core Optimisation for €500,000, with founder James McCann remaining as Managing Director to lead international expansion into North America and the UAE. The firm is PRCA-accredited and was ranked Dublin's Number One PR Agency by BestInIreland.com in 2022. ClearStory is not a technology platform company; its competitive moat is built on human capital, journalist relationships, and demonstrated media access rather than proprietary software.

Name

ClearStory International

Legal name

ClearStory International

Website

https://clearstoryinternational.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

ClearStory International is a Dublin-headquartered boutique PR agency founded in 2017, specializing in international tech public relations for early-stage and growth-stage technology companies through a global network of 150,000+ journalists across 80+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Dublin

HQ country

Ireland

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel

Revenue model

1. PR Consulting Services: ClearStory generates revenue through professional public relations consulting services delivered to technology startups and scaling companies. Services include brand awareness, reputation building, market education, market positioning, and digital marketing. The engagement model appears to be retainer-based professional services with customized campaigns.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

ClearStory International is a Dublin-headquartered public relations agency that delivers global recognition for technology startups and scaling companies. Its core offering is retainer-based PR consulting—brand awareness, reputation building, market education, market positioning, digital marketing, and international media coverage—delivered through a proprietary global network of more than 150,000 journalists across 80+ countries.

Product overview

ClearStory International is a unified PR service offering rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. The company provides a comprehensive suite of public relations services focused on tech startups and scaling companies: Brand Awareness, Reputation Building, Market Education, Market Positioning, Digital Marketing, and International Media Coverage services. These core offerings are delivered through a global network of over 150,000 journalists and media contacts across 80+ countries. The company also produces research publications including Tech Trends Reports for various markets and provides educational content through its PR Insights blog and CMO webinars. The firm was acquired by Core Optimisation in mid-2025 as part of a strategic expansion initiative.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Brand Awareness PR service that puts clients' brands front and center in their target markets, generating powerful interest in their products and services. Targeted at technology startups and scaling companies seeking to raise visibility.
• Reputation Building Service focused on managing and boosting client credibility as an international tech PR reputation building agency, opening up new opportunities for growing companies.
• Market Education PR service that raises company profiles by crafting messaging that explains what makes clients unique and answers the 'why choose you?' question.
• Market Positioning Service ensuring the brand story is clear, consistent, and aligned with client goals, building unshakeable trust in target markets.
• Digital Marketing Integrated digital marketing services complementing the PR offerings to provide cohesive, data-driven communication solutions for technology companies.
• International Media Coverage Securing international media coverage for tech companies using a global PR network of over 150,000 journalists and major news publications across 80+ countries.

Quantifiable outcome

• Coverage in top-tier international publications including New York Times, BBC, CNBC, The Verge, The Guardian, TechCrunch, and regional outlets
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/11217587
• Xx.com/clearstoryint

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 ClearStory International