Larkin/Volpatt Communications

What Larkin/Volpatt Communications does

Larkin/Volpatt Communications is a privately held, boutique public relations and integrated marketing communications firm founded in 2003 and operating as LV Comm, LLC. The firm specializes in serving startup founders, technology companies, and seasoned entrepreneurs, helping clients define their messaging and secure media coverage with key targets. Its core services include media and analyst outreach, messaging development built around the proprietary 4D's Framework (Different, Defensible, Disruptive, Direct), competitive analysis, conference speakers bureau placement, news monitoring, and LVConnect, a super-connector network that facilitates introductions to potential partners, customers, investors, and advisors through the founders' personal relationships.

The firm's service model is partnership-led and high-touch: co-founders Kate Larkin and Michael Volpatt personally lead every client engagement, with no hand-offs to junior teams. Geographic presence spans three offices in New York, San Francisco, and Berlin, supporting clients across North American and European startup ecosystems. The client roster spans startups (Arkadium, YouNoodle, Bungee Lost+Found, YouNow) and select enterprise engagements (YouTube SMB, Peloton Interactive/Hearst Magazines, Hospital for Special Surgery), across technology/digital media, consumer/lifestyle, and health/science verticals.

The firm generates revenue through fee-based, customized professional services engagements with pricing not publicly disclosed. It is founder-owned with no institutional investment, no parent company, and no disclosed M&A activity. With 1-10 employees, the business is operationally lean and its growth capacity is inherently linked to the founders' billable hours rather than a scalable delivery infrastructure.

Name

Larkin/Volpatt Communications

Legal name

LV Comm, LLC d/b/a Larkin/Volpatt Communications

Website

https://larkinvolpatt.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Larkin/Volpatt Communications is a boutique PR and integrated marketing communications firm founded in 2003 that helps startup founders, technology companies, and entrepreneurs define messaging and secure media coverage. The co-founders personally lead every engagement, with offices in New York, San Francisco, and Berlin.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Relations Services

NAICS

Public Relations Agencies (54182)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)

akta.pro primary industry

Digital PR & Social Media Communications (MPAAADAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Media Relations, Monitoring & Rapid Response (MPAAAOAK)

Keywords

• Public relations services
• Media relations
• Integrated communications
• Messaging strategy
• Startup communications

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. PR and Communications Services: Fee-based professional services engagement model. The firm provides integrated marketing communications and public relations services to technology companies, startups, and entrepreneurs. Services include media outreach, messaging development, competitive analysis, speakers bureau placement, and LVConnect super-connector networking introductions.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Larkin/Volpatt Communications is a boutique integrated marketing communications and public relations firm providing strategic messaging, media relations, competitive analysis, conference speaking placement, news monitoring, and business development introductions (LVConnect) for startup technology companies, innovators, and seasoned entrepreneurs. Every engagement is personally led by co-founders Kate Larkin and Michael Volpatt with no hand-offs to junior teams.

Product overview

Larkin/Volpatt Communications is an integrated marketing communications and public relations firm founded in 2003, offering a suite of six core services centered on strategic messaging and media relations for innovators, startup technology companies, and seasoned entrepreneurs. The firm's primary offerings include Media & Analyst Outreach, Messaging Development (built on their proprietary The 4D's Framework methodology), Competitive Analysis, Speakers Bureau, News Bureau, and LVConnect (a super-connector network for strategic introductions). The 4D's Framework—Different, Defensible, Disruptive, Direct—serves as the foundational messaging philosophy underpinning their messaging development and competitive analysis services. LVConnect functions as a differentiated service layer that extends beyond traditional PR by facilitating business development introductions through the founders' personal networks.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Media & Analyst Outreach Media relations and analyst engagement service providing press release creation, proactive and reactive pitch development, and story framing for announcements to secure coverage in target media outlets.
• Messaging Development Strategic messaging development service that helps clients ensure their message is Different, Defensible, Disruptive, and Direct (4D's framework) for their target audience of customers or partners, paired with competitive analysis to ensure market differentiation.
• Competitive Analysis Market intelligence service that researches competitors, their messaging, media coverage, and market positioning to help clients differentiate in the marketplace and inform strategic communications planning.
• Speakers Bureau Conference placement service that secures speaking slots for clients at key industry conferences including panels, keynotes, and industry expert placements at events such as SXSW, ad:tech, and TechCrunch Disrupt.
• News Bureau Market monitoring and trend analysis service that tracks competition, industry news, and trending topics to generate proactive and reactive outreach ideas for client communications.
• LVConnect Super-connector network service that leverages Kate Larkin and Michael Volpatt's professional relationships to make strategic introductions to potential partners, customers, investors, and advisors, extending service value beyond traditional PR.
• The 4D's Framework Codified messaging development methodology based on four pillars: Different (unique differentiators), Defensible (sustainable positioning), Disruptive (market-changing elements), and Direct (clear, jargon-free communication), which serves as the firm's intellectual property foundation for messaging work.

Quantifiable outcome

• $1M in earned media value generated for Bungee Lost+Found client through broadcast media coverage

Named customers17 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• BerlinRosen: Mid-sized strategic communications firm with strong tech, consumer, and public affairs practices. Comparable integrated PR offering though at materially larger scale than LVC.
• SHIFT Communications: Tech-focused PR agency. Directly comparable as a specialist in technology and consumer brand communications, with similar media relations and messaging development offerings.
• Landis Communications (LCI): Independent PR agency specializing in technology and consumer brands. Directly comparable boutique positioning serving similar startup and mid-market technology clients.
• Walker Sands: B2B tech-focused PR and marketing agency. Comparable as a boutique-to-mid-market firm focused on technology and SaaS startups, with similar messaging and media relations offerings.
• 5W Public Relations: Mid-sized US PR agency with strong consumer and tech practice. Comparable to Larkin/Volpatt in serving technology and consumer brand clients, though operating at larger scale with more verticals.
• Version 2.0 Communications: Independent PR agency with strong technology practice. Comparable boutique integrated marketing communications approach for technology, consumer, and digital media clients.
• Konnect Agency: PR and social media agency with technology and consumer focus. Comparable boutique firm serving similar startup and growth-stage technology clients.
• LaunchSquad: Boutique PR firm focused on technology and consumer startups. Directly comparable to Larkin/Volpatt in targeting venture-backed founders and providing senior-led, integrated communications services.
• BOCA Communications: Boutique PR agency serving technology and consumer brands. Similar in size and operating model to Larkin/Volpatt, focused on media relations for emerging growth companies.

Broad incumbents

• Edelman: Global communications and PR giant with technology and consumer practices. Comparable only at the capability level — provides overlapping PR services but does not specialize in boutique startup engagements like LVC.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/lvceast
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/larkin-volpatt-communications

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Larkin/Volpatt Communications