Expert Insights from Liza Sullivan, Managing Director, Argot Partners, a Danforth Advisors company
Emerging from stealth mode is a pivotal moment for any early-stage biotech company. A biotech company launch is more than a press release and a website—it’s an opportunity to introduce your company and its mission to the world, increase awareness with a broad audience through earned and social media, and begin building lasting credibility. Here is a high-level roadmap to help you launch your biotech company the right way—strategically, confidently, and with purpose.
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Six Months Before Biotech Company Launch: Lay the Foundation
When launching your biotech company, the right brand is a strategic tool that drives outcomes, helping to raise capital, recruit top-tier talent, and build partnerships. At this stage, it’s about defining your mission and brand, aligning your leadership team on messaging, and establishing your visual identity.
Run a focused messaging session
Before launching your biotech company, bring together key leaders—CEO, CSO, communications leads—to define your mission, vision, and values. This working session should answer: Why does the company exist/What problem are we solving? What benefits will we provide and to who? What’s our biotech company’s tone and personality? From this work, develop a message document and corporate narrative that will feed into all external communications tools (website, corporate deck, social media, press release etc.)
Align leadership around core messaging
Once the messaging is established, clearly define roles: Who speaks to what in your story? For example, the CEO may focus on the business strategy, while the CSO speaks to the science. Early alignment avoids message confusion down the road.
Develop your visual identity
Start the creative process for your biotech company’s logo, color palette, typography, and brand personality. Even if you’re in stealth, these assets should be legally cleared (trademarked) and reflect who you are—not just what you do. If the company isn’t yet named or needs a new name, this is the time to initiate a process.
Three Months Before Biotech Company Launch: Build the Assets
With messaging and brand direction in place, it’s time to create the tools that will support your biotech company launch.
Create your website
Draft website copy based on the approved key messages and work with a designer to apply the visual identity earlier defined. Make sure to apply the design elements consistently across all core assets: website, corporate deck, social media graphics and banners.
Write your news announcement
Craft a press release for your biotech company’s launch, containing your key messages that connect your company’s vision to a broader unmet need, not just your technology. Don’t forget Q&A prep docs and FAQs to keep team messaging consistent.
Set up your digital presence
Get your LinkedIn and X (Twitter) accounts ready to go live on the launch date with branded visuals and a built-out company description. Start working on a social media content calendar that will take you from launch to three months out.
One Month Before Biotech Company Launch: Rehearse and Refine
This is when everything starts coming together, and precision becomes key.
Speaker/media training for leadership
In preparation for the news announcement and media effort, conduct a media training session with company spokespeople to prepare for tough questions, define who delivers what messages and ensure consistent and confident delivery.
Finalize all materials for launch
This includes the press release, social media content, FAQ documents, and corporate deck. Allow extra time for board and legal reviews—they often take longer than expected.
Website readiness
Have the website staging site active and ready for review and approval in order to go live on your biotech company’s launch date.
Biotech Company Launch Week: Activate and Amplify
You only get one chance to make a first impression as a startup, so use this week to go big and stay visible.
1) Distribute your press release for maximum visibility: Use a news wire service, send the press release to a friends and family list and pitch key reporters with embargoed materials in advance. Have leadership available for interviews.
2) Go live with your startup’s website and social channels: Post your launch content across all platforms and amplify media coverage with reposts, comments, and thought leadership from your leadership team.
3) Kick off investor and partner outreach: Now is the time to build momentum. Reach out to your networks and start scheduling follow-up meetings.
Post-Launch: Keep the Story Going
Brand building doesn’t stop after launch day.
1) Track Performance: Monitor media coverage, LinkedIn engagement, and web traffic to benchmark awareness.
2) Stay visible: Work with a communications partner to establish a 12-month plan that will keep your company visible through investor activities, earned and social media, and through leadership activities.
A truly distinct brand is built from the inside out, starting with a compelling story, reinforced by a cohesive visual identity, and carried forward by a leadership team that’s aligned and confident in what they’re presenting. Your biotech company’s launch is more than an announcement—it’s your first opportunity to shape perception and earn trust. Having a plan and executing based on a clear roadmap ensures you don’t miss the moment.
Looking for support with your biotech company’s launch? Connect with our expert team today.