Honeyjar, a startup co-founded by PR veterans Michelle Masek and Nadia Jamshidi, is leveraging AI to transform public relations and communications for companies of all sizes. Launching at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 as part of the Startup Battlefield 200, Honeyjar aims to democratize the expertise typically held by top-tier PR professionals, helping founders and unassigned communicators who often struggle with strategic messaging. The platform automates essential tasks such as crafting announcements, identifying key journalists, and pinpointing speaking opportunities, integrating these capabilities into one comprehensive workflow.

The founders emphasize that Honeyjar is designed to complement rather than replace human judgment in PR work. While the AI can generate draft pitches and content in the user’s voice, final approval and distribution remain in human hands, ensuring personalized and thoughtful communication. This balance addresses concerns about AI-generated spam pitches overwhelming journalists, as Honeyjar prioritizes quality and strategic timing. The product is trained not only on its creators' experience but also on insights gathered from other seasoned PR professionals, encapsulating judgment, context, and company goals deeply into its algorithms.

Honeyjar’s appeal extends beyond typical communications teams, targeting a broad range of individuals who manage messaging duties without formal PR titles. This includes marketers, investors, creators, educators, and community leaders, reflecting the widespread need for strategic communication across industries. The platform has already attracted significant interest, recording 10,000 waitlist signups within 24 hours and onboarding respected beta testers like Nextdoor, Coco Robotics, Bloomberg Beta, and agencies such as Mission North and Full Picture.

The startup envisions a future where companies can produce more credible, effective pitches that genuinely resonate with journalists and other audiences, reducing PR noise and enhancing engagement. Honeyjar’s mission is to scale expert judgment through AI to help millions of communicators succeed more confidently and efficiently in their outreach efforts, making strategic PR accessible to a much larger and more diverse group of professionals.