Honeyjar Closes $2M Pre-Seed To Launch AI Operating System For Communications And PR
Honeyjar, a San Francisco startup building an AI co-pilot for communications and PR, has raised a $2 million pre-seed round and opened an Early Access waitlist for agencies, in-house teams, and independent pros. The round was led by Heather Hartnett of Human Ventures and Kevin Mahaffey of SNR Ventures.
The team is rolling out a secure, collaborative workspace that centralizes the comms workflow and brings AI agents into day-to-day execution. The goal is simple: reduce busywork so teams can think, write, and build relationships.
Why this matters for leaders
Comms teams lose hours context-switching across docs, spreadsheets, media databases, and chat threads. That drift turns into slower campaigns, uneven message discipline, and fuzzy reporting.
Honeyjar's approach puts planning, execution, and measurement in one place while AI handles repetitive tasks in the background. That means tighter coordination and cleaner visibility for executives without adding headcount.
What the platform brings together
Honeyjar positions itself as an operating system for modern communications work. Inside one workspace, teams can manage strategy and execution instead of stitching together tools.
- Strategic messaging and narrative development
- Media research and list building
- Pitching and contact management
- Events and speaking programs
- Briefing materials and prep
- Coverage tracking and sentiment
- Reporting and impact analysis
How it works
The system is powered by the same news, social, and events data comms teams already rely on. Honeyjar's AI agents use brand context, goals, and campaign history to suggest moves, run outreach, and keep trackers current - similar to a strong teammate keeping the trains on time.
Daily lift gets lighter: fewer manual lists, cleaner briefings, faster updates, and more consistent reporting. Teams get time back for strategy, storytelling, and relationships.
Market and momentum
The company points to a $15 billion communications and PR market and is building AI specifically for PR workflows and collaboration needs. Early Access is open now for agencies, in-house teams, and independents.
Who's backing Honeyjar
In addition to lead investors Heather Hartnett (Human Ventures) and Kevin Mahaffey (SNR Ventures), Honeyjar is backed by a network of media, communications, and marketing operators and advisors: Margit Wennmachers, Jesse Angelo, Josh Constine, Desiree Gruber, Joanne Bradford, Becky Porter, and Ajay Arora.
Key quotes
"The most interesting applications of AI right now are those that amplify the superpowers of professionals who are already excellent at their craft," said Heather Hartnett, CEO and General Partner at Human Ventures. "Technology shouldn't replace how you build relationships or do your job but it should give you better tools to excel at both. Honeyjar does this for communications professionals. It handles the tedious tasks so they can focus on what humans do best - strategic thinking, storytelling, and relationship building."
"Strategy, relationships, and judgment will always be the human part of communications and PR - that's the art," said Michelle Masek, CEO and Founder of Honeyjar. "But communicators spend too many hours on building media lists, creating briefing docs, chasing event details, and stitching AI tools together. We're building Honeyjar to be a secure, collaborative workspace with AI agents that work alongside you and your team, helping you shape stories, find opportunities, run campaigns, and measure impact effectively and efficiently."
"I've seen firsthand how, when done right, communications can be the most effective form of marketing that exists. But most teams get bogged down in the tasks and motions, leaving less time to be strategic about the story and the results. Honeyjar automates the essential tasks and workflows so more focus can go to the story, strategy, and stakeholders - with the mechanics happening automatically," said Kevin Mahaffey, Founder of SNR Ventures.
For executives and comms leaders: practical takeaways
- Consolidate a fragmented stack into one workflow to cut handoffs and context loss.
- Use AI for list building, briefs, and updates so your team can spend more time on message and media relationships.
- Push for cleaner reporting and sentiment tracking that rolls up to business outcomes.
- Keep human oversight on strategy and judgment; let the agent handle repeatable tasks.
- Pilot during Early Access with one team or product line before scaling org-wide.
What's next
Funding will support the rollout of Honeyjar's workspace and AI agents. If you lead comms or marketing, this is worth a pilot - especially if your team is juggling multiple tools and spreadsheet-driven processes.
If you're also upskilling your team on AI for marketing and communications, see this practical certification path: AI Certification for Marketing Specialists.
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