Wimbart launches low-cost PR service for early-stage African startups

Wimbart, a public relations agency specialising in business and technology sectors across Africa and emerging markets, has launched Wimbart Lite, a dedicated service designed for pre-seed and early-stage startups. 

The service is targeted at African companies that have raised under $1 million and need focused, fast-turnaround communications support.

The launch comes as Africa’s tech ecosystem matures and competition for attention across online, broadcast, and print media intensifies, putting early-stage companies under growing pressure to communicate traction to investors, partners, and customers.

In several African markets, small businesses spend up to $1,500 monthly on basic PR retainers, while more established firms pay between $5,000 and $15,000. Larger international campaigns can cost more than $20,000 monthly. These costs, combined with staffing and structural gaps in many agencies, mean startups and growing organisations often struggle to access professional communications support.

Wimbart said the new service was built to address this gap, joining platforms like The Rundown Studio, cofounded by former CNN anchor Zain Verjee, offering similar services. 

“Wimbart was built in the trenches with African tech founders, before the market had fully caught up with their vision,” said Jessica Hope, Wimbart’s founder and CEO. “Wimbart Lite has been in development for some time, as a service for early-stage companies who may not require full-blown month-on-month public relations support, but do need to get a news story out there.”

Wimbart Lite uses a menu-based model with three offerings: milestone announcements for launches and partnerships, founder profile packs focused on thought leadership and media positioning, and fundraise communications for early-stage rounds, with a 15% discount for VC portfolio companies.

Maria Adediran, Associate Director and founding team member, has been appointed Head of Wimbart Lite, where she will set the division’s strategic direction and lead its growth. She holds over a decade of experience across consumer and corporate PR and has led multi-market campaigns for VCs and high-growth companies from early-stage to unicorn, including Andela, M-KOPA, TLcom, and Kobo360. 

“Wimbart Lite exists to turn real work and traction—early milestones, partnerships, and fundraises—into a clear, credible story the ecosystem can understand and trust,” Adediran said.

Founded in 2015, Wimbart operates across Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, and Egypt, and says it has supported more than 180 companies across 20 African countries.