In the African tech ecosystem, a founder’s biggest hurdle isn’t always the product, it’s the Google test.
Before an investor signs a term sheet or a high-value hire accepts an offer, they do one thing: they search for you.
If page one of Google is a ghost town, you’re already starting the conversation from behind.
For years, PR in Africa has been a game of who you know. Access to top-tier media was locked behind opaque agencies, relationship-dependent, and unpredictable timelines.
Olanrewaju Alaka, the founder of Laerryblue Media, saw this bottleneck and decided to build a platform to break it.
Enter Pressdia, a startup aiming to turn PR from a luxury service into scalable infrastructure.
Moving away from the Black Box of PR
Traditional PR is often a black box. Pricing is arbitrary, and the middle layers between a brand and a newsroom can make execution feel like a marathon. Alaka’s new venture, Pressdia, is designed to productize this experience.
“Brands were not failing because they lacked results. They were failing because the system made it hard to choose the right platforms, compare options, and execute without too many middle layers,” Alaka told the press.
Instead of heavy monthly retainers, Pressdia offers a portal that works 24/7, allowing startups and SMEs to select outlets based on specific goals, whether that’s recruitment, thought leadership, or regional expansion.
The Google Test as a Business Metric
Alaka argues that in the digital age, credibility is no longer a “nice-to-have” marketing perk; it’s a prerequisite for business.
“The internet is the new first impression. If people search you and find nothing credible, you start every conversation from behind, even if your business is strong.”
By categorizing global and local outlets with transparent pricing, Pressdia is targeting the missing middle startups and SMEs who need the credibility of a Tech news platform or a Bloomberg mention but can’t afford a $5,000-a-month agency.
PR as Infrastructure
The launch of Pressdia signals a shift in how African founders are approaching brand building. As the ecosystem matures and competition for global capital intensifies, shouting into the void” of social media isn’t enough.
Alaka’s vision is to make media proof a utility rather than a privilege.
Transparency: Clear pricing replaces the “quote on request” culture.
Scalability: Agencies and marketing teams can manage multiple distributions through one dashboard.
Access: Small-scale founders get the same seat at the table as established corporations.
“Africa’s next growth wave will reward brands that treat credibility like infrastructure,” Alaka says. “We built Pressdia so visibility is not a privilege.”
The Big Picture
As a reputation consultant who has advised public figures across Africa and the UK, Alaka is betting that the future of PR is self-service and data-driven.
While Laerryblue Media continues to handle high-stakes crisis comms and executive positioning, Pressdia is his play for the mass market.
In an era where fake news and deepfakes are on the rise, verified, third-party media mentions are becoming the most valuable currency a founder can hold. Alaka isn’t just selling articles; he’s selling the infrastructure for trust.
