PR & Analyst Relations2021–2023
PlanetScale
Mindshare positioned PlanetScale as "the database for developers" in a market crowded by Oracle, AWS RDS, and CockroachDB. Launches like Rewind (an industry-first database "undo") landed across TechCrunch, The Register, and InfoWorld. Signups grew approximately 160% quarter-over-quarter after general availability, with GitHub, Slack, Square, and Affirm among marquee customers.
$30M B + $50M C
Funding-round communications supported
Rewind launch
Industry-first coverage across Tier-1 press
RedMonk + cloud analysts
Analyst validation program
KubeCon + theCUBE
Event and video presence
The challenge
- ›Crowded database market — Oracle, AWS RDS, Google Cloud SQL, MongoDB, CockroachDB
- ›Young startup needing awareness with developers and enterprise buyers simultaneously
- ›Needed to differentiate serverless MySQL/Vitess on developer experience, not just specs
- ›Turn open-source Vitess credibility into commercial narrative momentum
Mindshare approach
- ›Helped establish PlanetScale as 'the database for developers' in earned media
- ›Drove launches — Rewind, Insights, Portals, Connect, Branching and Deploy Requests
- ›Built Tier-1 media and analyst relations: TechCrunch, The Register, VentureBeat, RedMonk
- ›Amplified funding, AWS Marketplace, KubeCon, theCUBE, podcasts and awards
Results
- 01Rewind landed as an industry-first with broad Tier-1 pickup (The Register, InfoWorld, TechCrunch)
- 02Analyst briefings validated the serverless MySQL story with RedMonk and cloud observers
- 03Execs became regular voices at KubeCon, on theCUBE and developer podcasts
- 04Customer stories and launch coverage sustained momentum across funding cycles