Astrsk PR: New York Startup PR Agency Profile

Astrsk PR is an independent New York public relations agency founded in 2012 by tech PR veteran Elliot Tomaeno, per its own releases. It works with innovative, high-growth brands on media relations, launches, influencer programs and events, and runs an annual pro bono contest for underrepresented founders. Its April 2024 release says it has awarded over $1.25 million in pro bono PR services to date, and its releases name Lemonade, Squarespace, Prime Video and Match Group as clients.

Originally published July 2021. Updated October 18, 2026.

Who founded Astrsk PR?

The agency's releases say Tomaeno founded it in 2012 and describe its approach as helping brands embrace their rebellious sides through non-traditional PR. He worked at agencies in San Francisco, London, Paris and New York before founding it, per a company description. In the PR Net 2022 entry he said 99 percent of clients are startups that move extremely fast, so the agency has to be as agile, and described a proprietary points system for evaluating the impact of coverage. In the 2023 entry the agency said it had expanded its B2B and B2C fintech focus, Web3 and blockchain work and returned to boutique travel and travel tech for the first time since the pandemic.

Person	Role	Source
Elliot Tomaeno	Founder and CEO	Agility PR; The PR Net
Lisa Horton	President	The PR Net 100, 2024

Who are Astrsk PR's clients?

The agency's April 2024 release names Match Group, Lemonade, Squarespace and Prime Video. Its 2022 PR Net entry lists long-term clients Lemonade Insurance, Industrious, Bonafide, PlayVS, Baked by Melissa, Majority, Motorsport Games, Grover and Out&Back, and says its roster included six unicorns. The 2023 entry adds Zola, Laird Superfood, Swimply, Thinx, MaC Venture Capital, Primary Venture Partners, Tempo, Misfits Market, Groupon and Lightricks. The 2024 entry lists Baked by Melissa, Archer, Dossier, MaC Venture Capital, Ordergroove and StellarFi.

Source and year	Clients named
The PR Net 100, 2022	Lemonade, Industrious, Bonafide, PlayVS, Baked by Melissa, Majority, Motorsport Games, Grover, Out&Back
The PR Net 100, 2023	Zola, Amazon Prime Video, Squarespace, Laird Superfood, Swimply, Thinx, Misfits Market, Groupon, Lightricks
The PR Net 100, 2024	Baked by Melissa, Archer, Dossier, MaC Venture Capital, Ordergroove, StellarFi

What work has Astrsk PR done?

In its 2024 PR Net 100 submission the agency said it led the launch of the Baked by Melissa cookbook, Come Hungry, which it says topped Amazon's cookbook list, reported a record number of influencer partnerships for Archer, and described a growing fintech practice and expanded services for AI-focused clients. These are the agency's own claims.

What is Astrsk PR's pro bono program?

The agency's releases say it created the contest to support diverse entrepreneurs and awards a year of full-scope PR to one winner chosen by a panel of journalists, industry experts and agency staff. Eligibility, per the sixth annual release, requires a startup founded by a woman and/or a BIPOC, AAPI or LGBTQIA+ person. Tomaeno said the agency consistently sees fewer women, LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC/AAPI founders among potential clients and funded startups and wants to help level the playing field. Cumulative pro bono value reported in its materials rose from over $1 million in the sixth annual release to over $1.25 million in the seventh, which also named Hadley's Yosh Miller as the most recent pro bono client.

What recognition has Astrsk PR received?

A 2026 Yespress profile reports a Gold award for B2C Agency of the Year at the 2018 Bulldog PR Awards, and The PR Net's submissions show the agency in its 100 list in 2022, 2023 and 2024. These are agency-reported honors.

How does Astrsk PR compare with other startup PR firms?

Astrsk is a boutique startup specialist, so compare it with New York PR firms and the PR agency profiles directory.

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