Last week, BAM client Overlap Holdings, landed a feature in The Wall Street Journal: Venture Firm Founded by Ex-Apollo Partner Acts as Sherpa to Startups Raising Debt. After navigating a tough media landscape focused on the inauguration and DeepSeek, this WSJ stand alone feature, alongside being the lead story in WSJ Pro VC’s newsletter and additional pieces of coverage, was an exciting milestone in the media relations campaign.
Every client comes to BAM saying we want a Wall Street Journal feature — so how was Overlap Holdings able to succeed?
Let’s break it down.
More than just a funding number
At the heart of this story lies Justin Stevens’ compelling transition from Apollo Global Management Senior Partner to frontier tech investor. His background at one of the world's most renowned asset management firms, combined with his passion for helping scale capital-intensive startups with access to non-dilutive funding sources like debt, created a narrative that resonated deeply with Yuliya Chernova, the covering Wall Street Journal journalist. This wasn't just another VC story, it was about reimagining how frontier tech companies can access capital to bridge ‘valleys of death’.
Overlap Holdings stood out by offering something truly distinctive. The firm's integrated approach – combining equity investments with connections to non-dilutive capital – addressed a critical gap in the market. This unique positioning led Yuliya to characterize Overlap as a "sherpa" for startups navigating complex financing landscapes.
Patience is a virtue
Prioritizing quality over quantity, Overlap Holdings remained patient as the BAM team navigated a saturated funding landscape and DeepSeek news cycle. This patience paid off, with BAM securing the teams’ premiere publication preference (WSJ), in addition to two feature inclusions in the WSJ Pro VC newsletter. The coverage is the exact credible, third-party validation the team was looking for to be able to showcase to potential portfolio companies and fellow and prospective LPs. The story effectively communicated Overlap's value proposition on its behalf to their key audiences: founders and other VC partners in Energy, Life Science, Materials Science, Space, Robotics, and Semiconductors seeking more than just equity capital solutions.
True differentiation matters
Overlap's story demonstrates the power of authentic differentiation in securing top-tier coverage. For companies seeking media attention, remember that journalists are looking for stories that go beyond standard announcements, or just simply a number raised, to reveal true innovation in their industry.
Want to learn more about securing impactful coverage for your firm? Contact us to discuss your PR strategy!
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