Clean tech is having its moment—but does it have its message?

The climate crisis isn’t just a global challenge—it’s reshaping the economy. Trillions are flowing into renewable energy, carbon capture, and sustainable technologies. Clean tech is scaling, but the communications strategies that support it? Stuck in 2015 (or earlier).

Here’s the reality: If you’re playing by the old playbook, you’re not just behind—you’re not even in the conversation.

Let’s dig into what’s working, what’s not, and what every clean tech brand needs to do to move the needle in an oversaturated, noisy world.

1. Media Relations Is Dead—Long Live Media Networks

Clean tech founders, listen up: Stop chasing headlines. Relying on generic press releases and hoping for coverage doesn’t cut it anymore. Media today is fragmented—one big headline doesn’t move the needle like it used to. And here’s the harsh truth: journalists are losing their jobs at an alarming rate, and legacy outlets are scaling back or shutting down and beat reporters? They’re a rare breed. Most journalists are overworked, stretched thin across multiple beats, and scrambling to cover more with fewer resources.

Instead, focus on building a network of niche influencers, trade journalists, and hyper-specific outlets that align with your audience. By tailoring your approach and creating meaningful, targeted connections, you’ll have a far greater impact than chasing headlines in a shrinking, overstretched media landscape.

What Works in 2025

• Micro-influencers and subject matter experts: They have smaller audiences but command higher trust in technical and niche sectors.

• Data-driven storytelling: Don’t just say you’re “net zero”—prove it with metrics that matter. Give journalists real data, not greenwashed fluff.

• Own your distribution: Not getting the coverage you want? Traditional media isn’t the only way to tell your story. Your website, blog, email campaigns, and social platforms are powerful tools to reach your audience directly (more on this later)

What Doesn’t

• One-and-done coverage: If your strategy is “land one WSJ piece,” congrats on the ego boost—it won’t convert your investors or buyers.

2. Climate Communications Are a Marathon, Not a Sprint

Newsflash: The market doesn’t care about your product as much as you do. It cares about trust, credibility, and long-term impact. This means you need a communications flywheel that builds over time.

The Playbook

• Own your narrative: If you don’t define your brand, your competitors—or worse, skeptics—will do it for you. Proactively shape how you’re seen through clear, consistent messaging that stands out.

• Consistent drumbeat: Distribution isn’t a one-and-done effort. Stay consistent in your messaging and outreach to build momentum over time. The right message, delivered repeatedly to the right audience, is what moves the needle. Keep the conversation going with blogs, webinars, and social posts that extend your story’s lifecycle.

• Stakeholder engagement: Your message needs to resonate beyond the press. Build a strategy that connects with everyone who matters—investors looking for returns, policymakers shaping regulations, buyers making decisions, and employees driving your mission forward. When every audience is engaged, your message becomes a movement.

3. Build Trust Before You Need It

The sustainabilty space is rife with skepticism (thanks, greenwashing). Companies that wait to communicate until they have a crisis are already too late.

How to Build Credibility in 2025

• Third-party validation: Partner with respected academics, NGOs, or certification bodies to vouch for your claims. Third-party validation can turn skeptics into believers and add serious weight to your message.

• Radical transparency: Acknowledge the hard truths and share what you’re learning along the way (within reason). In clean tech, perfection isn’t credible—progress is. Struggling to hit a milestone? Share how you’re working through it. Frame failures as opportunities to learn, grow, and innovate while keeping the big picture in focus. Honesty can set you apart in a space where overselling is the norm.

• Founder visibility: Buyers and investors connect with people, not logos. A visible, engaged CEO—whether on LinkedIn or onstage at major events—can humanize your company and inspire trust. Share insights, lessons learned, and behind-the-scenes updates. Meet your audience where they are and listen. Thought leadership from the top shows alignment, authenticity, and confidence in your mission.

4. Content Is King—But Distribution Is Power

You have a killer case study? Great. But if no one sees it, does it matter? The truth is most clean tech companies invest heavily in creating content, and almost nothing in getting it seen.

2025 Content Strategy Checklist

• Thought leadership: Create articles, whitepapers, and reports that add value by showcasing expertise, not just promoting your product. Share actionable insights, industry trends, and meaningful data that resonate with your audience. Save the shameless self-promotion for your next reunion.

• Platform-specific storytelling: One size doesn’t fit all. LinkedIn demands professional credibility, Instagram thrives on visuals, and TikTok (when it comes back) favors creativity and authenticity. Tailor your content to each platform’s strengths—or risk being ignored.

• Paid amplification: Organic reach is a myth. Invest in paid social, programmatic ads, and other targeted campaigns to ensure your content reaches the right audience at the right time. Distribution isn’t an afterthought—it’s the difference between impact and irrelevance.

5. Stop Selling Solutions—Start Selling Stories

Here’s a hard truth: No one cares about your tech specs. They care about the problem you solve and the story behind why you’re solving it.

The Winning Formula

• Big picture, then product: Start with the global challenge your tech is tackling—whether it’s decarbonization, efficiency, or resilience. Once you’ve set the stage, show how your solution makes an impact.

• Human stories: How is your product impacting real people or businesses? Case studies aren’t just for B2C. B2B audiences also want to see tangible, real-world results. Show your technology in action–the problems it’s solving and the difference it’s making for people, no matter the scale.

The Takeaway

2025 is a defining year for clean tech communications. The companies that win won’t just be the ones with the best technology—they’ll be the ones that own the conversation. That means committing to storytelling, consistency, and credibility at every turn.

Let the others play catch-up while you build trust, engagement, and market share.