Von der Idee zum next big thing

External communications pose a challenge for start-ups wanting to introduce target audiences to a new company and product. The prevailing strategies and the understanding of communications employed by such companies is the central focus of this study. Additionally, the influence of personnel structures is examined. In order to provide a comprehensive perspective, this research integrates concepts from communication science and business administration. Guided interviews with communications officers from start-ups provide an insight into the goals and target groups of external communication, communicative methods as well as the relationship and relevance of PR and marketing communications. Specifically developed models classify start-ups based on their various understandings of communication and industry. This paper fills a gap in existing secondary literature and offers communication officers impetus for the implementation of external communications in start-ups.