Public affairs firm Publitics launching InfluenceIQ strategic investment arm

Publitics, a Caldwell-based public affairs firm, announced Monday it is launching InfluenceIQ Labs, a new strategic investing arm that is focused on supporting early-stage technology startups that are operating in the communications, media and advertising spaces.

These early investments include OnesScreen.ai and Vako.ai.

Publitics Principal Henry de Koninck noted the early trend into technology- and analytics-based communication strategies.

“We recognized early on that technology, data, and analytics were going to play an increasingly important role in developing effective strategies and communications campaigns for our clients,” he said.

“InfluenceIQ Labs is a logical next step in ensuring that, not only do we have access to cutting-edge technologies, but we can help shape them based on the on-the-ground expertise we’ve developed in running campaigns and developing communications strategies for our clients.”

Publitics describes OneScreen.ai as “disrupting the out-of-home advertising industry by providing a data-enabled one-stop platform for real-world advertising.”

The company has raised $4.7 million from Asymmetric Capital Partners, Techstars, Impellent Ventures and others, and is currently profitable.

Vako.ai is described as “building a next-generation conversational AI for advocacy, campaigns and communications. Vako’s technology has developed customizable, lightweight-language-models that can be deployed for a variety of applications in a communications and campaign context.”

Publitics founder Matt Krayton notes the individual approach needed over time.

“Two years ago, we launched our InfluenceIQ platform, which is a unique approach to shaping the conversation around issues that matter most to our clients,” Krayton said. “We have developed a suite of methods and tools for identifying and reaching nodes of influence with key messages, testing creative, modeling and building audiences and developing effective messaging. Now, we’re taking the next step.”