Feb 26, 2025 / By Vanessa Horwell
Outperforming Bigger ESG Technology Companies through Strategic PR and Industry-Focused Communications
Background
BeCause is a Danish technology startup providing the world’s only AI-powered sustainability data management platform for the travel and tourism sectors. Founded in 2019 in Copenhagen by two entrepreneurs, Frederick Steensgaard and Jonas Jacobsen, BeCause has quickly become the preferred sustainability data platform for over 50,000 global hospitality businesses and travel brands, including Accor, Booking.com, British Airways Holidays, Orascom Hotels Management, EasyJet Holidays, Hotelbeds, Hublii, Google, Visit England, Radisson Hotel Group, Sunweb Group, Sonesta, Tablet Hotels, TUI and many more.
BeCause was founded to address the disconnect between growing consumer demand for sustainable choices and the market's lack of transparent, trustworthy solutions. Drawing on Jonas’ engineering expertise and a background in management consulting, the founders saw an opportunity to build the technology infrastructure needed to connect sustainability ecosystems and accelerate industry-wide progress. They started with the travel sector—particularly hospitality—where demand for sustainable options was strong, but reliable ways to identify and book them were scarce. For Steensgaard, the mission was also personal, shaped by firsthand experiences of environmental degradation in Oman’s coral reefs.
Today, the BeCause platform is a centralized hub that ensures ESG compliance and accelerates more efficient green certification by streamlining data flow between tourism providers, distributors, regulators and certification bodies. It extracts key metrics—such as greenhouse gas emissions, water usage and recycling rates—and tailors the data (and its presentation and delivery) to each stakeholder while staying ahead of ever-evolving regulatory requirements. The company's mission is to empower all hospitality, travel and tourism companies to achieve their sustainability goals.
The challenge: Gaining industry visibility
By 2023, BeCause had built and tested its platform, secured significant seed investment and grown its customer base. Recognition followed: acceptance into Microsoft’s Global Social Entrepreneurship program, the Alchemist Startup Accelerator program, inclusion in the top 50 Nordic impact startups by The One Initiative and a top 12 ranking in the Green Startups Cup.
However, it faced entrenched competitors—established ESG platforms and consulting firms with deep enterprise ties and marketing budgets much larger than its own. While these competitors lacked BeCause’s sector-specific focus, their financial strength and enterprise reach made them formidable. These challenges demanded a communications strategy that would propel the startup’s visibility on a large scale, communicate its unique offering and value, and build trust and preference among key travel and tourism decision-makers.
The BeCause team needed an industry-specific and focused communications program to expand brand awareness across the travel and tourism sectors, attract new customers and establish the startup as the preferred sustainability data management solution for its target audiences. Achieving this would require a communications partner with expertise in startup dynamics, extensive industry knowledge, and relationships with media, analysts, trade groups and conference organizers across the global travel, hospitality and tourism sectors.
WHAT OUR CLIENT SAYS:
“THINKINK’s deep expertise in the travel and tourism markets was the key attraction and differentiator when we compared their capabilities with other agencies. They’ve certainly delivered on that promise. With nearly 300 media placements in just 12 months, they have exceeded our expectations.”
- Kristian Bruun, Head of Marketing, BeCause
The THINKINK approach
THINKINK had the proven credentials, contacts and knowledge that BeCause required. Our support started by strengthening the bedrock of its communications, working alongside the company to refine its messaging for media audiences, secure high-impact visibility and position the young company competitively against larger, better-funded players. As the startup's PR and communications partner, our firm was responsible for leading global media relations and thought leadership efforts, securing and managing coveted speaker opportunities, developing award submissions and providing day-to-day counsel across many activities.
Recognizing the importance of executive visibility at this critical stage of funding and growth, we developed and implemented a strategy to position BeCause’s leadership as subject matter experts in data-driven sustainability decision-making and regulatory compliance in sustainability. Over time, THINKINK was also tasked with developing a six-month demand generation program targeting niche industry audiences to drive commercial interest.
Our ability to move and adapt quickly meant that BeCause gained visibility where it mattered most. We tracked BeCause’s Share of Voice (SOV) against ingrained competitors with deeper pockets to assess media impact and measure our performance. In 2023, BeCause ranked third in industry coverage. By 2024, it had moved to second place, surpassing a more established ESG platform and increasing its total media presence by 120% year-over-year.
The impact of our work
From July 2023 through December 2024, THINKINK secured over 350 media placements across top-tier industry outlets, including PhocusWire, Skift, Travel Weekly, Hospitality Technology, Sustainable Hotel News, Sustainable Brands, Børsen, Hotel Management and Sifted. These valuable placements have expanded BeCause’s visibility and positioned the company as a credible authority in sustainability data management for global travel and tourism industries.
Beyond traditional media, our work helped drive direct engagement with key stakeholders. BeCause’s thought leadership content and executive commentary featured in high-value industry discussions, leading to invitations for more than a dozen speaking engagements at major travel and sustainability conferences. This visibility also contributed to key industry recognitions, including Chief Sustainability Officer Alina Arnelle’s designation as one of The SustainabilityX® Magazine's Global 50 Women in Sustainability Awards™ 2024 awardees and BeCause’s selection for Skift’s Idea Awards shortlist in the Sustainability Tech track under Travel Tech, and PhocusWire’s Top 25 Travel Tech Startups to Watch. These appearances and achievements further reinforced BeCause’s credibility and influence across the sector.
Our six-month demand generation campaign targeted niche industry audiences, generating measurable brand awareness and increasing inbound interest. Strategic content, award submissions and targeted communications collectively contributed to stronger investor confidence, increased partner inquiries, and higher adoption rates among travel and hospitality brands. Over the course of our partnership, the startup has commanded continued growth, streaming data from more than 50,000 hotels with more than 15,000 user accounts on the platform in 2024.
By ensuring BeCause remained consistently present in industry conversations—despite competing against highly competitive ESG data management platforms—THINKINK played an important role in establishing the company as a trusted partner for sustainability data and technology in travel and tourism.
BeCause had the vision, the technology and the drive—but breaking through in a competitive market required the right strategy. Leveraging THINKINK’s industry expertise, they went from emerging player to recognized authority, securing top-tier media coverage, key industry awards and a stronger foothold among travel and hospitality leaders.
The right strategy and execution can make all the difference. Get in touch to learn what we can do for your brand.
