DEEP TECH / INDUSTRIAL / CLIMATE

The technology is ready. Is the story?

I build the narratives that help future-focused companies earn trust, get funded, and reach the audiences that matter.

Background

Storyteller, strategist,
and startup operator.

Fifteen years building editorial and communications functions across media, venture-backed startups, and mission-driven brands.

Portrait of Liza Darwin

I believe that the right story, told well, can change what's possible.

I started my career in media, building audiences at NYLON, Snapchat, and MTV, before co-founding Clover Letter, a Gen Z digital platform backed by CBS and Ev Williams. I grew it from zero to 200,000 subscribers and sold it to Viacom, where I served as VP of Editorial.


Since 2019, I've been focused on deep tech, climate innovation, and the companies building what comes next. At Terraformation, I built the communications function from scratch and helped the team raise their next round through integrated storytelling.


At Brimstone—a first-of-its-kind industrial company reinventing how the world's materials are made—I came in as the first comms hire and today oversee all external communications, media, and messaging. I've since landed coverage in Tier 1 outlets including WSJ, NYT, Washington Post, Axios, and CNBC.

I specialize in helping technical teams articulate not just what they're building, but why it matters and why it will win.

15 yrs

MEDIA, COMMS & STARTUP OPERATING EXPERIENCE

1 exit

Clover Letter, acq. by viacom in 2018

3x

COMMS FUNCTIONS BUILT FROM THE GROUND UP

Expertise

Full-stack marketing and communications.

01

Communications & Brand

Building marketing and communications functions from the ground up, including external communications strategy, brand visibility, executive communications, website and brand direction, working closely with founders and leadership teams.

02

Messaging & Content

Deep journalistic judgment applied to company narrative and editorial: website copy, op-eds, pitch decks, marketing collateral, and C-suite thought leadership that translates complexity into clear value.

03

Media Strategy

Earned media strategy for tech, climate, and heavy industry, from pitch development to press releases. Years of reporter relationships that drive coverage where and when it matters most.

Track Record

Where this playbook has worked.

Selected roles building communications and narrative functions for growth-stage companies.

Brimstone

Head of Marketing & Communications

Leading marketing and communications strategy for a first-of-its-kind industrial company reinventing how critical building materials are made—owning messaging, media strategy, executive visibility, web, and brand positioning for investors, policymakers, customers, and press.

MEDIA & BRAND / 2023–PRESENT

Terraformation

Head of Editorial

Built the company’s editorial and communications engine from the ground up, supporting partnerships and fundraising through integrated storytelling and thought leadership.

0→1 BUILD / 2021–2023

Clover Letter

Co-Founder; VP Editorial at Viacom

Co-founded a Gen Z media platform that scaled to 200,000 subscribers ahead of its acquisition by Viacom, where I continued on as VP of Editorial.

200K SUBSCRIBERS / ACQ. BY VIACOM

Get In Touch

Building something new?

I love hearing from people building in deep tech, industrial innovation, and climate.

Email me