Bengaluru-Based Star Squared PR Turns 10: From a Shared Workspace and Two Employees to 200+ Clients, Sets Sights on the AI Era
Bengalur: Star Squared PR, a leading PR agency headquartered in Bengaluru, marked its 10th anniversary with an offsite in Kuala Lumpur from 24 to 26 September 2026. The agency began operations with two employees and has since grown into a multi-disciplinary communications team with experienced professionals across strategy, media relations, content and client servicing. Over the past decade, it has worked with more than 200 Indian and international clients, with global brands accounting for over 40% of its current portfolio and average retainer relationships extending beyond six years. As it enters its second decade, the agency plans to double its global client portfolio and workforce over the next three to four years.
The agency began in a shared office space and, within its first four years, had expanded to occupy the entire office as the team and client base grew. Priyan DC founded Star Squared PR after more than two decades in communications, including leading Ogilvy PR’s South India practice, with experience spanning agency leadership, brand counsel and reputation management. He set out to build the agency around strong teams, a deeper understanding of client businesses and long-term partnerships.
Ten years in a field that rarely gives growing businesses a chance
Public relations remains fiercely competitive. The Indian PR industry grew 11% in FY26 to reach ₹3,230 crore, accounting for 12.6% of the Asia-Pacific market. Against this backdrop, SSPR has grown consistently over the years at a CAGR of 20%, supported by long-term client relationships, repeat mandates and referrals. Rather than compete on size, the agency has focused on the quality of its content, strategic thinking and consistency of delivery. A significant part of the agency’s growth, both across India and overseas markets, has come through referrals from existing clients.
Several clients have continued to be part of the company’s journey since its inception year, including a multibillion-dollar global company. With global brands now accounting for more than 40% of its current portfolio, SSPR follows a hub-and-spoke model, working with partners, collaborators and networks across Singapore, Australia, the US, the UK and other markets. Around 50–60% of the team comes from a journalism background, bringing a newsroom sensibility to the agency’s content. This helps SSPR strike a balance between what clients want to say and what journalists look for, a factor that has led to many impactful news stories.
“When I started Star Squared PR ten years ago, the agency began small, but the ambition was always to build something that clients and people would want to stay with. What means the most today is seeing long-standing clients continue with us, colleagues who joined us in the early years grow into leadership roles, and former team members return to build the next phase of their careers with us. We have come a long way, but we still feel 10 years young. As we enter our second decade, the focus is on deepening our work with Indian businesses while expanding our global client portfolio and strengthening the capabilities we bring to both,” said Priyan DC, Founder and CEO, Star Squared PR
“Offsites have become an anniversary tradition at Star Squared PR over the past five years. They have played a key role in building rapport between teams and a sense of belonging towards our common goal. This time, as we sat down for the team dinner on the 36th floor in Kuala Lumpur, watching most of the team enjoy their first international trip, and some standing in awe of the height, I realised how far we have come. Ten years ago, none of us could have pictured an evening like this. What makes it special for me is that nothing about our growth was luck. It came from the people who stayed, the clients who trusted us, and the well-wishers who believed in us. It was also a proud moment to see the team take part in the workshop on communications in the AI era, looking ahead with so much hope and intent. Getting out of our comfort zone is frightening yet rewarding, and it has brought our whole team to Malaysia and will take us somewhere bigger in the coming years. We want to continue expanding our clientele and our team, and we want every person in that room to grow with us,” said Santosh Chandrashekar, Associate Partner, Star Squared PR, who is also the senior-most and first employee to join the company ten years ago.
Investing in People and Future of Communications
People remain central to Star Squared PR’s growth, with the team bringing together long-standing leaders and newer professionals who contribute fresh perspectives and ideas. A few members of the current senior leadership team joined the agency during its early years and have played an active role in growing the business and building the brand over the decade. Some former employees have also returned after moving on to other opportunities, reflecting the strong relationships the agency has built with its people.
The agency plans to continue investing in its people, leadership and content capabilities as it deepens its work with clients in India and expands its global portfolio. It is also preparing its teams for shifts in how audiences discover information and how brands need to think about visibility in an AI-led search environment. Its AI workshop in Kuala Lumpur was part of this effort, helping team members explore how AI can be used in daily communications work and how content strategies need to adapt as discovery moves beyond traditional search.
