BOSTON Marijean Lauzier, former president and chief executive of Interpublic Group's Weber Shandwick, today launches Racepoint Group.
The Cambridge, Mass.-based public relations and marketing shop will focus on emerging-technology, healthcare and science companies.
"[Emerging companies] need to build credibility and awareness with fewer people and fewer resources in the fastest possible time frame, so every day is a 24/7 race," said Lauzier, president of the 12-person firm.
Racepoint Group begins with a trio of clients: Acuitiv Software, Exel Switching Corp., and Sentillion.
Lauzier, 44, joined The Weber Group in 1983, leaving a decade later to launch technology-PR shop Neva Group. In 1997, IPG acquired Weber Shandwick and Neva, and Lauzier was named Weber Shandwick's CEO. She left in 2001 and spent most of 2002 traveling in China, Israel and India, contemplating her idea for another startup.