ICFJ/Google News Initiative (GNI) Startups Lab in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA)

ICFJ/Google News Initiative (GNI) Startups Lab in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA)

The International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) is partnering with Google News Initiative (GNI) to implement a Startups Lab to strengthen a culture of independent news media in the Middle East and North Africa.

Over six months, sixteen news outlets will tackle specific business problems with support from GNI, ICFJ and leading industry experts. In addition to customized coaching, they will have the opportunity to receive a grant to advance key business goals.

Requirements

The Startups Lab is open to early-stage digital news outlets who focus on public interest journalism, fill an information gap, reach underserved communities, serve a single subject community or are exploring new ways to deliver or monetize information.

News organizations based in the following countries are eligible to apply: Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen. Expatriate Syrian organizations will also be considered.

Benefits

Participants in the Lab will:

Receive customized coaching related to their business goals

Implement specific steps to advance their goals

Learn from peers who face similar business problems

Newsroom Eligibility

Minimum of two full-time employee (FTE) journalists, up to a maximum of 20 FTE

journalists.

Newsrooms focused on one or more of the following:

Public interest journalism

Filling an information gap

Serving a geographic-bound or single subject community

Serving an underserved community

Exploring new ways to deliver and/or monetize information

Have been producing original content for at least six months, but for no more than four years

Have a news product (website, newsletter, etc), with demonstrated traction via site visits, sign-ups, and/or earned revenue

You must be independently owned and operated (e.g. no government ownership in your organization)

You must not employ government officials or individuals that are also employed by government entities

Preferred: Entrepreneurs serving communities that don’t often see themselves or their stories reflected in their local news

Program Eligibility

Can read and write fluently in Arabic

Can assign a dedicated project manager responsible for ensuring your team attends all program and coaching sessions, and completes all assignments.

Can assign 2-5 team members to be involved at different points of the Lab

Commitment of 5-10 hours per team per week

Willingness to share business insights and collaborate with fellow news entrepreneurs
Not a Google employee or contractor

How to Apply

For more information and job application details, see; ICFJ/Google News Initiative (GNI) Startups Lab in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA)