GNI Startups Lab Brazil 2024

Created by the Google News Initiative (GNI) in partnership with Echos (Desirable Futures Laboratory), the Startups Lab program aims to help journalism initiatives or startups develop content, news and information businesses.

This program will select 15 startups that have already started or want to start a local journalism business, which focuses on meeting the information demands of their communities.

As part of the program, you and your startup will benefit from Echos and Google’s experience in supporting media startups through workshops, remote mentoring and a week of in-person design sprints at Google’s São Paulo office, as well as opportunities to high-level networking.

In this 2024 edition, the theme of the program will be local and civic journalism.

This type of journalism plays a crucial role in promoting democracy and protecting human rights, as it strengthens press freedom as an essential tool to guarantee freedom of opinion and expression, in addition to promoting citizens’ involvement in public life.

They will work with entrepreneurs to better understand their audience, create higher quality content (text, audio and/or video) and navigate different monetization opportunities. At the end of the program, you will have managed to grow your startup, gained skills to provide high-quality, democratic, transparent and responsible journalism, created sustainable ways to monetize your business.

Funding Information

• Each selected startup will receive USD 3,000 as a stipend to dedicate itself to the program.
• At the end of the program, the 3 startups that stand out the most will receive the equivalent of USD 5,000 as a prize to accelerate the growth of their business.

Participant Experience​

• Continuous learning and application in your business
  • Weekly, participants will have 1 live 3-hour workshop that will take place online. In these workshops, they will have all startups for a practical experience where they will learn and apply topics related to audience, business modeling, digital product development and monetization to their context.
• Design Sprint
  • 1-week in-person immersion in São Paulo to accelerate and design your products like an early-stage startup.
    The Design Sprint is a quick process that helps startups validate and solve challenges through a system of prototyping and testing ideas with customers.
• 1 to 1 mentoring
  • Personalized 1-hour practical sessions with entrepreneurs, developing their businesses and products weekly.
    Mentorships are 1:1 moments between an Echos expert and the startup to help them evolve their business.

Who is the program for?

• The program is for founders of digital journalism content startups who want to:
  Develop the knowledge and skills needed to operate and grow a digital news business.
  Explore a huge market opportunity that can help you become more sustainable. Sustainability in the context of this program is defined as the union of journalistic impact, operational resilience and financial health.
• Be committed to making your business idea financially sustainable
  They are looking for entrepreneurs who want to serve communities that don’t often see themselves or their stories reflected in local news.

Eligibility Criteria

• Please consider applying if you and your startup:
  • They are based in Brazil
  • Are not part of established media groups or companies
  • Focus on producing original content that focuses on serving a geographic community (local or hyperlocal journalism) and civic journalistic content
  • This program is aimed at those who have already started or want to start a local journalism business, which focuses on meeting the information demands of their communities.
  • They are willing to share business insights and collaborate with fellow news entrepreneurs.

For more information, visit GNI.