CfA | GNI | Media Startup Lab

Pre-launch Lab for Kenya

Code for Africa in partnership with Google News Initiative is running a 10-week pre-launch lab, supporting early-stage digital media entrepreneurs in Kenya

Find out how you can participate

No fees, no tuition, no income sharing.
No financial barriers to your success.

Just the hands-on support you need to become independent, and stay independent.

Applications for Pre-launch Lab February 2024 are closed.

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What’s included

The Google News Initiative Pre-launch Lab supports early stage news entrepreneurs. We are excited to bring the program to Kenya in collaboration with Code for Africa.

The pre-launch lab is a ten-week, fully remote programme for early-stage startups. The lab’s mission is to help entrepreneurs prepare to launch successful, trusted digital news organisations. The lab accepts up to 24 solo founders or teams of aspiring entrepreneurs who have identified a community’s need for better news and want guidance and coaching on how to launch, or continue to develop, a news offering that delivers a solution rooted in journalism.

Made for journalism

A laser-focused & immensely practical curriculum that is grounded in hands-on learning and getting things done.

Live seminars

Weekly live video seminars with a small cohort of like-minded journalism entrepreneurs.

Personalized coaching

Weekly one-on-one coaching to help you move your idea forward toward launch, or growth.

Eligibility Criteria

Geographic Eligibility

You must be based in Kenya, and targeting a predominantly Kenyan audience.

You should consider this Pre-launch Lab if:

You’ve been thinking long and hard about launching your own digital news effort

Or you’re less than 2 years into running your news business and want to re-evaluate some of your core hypotheses and make adjustments to improve your financial sustainability

You have identified a community’s need for better news, information and/or engagement and think you can deliver a solution

You're committed to public-service reporting working with and alongside the communities you serve

You’re committed to making your business idea financially sustainable as quickly as possible

and you...

Can commit at least eight hours a week for ten weeks to turn your business idea into reality (ideally, you can commit more time)

Are willing to make time to share insights with other participants

Lastly...

You must plan to be independently owned and operated

You must not plan to be employed by a government entity

You must not be a Google employee or contractor

Applications close on Monday, December 11, 2023.

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