CONTEST
OPENS
1 September 2016
APPLICATION
DEADLINE
1 December 2016
FINALISTS
ANNOUNCED
20 December 2016
WINNERS
ANNOUNCED
31 January 2017
WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR
This innovation challenge focuses on journalism and the news media.
We are looking for disruptive digital ideas to improve the way that news is collected and disseminated.
By digital ideas, we mean tools or strategies that use the Internet, mobile platforms, data-driven journalism, computer-assisted reporting, digitally augmented reality or virtual reality, camera drones or the Internet of Things (sensors), and other electronic means to improve the relevance and impact of news media.
Your ideas should be focused on providing pragmatic solutions to real-world challenges facing Africa’s media.
Your innovation should fall into any of four broad categories: news gathering; storytelling; audience engagement; or the business of news.
Within these categories, we are specifically interested in ideas that seek to achieve one or more of the following goals:
Platforms
Strengthen existing media platforms, or harness new digital platforms to engage audiences and transmit news or other journalistic content.
Delivery
Improve the way news reaches audiences, from traditional circulation / airtime management to newer disruptive ‘cross platform’ channels.
Context
Amplify the usefulness of news by harnessing geo-location, or by improving the immediacy, depth and accuracy of journalistic content.
Reach
Enhance the impact and “shelf life” of news by extending its influence and intrinsic value for both audiences and content services.
Targeting
Deepen media’s understanding of its audiences and markets by improving user analytics, audience profiling and market segmentation.
Sustainablity
Boost the media’s resource base by diversifying business models, developing new revenue streams or improving operational efficiencies.
WHAT WE FUND
We fund news experiments and digital media startups. This means that we will fund the costs associated with developing, testing and scaling a new digital news venture or product. We will not fund conferences, training workshops, nor the salary or operational costs for existing organisations, nor university administration fees, nor other routine business costs
SEED GRANTS
Winners will receive cash grants of between $12,000 and $100,000 each to kickstart their projects. These grants can serve as collateral for matching or ‘top up’ grants from other donors or investors. Winners may also be offered opportunities to showcase their projects at international conferences or to venture capital funds for further investment.
TECHNICAL SUPPORT
In addition to seed grants, winners will receive support from Code for Africa’s technology labs, as well as mentorship and one-on-one workshop sessions from some of the world’s leading media strategists, business development experts, and marketing strategists. Winners may also be offered opportunities to pilot their projects in partner newsrooms.
Brainstorming Sessions
Code for Africa and its partners at CFI are running an intensive series of brainstorming workshops and hackathons across the continent to help digital innovators build teams and test their projects against with industry experts.
CFI also offers a Massive Online Open Course (MOOC) in French for aspiring news pioneers to help journalists improve their digital literacy and (as a separate course) for technologists to improve their understanding of journalism. However, not everyone can however physically attend a workshop or spend weeks completing a MOOC. innovateAFRICA therefore hosts regular webinars and Q&A sessions on Google Hangout.
Keep track of events in your neighbourhood and get alerts for Google Hangouts by joining innovateAFRICA on:
PARTNERS
