Google introducing an accelerator program for digital news startups in India

Google is goign to build a new Google News Initiative (GNI) Startups Lab program for aspiring news entrepreneurs from all across India.

Created in partnership with the global innovation lab Echos and DIGIPUB News India Foundation, the GNI Startups Lab India program will support high-quality reporting for local and underserved communities.

Now Google has an opening for GNI Startups Lab – a four-month program that seeks to help independent local or single-subject journalism organizations find a pathway to financial and operational sustainability through intensive coaching, skills training, and other support.

The 16-week program is tailored to the needs of startup newsrooms in India and participants will benefit from Echos’ experience in supporting media startups and from DIGIPUB’s network and community with workshops and coaching.

According to Google, applications are open until 18 October 2021 and 10 independent digital news publishers will be selected to participate in the first cohort in India.

“Digipub is excited to partner with Google News Initiative Startups Lab to make the digital media ecosystem robust and sustainable. Digital news media is the future of news in India and collaborations like these will ensure that new entrants receive the support they deserve,” Dhanya Rajendran, Chairperson of Digipub News India Foundation said in a blog.

In May, Google expanded the Google News Showcase to support news organizations and readers to India. Google is pleased to add support for four new languages – Kannada, Marathi, Tamil, and Telugu – in addition to English and Hindi in dedicated News Showcase panels in Google News and on Discover.