Jamlab Media & Journalism Accelerator Program

The Jamlab Accelerator Programme (JAP) is a six-month hothouse program for early-stage journalism and media start-ups. It provides teams with the tools, facilities, contacts, and support necessary to realize their ideas and ambitions.

The program focuses on journalism and media innovations with the potential to transform information, conversation, and public space.

What do you get?

• Mentorship and coaching
  from experienced media, startups, tech experts, and entrepreneurs.
• Free places on a
  three-month media entrepreneurship course.
• Free workspace at the
  Tshimologong Precinct co-working space.
• Access to
  the technical support development team.
• Opportunities to pitch to
  potential investors, funders, and various stakeholders with an MVP (minimum viable product).
• Access to the network,
  which includes but is not limited to Programme Alumni.

FAQ

1. Who should apply?
Innovators, media makers, and entrepreneurs with a great idea and the commitment to create and sustain a new journalism or media venture.
Innovators, media makers, and entrepreneurs who lead an existing journalism or media venture that they want to grow and develop.

Starting or growing a new venture is challenging work so we encourage people to apply as a team of at least two people who can commit all or a substantial majority of their time to their project. Larger teams are also welcomed.

This program will be based on a significant amount of “virtual face-to-face” interaction so applicants must have a stable internet connection.

We are especially keen to see women and women-led teams apply.

2. What counts as ‘journalism and media’?
Your idea or venture could be about making data or knowledge more useful and accessible, it could be about enabling debate and comment. What we now think of as journalism and journalism media was formed a long time ago in the age of print. The journalism of the future will need to look different and work differently. We are not able to support initiatives focused solely on entertainment, but we want to be surprised by new ideas we haven’t seen or thought of before.

3. Which countries in Africa are eligible to apply?
This will be our sixth cohort, but our third iteration of a virtual accelerator program. We welcome applications from all countries across sub-Saharan Africa, particularly those in Benin; Burkina Faso; Cote de Ivoire; Guinea; Guinea-Bissau; Kenya; Lesotho; Liberia; Madagascar; Malawi; Mali; Mozambique; Niger; Nigeria; Senegal; Sierra Leone Togo, and Zambia.