Google News Initiative Unveils Next Set of Startup Labs in India

The second cohort of Google News Initiative (GNI) Startup Labs in India was unveiled on Monday by tech giant Google in collaboration with Anymind Group and T-Hub.

The course, which lasts three months, is designed to help independent, early-stage Indian journalism entrepreneurs become financially and operationally sustainable.

Ten news companies that were selected for the initiative from among more than 100 applicants nationwide will cover a variety of journalism categories in several Indian languages.

“Selected out of over 110 contenders spanning India, the ten picked media outlets protect a range of types of submitting reports, such as academic, partisan in nature, medical care, youth, environmental issues, and neighbourhood coverage which gives a voice to neglected communities,” stated Google in a press release.

The digital behemoth Google offers a startup acceleration programme called GNI Startups Lab, which focuses on news-based content makers.

According to the firm website, it is intended to support newer startups in their efforts to innovate and create new, sustainable, and inclusive business models. “The GNI Entrepreneurs Lab India promotes excellent reporting for local populations, specific markets, and/or previously marginalised populations across India.”

In 2023, Google carried out additional projects as part of the GNI effort. The company claims to have impacted 240+ newsrooms and media colleges by supporting the training of more than 15,000 journalists and journalism students in more than 15 languages through initiatives like the GNI India Training Network and Data Dialogue.

“Persistent our unwavering dedication to support news organisations in tackling the scourge of misinformation, we partnered with experts in the field to empower reporters and press offices with digital resources and abilities needed to find, verify, and tell captivating tales while tackling the ever-evolving risk of misinformation,” the business stated.