News project to help journalism start-ups

A new Google-funded project to help journalism start-ups is now seeking entrants.

News entrepreneurs are being offered an intensive weekend of masterclasses to kick-start their journalism initiatives. UCLan MADE (Media and Digital Enterprise) is an initiative of the University of Central Lancashire’s School of Journalism, Media and Communication.

The 48-hour ‘MADE:UK Startup Weekend’will run from June 15-17 at UCLan’s Media Factory, a centre for creative and digital industries in Preston.

The project is seeking up to 30 news entrepreneurs from anywhere in Europe who are keen to either start or grow their own news start-ups.

Successful applicants will work with a team of mentors including digital talent from data experts ScraperWiki, leading community publishing company Talk About Local and UCLan’s School of Journalism, Media and Communication supported by the Northern Lights’ business team.

Project founder FranÃ§ois Nel said:

The ideal candidates will be creative, motivated communicators looking to make factual content in the public interest.

Projects could be news and information, hyperlocal news, niche content or issue based. If it’s in the public interest, we want to hear from you.

After the startup weekend up to five projects will be invited to join the MADE:UK Hothouse, a 12-week mentoring and support programme that will give entrepreneurs one-to-one access to expertise from MADE project partners to develop and grow their enterprises.

Talk About Local CEO Sarah Hartley said:

In many ways, the timing for this MADE opportunity couldn’t be better with such a growing interest, and need, to find new sustainable business models for news providers. I’m looking forward to working with these news entrepreneurs to help them find and develop their communities and start answering some of the massive demand there is for trustworthy news and information.

Click here to apply or email FPNel@uclan.ac.uk