The Knight News Challenge accelerates media innovation by funding breakthrough ideas in news and information. Winners receive a share of $5 million in funding and support from Knight’s network of influential peers and advisors to help advance their ideas. The first round of 2013, which opens in February, will invite innovators from all disciplines to focus on tools for open government. In 2012, three challenge rounds, each focused on an emerging trend, drew more than 2,500 entries.
Challenge 1 - on NETWORKS: Winners were announced June 18.
Challenge 2 - on DATA: Winners were announced Sept. 20.
Challenge 3 – on MOBILE: Winners were announced Jan. 17.
Anyone, anywhere can apply for the challenge - whether for-profit start-ups or non-profit ventures. For more information on a variety of topics - from guidelines for for-profits, on intellectual property licensing, open source software and more - visit our FAQ.
America21 Innovation Nation is the virtual community of innovators and investors across the nation, searchable by geography, industry, genre and other demographics that help innovators connect to each other and investors.
The mobile app allows anyone who considers themselves an innovator to quickly and easily join the community by providing standardized information and use its quick-connect feature to find anyone in the community or instantly connect to affinity groups and communicate. The web-based platform offers expanded features, including 60-second video pitches and single-page standardized executive summaries.
America21 Innovation Nation will be the branded platform that resolves the pain point millions of frustrated innovators feel with a wide variety of fragmented and disconnected tools, many promising (but failing) to connect innovators to a universe of peers and investors.
1. Promotions at conferences, summits, networking events and other offline resources, such as incubators, accelerators, workshops and educational institutions.
2. Traditional/legacy and social media.
3. Viral video campaign
The America21 Project has established strong networks with more than a dozen national organizations that reach an audience of innovators, including journalist associations. Additionally, America21 is connected to tech-based economic development engines in various regions across the country as well as entrepreneurial resources, schools and community orgs.
No part of the project has been built. However, we have a strong relationship with a team of developers who are responsible for building two different social media platforms that sold to established media organizations within two years of development.
Within 12 months of launch, the America21 Innovation Nation will consist of a thriving growing community of more than 100,000 entrepreneurs and investors actively using the platform and suggesting iterations that cater to their evolving needs.
All resources, with the exception of funding, are in place. We have leadership, a highly qualified team of developers, established networks for marketing and promotions, marketing experience and expertise in the space of tech-entrepreneurship and risk capital investing; so the primary need is funding.
Additional details:
Please list who is on your team: Mike Green, Chad Womack, Ph.D., Johnathan Holifield, Esq.
Expected number of months to complete project: 6-8
Estimated Project Cost: $500,000
Name: Mike Green
Twitter: @amikegreen2
Email address: mike@blackinnovation.org
Organization [if applicable]: The America21 Project
City: Medford
Country: USA
How did you learn about the contest? NABJ
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