This document discusses strategies for financing innovation in news organizations, focusing on crowdfunding and the Digital News Initiative. It summarizes that crowdfunding has raised over 8 million euros for news projects in France alone in 2017. It then discusses key learnings from over 20 successful applications to the Digital News Initiative, which has provided over 94 million euros in funding to 461 supported projects. Specifically, it notes that CosaVostra, the consulting firm, has had an 80% success rate for applications versus the average 10% success rate. The document encourages focusing applications on concrete issues, thinking long term, and ensuring the proposal has news focus, innovation, and feasibility.

1. How to finance
innovation?
News
Organisations

2. It’s all about
finding the
right strategy

3. WHO ARE WE?
Louis Dumoulin
Partner
Head of UK Office
@CosaVostra
louis@cosavostra.com
07401 663351
cosavostra.com
: @louisdumoulin
Digital consultancy practice
specialised in innovation
Leading European
consultancy in terms of funding
obtained for news organisations
through the Google Digital
News Initiative

4. WHAT I AM
GOING TO
TALK
ABOUT DIGITAL NEWS INITIATIVE:
Key learnings of 20+ successful
applications
CROWDFUNDING:
Leverage your community’s interest into
your business future

5. #CROWDFUNDING:
LEVERAGE YOUR COMMUNITY’SINTEREST INTO YOURBUSINESS FUTURE

6. CROWDFUNDING:
In 2017 in France alone, news projects
raised more than 8 millionusing
crowdfunding.
Market
Trends
249 journalistic projects raised more
than 10k$on Kickstarter.
Patreon model on the rise: 300 million
distributed in 2017.
The future of subscription?

7. CROWDFUNDING
1. First weekis key
Key
Learning
s
2. Make the best of your community
3. Plan posting in advance to keep the
momentum

8. #FOCUS:
THE DIGITAL NEWS INITIATIVE

9. THE DIGITAL NEWS INITIATIVE
KEY FIGURES
4800+ applications since the start of
the Fund
461 supported projects
€94m in funding (€203 900 average)
distributed in 29 countries.
Top 3: Germany, UK and France
NEXT ROUND
Last deadline in autumn
Circa €25 million still available.

10. DNI: COSAVOSTRA’S EXPERTISE
20+SUCCESSFUL APPLICATIONS
80% SUCCESS RATE
vs. 10% average across all applicants
WIDE NETWORK OF SEASONED CONSULTANTS

11. DNI: KEY LEARNINGS #1
A FUND FOR
ENTHUSIASTS, NOT
OPPORTUNISTS
● Focus on your concrete issues
● Think long-term
FUNDING
BREAKDOWN
● Exploring new technologies: €21.5m
● Telling local stories: 13.2m
● Boosting digital revenues: €11.8m
● Battling misinformation: €5.1m
# #

12. DNI: KEY LEARNINGS #2
● News focused
● Impact on your ecosystem
● Innovation
● Feasibility
GET THE BIG
PICTURE
● Benchmark
● User journeys
● Detailed BP
● Letters of interest...
KEEP AN EYE
FOR DETAILS
4 main criteria:
# #

13. GET IN TOUCH
Louis Dumoulin
Partner
Head of the UK Office
SIMPLE: louis@cosavostra.com
FAST: 07401 663351
WEBSITE: cosavostra.com
: @louisdumoulin