Google announces second cohort of GNI Startups Lab

Google India on Monday announced the second cohort of the Google New Initiative (GNI) Startups Lab, a 12-week acceleration program in partnership with Anymind Group and T-Hub that aims to help early-stage news startups to innovate and develop new, more inclusive and sustainable business models.

This program is specifically tailored for news startups dedicated to delivering high-quality journalistic content and innovative services for their local communities, niche audiences and/or previously underserved communities across the country.

Out of more than 110 applicants from all over India, only 10 news startups were chosen for the second cohort of GNI Startups Lab. These startups cover a wide range of categories in journalism, including investigative, political, medical, youth, climate, and local news that gives a voice to underrepresented communities. The diverse group includes newsrooms from all around the country, reporting news in various Indian languages such as English, Hindi, Malayalam, Kannada, and Telugu.

Below are the ten startups that form the second cohort of the GNI Startups Lab:

• Democratic Charkha
• Feminism in India
• Ground Report
• Medical Dialogues
• Pratidhvani
• Queerbeat
• Southlive
• Truescoop
• The Mooknayak
• Telugu Post

"The last few years have cast in sharp relief, the crucial role that reliable information plays in all our lives. The news industry, with their investments in news gathering and strong foundational commitment to news integrity, are more important than ever. Google remains committed to supporting this mission not only through our existing products and Google News Initiative programs, but also through our partnerships with the industry to unlock greater possibilities in the future," Googe wrote in a post.