What Fojo does

Fojo (Medieinstitutet Fojo), founded in 1974 and headquartered in Kalmar, Sweden, is a non-profit media development institute operating as an integral part of Linnaeus University (Linnéuniversitetet), a public Swedish university. It delivers free continuing professional development courses for practicing journalists, primarily in Sweden, alongside international media development programs in countries where press freedom is threatened. The organization is funded by Swedish government agencies and supranational bodies rather than commercial fees, and operates a Stockholm office in addition to its Kalmar base. Its portfolio spans training (Fojo Academy e-learning, Kunskapsveckan annual Knowledge Week), journalist integration (Ny Kollega), fact-checking and disinformation response (Fojo Verify / Valkollen), EU journalism resources (EU-kollen), local journalism curation (Fojo Lokalt newsletter, Fojoarkivet archive), gender monitoring (GMMP in 180+ countries), and protective/support services for journalists (Hat & Hot, Offentlighetsjouren, Frilansakuten), as well as industry awards (Gyllene Bjällran, Wendelapriset). All courses are led by active practicing journalists and most are offered at no cost to participants.

Fojo has no proprietary technology platform in the SaaS sense; its products are primarily training programs, editorial services, and content/reference resources delivered through the Fojo Academy e-learning platform, the fojo.se website, newsletters, in-person events, and partnerships with media organizations and local international partners. Distribution to Swedish journalists occurs through partnerships with Sveriges Radio and Stampen Media (for Ny Kollega), social media, and the Fojo Academy; international programs are delivered via local partners in target countries. The business model is institutional grant funding — Sida, Svenska Institutet, MSB, EU, Nordic Council of Ministers, and Danida are named funders — with no commercial pricing tier for end users. The organization is also networked with global media development bodies (GIJN, GFMD, IMS, WAN-IFRA, Covering Climate Now) and supports investigative and climate journalism internationally.

Name

Fojo

Legal name

Medieinstitutet Fojo

Website

https://fojo.se

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Fojo (Medieinstitutet Fojo) is a non-profit Swedish media institute within Linnaeus University that delivers free journalism training, fact-checking tools, and international media development programs, funded by government and supranational grants and serving practicing journalists and media organizations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Journalism Training and Media Development

NAICS

Periodical Publishers (513120)

SIC

Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)

akta.pro primary industry

Information & Media Literacy (Evaluate Sources, Misinformation) (EDAAAAAI)

Keywords

• Journalism training
• Media development
• Press freedom
• Fact-checking tools
• Professional development

Headquarters

HQ city

Kalmar

HQ country

Sweden

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Institutional Funding and Development Aid: Fojo operates as part of Linnaeus University and receives funding from Swedish government development agencies and international donors including Sida, Svenska Institutet, MSB, EU, Nordic Council of Ministers, and Danida. These funds support international media development projects.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Fojo (Medieinstitutet Fojo) is a Swedish media institute operating within Linnaeus University that provides free professional development courses, training programs, and support services for practicing journalists. It runs journalism training, fact-checking tools, EU journalism resources, gender equality monitoring, and international media development projects in countries where press freedom is threatened.

Product overview

Fojo (Medieinstitutet Fojo / Fojo Media Institute) is Sweden's media institute operating within Linnaeus University. It offers a comprehensive portfolio of journalism training and media development services, including free courses through Fojo Academy, specialized programs like Ny Kollega for international journalists, fact-checking tools (Fojo Verify/Valkollen), EU journalism resources (EU-kollen), and gender equality monitoring (GMMP). The organization also provides practical support services for journalists including Hat & Hot (threat support), Offentlighetsjouren (freedom of information), and Frilansakuten (freelance support). Fojo runs annual events including Kunskapsveckan and publishes journalism awards like Gyllene Bjällran and Wendelapriset. Its international work supports media development in countries where press freedom is threatened.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fojo Academy Online learning platform offering video-based e-courses about EU for journalists. All courses are free of charge and hosted alongside other journalism training courses.
• Ny Kollega Training program for individuals who have studied and/or have work experience as journalists outside Sweden and want to work in Swedish media.
• Fojo Verify (Valkollen) Fact-checking tool and platform that helps journalists and citizens viral-fact-check during election periods.
• EU-kollen Online platform helping journalists understand how the EU works and find local angles on EU news stories, including practical guides and articles.
• GMMP (Global Media Monitoring Project) Gender monitoring project tracking gender equality in news media, producing the Swedish GMMP report on gender representation in news. Operates in over 180 countries.
• Hat & Hot Support service providing training, information and assistance to journalists who are threatened or attacked.
• Offentlighetsjouren Service providing information and help regarding the principle of public access (offentlighetsprincipen) in Sweden.
• Frilansakuten Support service for freelance journalists in Sweden.
• Kunskapsveckan Annual knowledge week event held in Stockholm offering journalism training and professional development.

Quantifiable outcome

• Free professional courses for practicing journalists
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• GIJNcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal Investigative Journalism Network - international network supporting investigative journalism
• GFMDcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal Forum for Media Development - international forum for media development stakeholders
• IMScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational Media Support - supports media development internationally
• WAN-IFRAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorld Association of News Publishers - global organization for news publishers
• GMMPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal Media Monitoring Project - monitors gender equality in media coverage worldwide, operates in over 180 countries
• Covering Climate NowminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMedia consortium focused on climate change journalism coverage
• Sveriges RadiocoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSwedish public service broadcaster and new partner in the Ny Kollega project supporting journalists trained outside Sweden
• Stampen MediacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSwedish newspaper group and new partner in the Ny Kollega project for journalists trained outside Sweden

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Poynter Institute: U.S.-based journalism training organization offering courses, fact-checking resources (PolitiFact), and professional development. Directly comparable as a journalism training and media literacy provider.
• International Media Support (IMS): Denmark-based international NGO supporting media in countries with press freedom challenges. Direct comparable in international media development work and a named Fojo partner.
• Free Press Unlimited: Dutch non-profit supporting independent journalism and press freedom globally. Comparable international media development mission and training/programmatic approach.
• Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ): U.S.-based independent non-profit promoting press freedom and supporting journalists at risk. Comparable mission overlap with Fojo's Hat & Hot threat support service.
• Internews: International non-profit supporting independent media in underserved regions through training, grants, and technology. Directly comparable international media development mission.
• DW Akademie: Germany's international media development organization (Deutsche Welle's training arm) providing journalism education worldwide. Comparable scope, mission, and donor-funded model.
• Global Investigative Journalism Network (GIJN): International network supporting investigative journalism worldwide. Comparable mission around journalism training, support, and networking; also a current Fojo partner.
• Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism: Oxford-based research and training institute focused on journalism, producing the Digital News Report and training programs. Comparable academic-affiliated journalism research/training entity.
• European Journalism Centre: European foundation offering journalism training programs and grants, including fact-checking and innovation support. Closely comparable to Fojo in European journalism training scope.
• International Center for Journalists (ICFJ): Global non-profit that trains journalists and supports independent media worldwide. Most directly comparable to Fojo in mission (journalism capacity building) and free training model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Fojoinstitute
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fojo-media-institute
• Instagraminstagram.com/fojo_media_institute
• Xx.com/fojo_int

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Fojo