What SembraMedia does

SembraMedia is a non-profit organization founded in 2015 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, that supports independent digital media entrepreneurs across Spanish-speaking markets and beyond. Its core function is to map, research, train, and connect founders of independent news outlets facing sustainability challenges, particularly in news deserts and underserved regions. The organization's primary assets are proprietary directories — Global Project Oasis (3,000+ outlets across 68+ countries) and a Spanish-language directory (nearly 1,000 outlets in 24 countries) — built through nearly a decade of systematic manual data collection on revenue sources, content types, and team structures. SembraMedia does not generate commercial revenue; operations are funded by institutional grants from partners including Google News Initiative, UNESCO, Luminate, Omidyar Network, Meta, and BBC Media Action. Applications to all programs are free; selected participants in some programs receive direct funding (e.g., US$4,000 through LABU).

The technology stack is built on web platforms: a directory system serving both Global Project Oasis and the Spanish-language directory, a virtual school at escuela.sembramedia.org for self-serve classes, and a Professors Network platform connecting 300+ academics. Distribution is primarily self-serve digital: open application processes for six named programs (GNI Startups Lab, Metis, SembraMex, SembraEducativo, LABU, Brave Media) plus email newsletters in English and Spanish and an active social media presence. SembraMedia's research output — the Inflection Point series (2016, 2021), Starting Point (2018, 2023), and Project Oasis reports — is cited in industry publications including Nieman Lab, IJNet, WAN-IFRA, and Reuters Institute, reinforcing its position as an authority on independent digital media sustainability.

The customer base is split between primary beneficiaries (1,000+ digital media entrepreneurs and founders served through programs) and secondary users (professors, journalism students, donors, policymakers, and researchers who consume directories and reports). Geographic reach spans Latin America, Spain, the United States, Canada, and — with 2024-2025 expansion — Europe, India, and Sub-Saharan Africa. Leadership consists of co-founder and Executive Director Janine Warner and General Manager María Eugenia Álvarez, supported by a distributed team across Latin America, Spain, the United States, and Canada.

Name

SembraMedia

Legal name

SembraMedia

Website

https://sembramedia.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SembraMedia is a non-profit founded in 2015 that maps, trains, and supports independent digital media entrepreneurs across 68+ countries through proprietary directories, a virtual school, and acceleration programs such as GNI Startups Lab and Metis.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Media Development and Journalism Support Services

NAICS

Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers (5131)

SIC

Miscellaneous Publishing (2741), Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)

akta.pro primary industry

Investigative & Nonprofit News Organizations (MPAJADAF)

Keywords

• Digital media support
• Media entrepreneur training
• Journalism education
• Media sustainability research
• Nonprofit media directory

Headquarters

HQ city

Buenos Aires

HQ country

Argentina

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Grant Funding: SembraMedia operates as a non-profit organization supported primarily by grants from international organizations including Google News Initiative, UNESCO, Luminate, and other foundations focused on media development and journalism sustainability.
2. Training and Acceleration Programs: Free programs providing training, consulting, and sometimes direct funding to digital media entrepreneurs. Programs are typically funded by partner organizations and offered at no cost to participants.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

SembraMedia is a non-profit organization that supports digital media entrepreneurs through a portfolio of interconnected offerings: proprietary media directories mapping 3,000+ independent outlets across 68+ countries, a virtual school delivering classes on entrepreneurial journalism, and acceleration/training programs such as GNI Startups Lab, Metis, SembraMex, LABU, SembraEducativo, and Brave Media. It also publishes research reports (Inflection Point series, Starting Point studies) and curates digital tools and resources for the journalism ecosystem. All offerings are provided free of charge to participants, funded through grants from international foundations and platforms.

Product overview

SembraMedia is a nonprofit organization that supports digital media entrepreneurs through a portfolio of interconnected products and programs. The core offerings include: a global media directory system (Global Project Oasis) covering 68+ countries with over 3,000 searchable profiles, complemented by the Spanish-language directory mapping nearly 1,000 outlets across 24 countries; a Virtual School offering online courses in entrepreneurial journalism and media management; and a Professors Network connecting over 300 educators. These research and educational platforms support various training programs including GNI Startups Lab (10-week incubator), Metis (women's mentorship), SembraMex (border media accelerator), SembraEducativo (scholarships), LABU (university media lab), and Brave Media (global initiative with BBC). The organization also publishes ongoing research reports and maintains resource libraries for the digital media ecosystem.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Global Project Oasis: A global research initiative and media directory mapping independent digital media organizations across 68 countries, supported by Google News Initiative.
• Project Oasis Europe
• Escuela Virtual de SembraMedia
• Red de Profes de Periodismo Emprendedor
• GNI Startups Lab
• Metis
• LABU (Laboratorio Universitario de Medios)
• Brave Media
• SembraMex

Products and services

• Global Project Oasis A global research initiative and media directory that maps independent digital media organizations, news creators, and publishers across 68+ countries. Includes searchable profiles with data on coverage, revenue sources, and content types. Supported by Google News Initiative.
• Directorio de medios (Spanish-Language Media Directory) A directory mapping digital media outlets in Spanish across Latin America, Spain, and the Spanish-language market in the United States and Canada, including nearly 1,000 organizations from 24 countries.
• Escuela Virtual (Virtual School) An online learning platform offering classes on entrepreneurial journalism, media management, finance, and other topics through a diverse team of specialists. Includes interactive live sessions complementing access to virtual school classes.
• Red de Profes (Professors Network) An online community of over 300 professors and academics from Latin America and Spain who teach entrepreneurial journalism, sharing ideas, resources, and recommended curriculum designs for teaching digital media entrepreneurship.
• GNI Startups Lab A 10-week virtual training and incubation program for journalists and social entrepreneurs to launch new digital media outlets. Developed by Google News Initiative in collaboration with SembraMedia, focusing on news deserts and semi-deserts. 70+ new media outlets have been launched since the first edition.
• Metis A six-month business mentorship program for women founders of independent digital media in Latin America, providing mentorship with international industry leaders, networking, and visibility opportunities. 50+ women founders have participated across three editions.
• SembraMex A sustainability accelerator for digital media covering the Mexico-U.S. border, in partnership with the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) and the Border Hub initiative. Provides online training and consulting to strengthen independent journalism in complex border regions.
• SembraEducativo A scholarship program for relevant actors in Ibero-American entrepreneurial journalism ecosystems, providing access to virtual school classes complemented with interactive live sessions on sustainability topics.
• LABU (Laboratorio Universitario de Medios) A university media lab training initiative for journalism students and professors in Argentina, fostering creation of digital journalism projects over a 10-week virtual program with US$4,000 in funding for winning projects.
• Brave Media A global initiative in partnership with BBC Media Action to strengthen independent media through local solutions, improving resilience against disinformation and economic pressures.

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 50% of media studied have won national or international awards for their journalism work
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Google News InitiativecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Primary strategic partner supporting multiple programs including GNI Startups Lab across Latin America. GNI provides funding, program development, and industry credibility to SembraMedia's training and acceleration initiatives.
• UNESCOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupported the Starting Point II research on entrepreneurial journalism education in Latin America and Spain. Also partnered on the guide for women leaders in media.
• BBC Media ActioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Brave Media global initiative to strengthen independent media through local solutions, focusing on disinformation challenges and policy advocacy.
• LION PublisherscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOriginal creator of Project Oasis for U.S. and Canada. SembraMedia took over global lead in 2025 while LION continues as a partner in the expanded directory.
• AJOR (Brazilian Association of Radio Journalism)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch and promotional partner for Global Project Oasis, contributing media profiles from Brazil to the global directory.
• European Journalism CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Project Oasis Europe, supporting research on independent digital native news organizations across more than 40 European countries.
• Global Forum for Media Development (GFMD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Project Oasis Europe research initiative mapping European digital native media landscape.
• Media and Journalism Research CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Project Oasis Europe research collaboration across European digital media.
• International Media SupportcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Project Oasis Europe supporting digital media research and sustainability initiatives.
• International Center for Journalists (ICFJ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in SembraMex program supporting investigative journalism startups at the U.S.-Mexico border through the Border Hub initiative.
• Border HubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFive-year program led by ICFJ supporting transparency and investigative journalism skills for journalists in Mexico's northern border states.
• Fundación GABOminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization in the journalism and media development ecosystem.
• John S. Knight Journalism Fellowships at StanfordminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner supporting journalism innovation and entrepreneurship education.
• Instituto para Novelas sin Fines de Lucro (INN)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner supporting non-profit news organizations and journalism sustainability.
• Agencia Pública (Brazil)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the media ecosystem supporting investigative journalism in Brazil.
• Distintas LatitudesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization in Latin American media development.
• TrustLaw (Thomson Reuters Foundation)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLegal support and resources for journalism organizations.
• ConnectasminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Latin American journalism network.
• Reporteros sin FronterasminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner supporting press freedom and journalist safety.
• FOPEA (Foro de Periodismo Argentino)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Argentina for LABU and GNI Startups Lab Argentina programs.
• IndiegrafminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner supporting independent media sustainability.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• BBC Media Action: BBC Media Action is the BBC's international development charity, supporting independent media globally and partnering with SembraMedia on the Brave Media initiative. A significantly larger incumbent with overlapping mission of media resilience and disinformation response in developing markets.
• Luminate: Luminate is a global philanthropic organization investing in independent media and civic information, and a key SembraMedia funder. While not a direct peer in operating model, it shapes the same funding landscape and is a major counterparty in the digital media support ecosystem.

Direct peers

• Reporters Without Borders (RSF): RSF is a Paris-based international NGO defending press freedom and supporting journalists worldwide, listed as a SembraMedia partner. Overlapping focus on independent media in restrictive environments, though RSF's primary orientation is advocacy and safety rather than business sustainability.
• Media Development Investment Fund (MDIF): MDIF invests in independent media worldwide, providing both capital and capacity-building support. While its core model is investment-led rather than grant-led, its mission of supporting media business sustainability in challenging markets closely aligns with SembraMedia's work with digital media entrepreneurs.
• Lenfest Institute for Journalism: Lenfest is a U.S.-based non-profit that invests in and supports local journalism, and is a financial partner of SembraMedia. Comparable mission focused on journalism sustainability, funder relationships, and capacity-building programs for news organizations.
• International Media Support (IMS): IMS is a Denmark-based non-profit that supports independent media in conflict-affected and developing countries, and a partner of SembraMedia on Project Oasis Europe. Comparable focus on media sustainability, partner ecosystem, and program-based delivery.
• International Center for Journalists (ICFJ): ICFJ is a global non-profit that trains journalists and supports newsroom sustainability worldwide, and is SembraMedia's partner on the SembraMex / Border Hub program. Comparable mission, training-program portfolio, and global funder network.
• LION Publishers: LION Publishers is a U.S./Canada-based non-profit network supporting local independent online news publishers and originally created Project Oasis, which SembraMedia now leads globally. Operates a similar directory-plus-program model for independent digital media, making it the most direct peer.
• Global Forum for Media Development (GFMD): GFMD is an international membership organization supporting media development and press freedom, and a partner of SembraMedia on Project Oasis Europe. Overlapping role as convenor, researcher, and advocacy body for the independent media support ecosystem.
• European Journalism Centre (EJC): The EJC is a Netherlands-based non-profit that supports journalism innovation across Europe and co-led Project Oasis Europe with SembraMedia. Its mission, partner network, and program-based model closely mirror SembraMedia's approach in its European footprint.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/sembramedia
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCU83q-AsKRwlbNokZMrWdPg
• Facebookfacebook.com/sembramedia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sembramedia
• Instagraminstagram.com/sembramedia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

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 SembraMedia