N-Ost

What N-Ost does

N-Ost is a Berlin-based non-profit association (eingetragener Verein, e.V.) founded in 2005 that operates as a cross-border journalism network spanning more than 25 European and Central Asian countries. Its core activity is convening freelance reporters, partner newsrooms, and editorial projects to produce and distribute cross-border journalism, primarily through grant-funded programmes. Headcount is reported in the 11–50 range, anchored by Managing Director Hanno Gundert and a team of project managers, editors, and communications staff.

The organization's product surface is broad and project-based rather than productized. Flagship editorial outputs include the daily euro|topics newsletter (running since 2008), thematic newsletters such as What about Ukraine?, communEECCAtors, and Unit Newsletter, and podcasts including The Eurasian Climate Brief. Programming includes Fight for Facts! (supporting 16 regional Ukrainian newsrooms), the Pulse project, the Europe-Ukraine Desk, European Focus (a network of nine partner newsrooms), the EUD and Reporters in the Field journalist fellowship schemes, the Reclaiming Reality project, the SPOTLIGHTING photography network and exhibition, and in-person events under the n-ost kitchen talks series at the Berlin-based n-ost media hub. Distribution channels mix newsletters, podcasts, photo exhibitions, and live events.

N-Ost is funded by foundation and government grants rather than commercial revenue. Principal funders include the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the European Commission's Creative Europe programme, and foundations such as Robert Bosch Stiftung and Alfred Toepfer Stiftung, alongside German political foundations. Programme-level funding flows include per-team grants of approximately €5,000 for EUD fellows and up to €8,000 per Reporters in the Field team. Operations are constrained by Russian authorities' classification of the organization as "undesirable," which limits engagement with Russian-based journalists.

Name

N-Ost

Legal name

n-ost e.V.

Website

https://n-ost.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

N-Ost is a Berlin-based non-profit association founded in 2005 that operates a cross-border journalism network of freelance reporters and partner newsrooms across 25+ European and Central Asian countries, funded primarily by government and foundation grants to produce newsletters, podcasts, training programmes, and editorial projects.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Journalism Network Services

NAICS

Broadcasting and Content Providers (516), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (51621)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPABADAI

Public Broadcasting Content Distribution & Interconnection (Sat/IP feeds)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Broadcasting (TV & Radio)/Public/Nonprofit Broadcasting (PBS/NPR-style)

SECONDARYEDAGAJAF

Open Multimedia OER (video, audio, podcasts, animations)

Education/Educational Publishing & Learning Content/Open Educational Resources (OER) & Open Textbooks

Keywords

• Cross-border journalism
• Journalism network
• Media development
• Investigative reporting
• Press freedom support

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

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. Foundation and Government Grants: N-Ost operates primarily through funding from European foundations and government development agencies. Major funders include Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), European Commission Creative Europe, and various German political foundations.
2. Project-based Funding: The organization receives dedicated funding for specific projects such as Fight for Facts (supported by BMZ), Europe-Ukraine Desk (EU funded), and various journalism training programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

N-Ost is an international media network (legally "n-ost e.V. – Network for Border Crossing Journalism") that campaigns for independent media reporting, media pluralism, and information access. It operates a transnational network connecting journalists, media organizations, and experts across Europe (with a strong focus on Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia), and delivers grants, fellowships, training workshops, cross-border reporting projects, newsletters, podcasts, photography exhibitions, and media conferences.

Product overview

N-Ost is a transnational journalism network organization that promotes collaborative journalism across Europe with a focus on Eastern Europe. The organization operates as a platform connecting journalists, media organizations, and experts rather than a traditional SaaS product. Its offerings include multiple newsletters (euro|topics, Unit, What about Ukraine?, the communEECCAtors, European Focus), podcasts (The Eurasian Climate Brief), photography exhibitions (Next Station Ukraine, SPOTLIGHTING), event series (n-ost kitchen talks), grant programs (Reporters in the Field, Fight for Facts!), and collaborative projects (The Europe-Ukraine Desk, Pulse). The organization provides networking, training, and funding opportunities for journalists, along with digital platforms for cross-border journalism collaboration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• euro|topics: Daily roundup of European media debates available in English, German, French, Russian, and Turkish
• The Eurasian Climate Brief
• Unit
• What about Ukraine?
• the communEECCAtors
• Kitchen Talks
• Next Station Ukraine
• SPOTLIGHTING

Products and services

• euro|topics A daily newsletter/magazine that aggregates European media debates and provides multilingual perspectives (English, German, French, Russian, Turkish) on European issues.
• Unit Newsletter Monthly newsletter providing project news, queer stories, and job opportunities; currently focused on the History Unit project covering persecution of queer people under National Socialism and today.
• The Eurasian Climate Brief Podcast covering climate news in Eastern Europe, Russia, the Caucasus, and Central Asia.
• What about Ukraine? Weekly newsletter providing insights on war coverage in European media, debunking disinformation, and spotlighting narratives and voices from Ukraine.
• the communEECCAtors newsletter Monthly newsletter dedicated to strengthening climate journalism and communication across the EECCA region (Eastern Europe, Caucasus, Central Asia).
• The Europe-Ukraine Desk A living network of professional contacts between Ukrainian and EU journalists, foreign correspondents, and media outlets, supporting study tours, production grants, and collaborative journalism projects about Ukraine.
• European Focus A weekly newsletter with perspectives on European issues, produced collaboratively by journalists from nine European newsrooms (Tagesspiegel, Libération, hvg.hu, Gazeta Wyborcza, El Confidencial, Delfi Estonia, Balkans Insight, and others).
• Pulse. Europe beyond the beat A project focused on European public spheres, providing new formats and open calls for cross-border journalism.
• Next Station Ukraine Photo exhibition project documenting life in Ukraine during the war, featuring images of Ukrainians sheltering in subways during Russian attacks.
• SPOTLIGHTING – Turning the Lens on Journalism Documentary photography exhibition turning the camera on journalism itself, featuring international documentary photographers.
• n-ost kitchen talks Event series of informal discussions bringing together journalists, experts, and media professionals for dialogue on press freedom, journalism ethics, and European media landscapes.
• n-ost media hub A physical and digital media hub in Berlin for border-crossing journalism, providing co-working space and networking opportunities for journalists.
• Fight for Facts! Project supporting 16 regional newsrooms in Ukraine in their fight against disinformation and propaganda, implemented with Lviv Media Forum and Institute of Mass Information.
• Second Thoughts A series of publications offering two-sided perspectives, bringing together journalists, photographers, and photo editors from Eastern and Western Europe on recurring debate themes such as patriotism, propaganda, and fake news.
• Reporters in the Field Research grant program awarding up to 8,000 EUR per team for cross-border investigative stories. Supported 201 journalists across 72 research projects in 38 countries during 2015-2020.

Quantifiable outcome

• 201 journalists supported across 72 research projects in 38 countries over 5 years
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.

• Lviv Media ForumcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2023Ukrainian partner organization in the Fight for Facts project, providing local expertise and coordination for regional media support programs in Ukraine. The partnership aims to comprehensively support 16 regional newsrooms in fighting disinformation and propaganda.
• Institute of Mass Information (Kyiv)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2023Kyiv-based media NGO partnering on Fight for Facts project and Ukrainian journalist retreat programs. Provides expertise on media landscape and journalist support in Ukraine during wartime.
• Reporters Without BordersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational NGO supporting press freedom, listed as supporter for Ukrainian journalist retreat program.
• Prague Civil Society CentermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCzech civil society hub cooperating with n-ost on the Reporting Together: German-Ukrainian Journalist Exchange project. Provides venue and coordination support for cross-border journalism collaboration.
• TagesspiegelmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor German daily newspaper as cooperation partner in European Focus weekly newsletter project, contributing journalists and editorial resources to cross-border European journalism initiative.
• LibérationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench national newspaper partnering in European Focus project, contributing perspectives from French media landscape to the cross-border newsletter.
• hvg.humajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHungarian weekly magazine participating in European Focus collaboration, providing Central European perspective to the cross-border journalism network.
• Gazeta WyborczamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading Polish newspaper participating in European Focus newsletter project, contributing Eastern European perspective to the cross-border initiative.
• El ConfidencialmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpanish online newspaper as cooperation partner in European Focus, contributing Southern European perspective to cross-border European journalism.
• Delfi EstoniamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBaltic online media outlet participating in European Focus project, contributing Northern/Eastern European perspectives.
• Balkans InsightmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBalkans-focused investigative journalism outlet as European Focus partner, contributing Balkan perspective to cross-border European journalism.
• Are We EuropeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean media platform listed as cooperation partner in European journalism projects.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Free Press Unlimited: Dutch non-profit supporting independent journalism and press freedom globally, with significant European programming. Comparable as a journalism development NGO funded by European donors serving journalists in repressive environments.
• International Women's Media Foundation (IWMF): US-based non-profit supporting women journalists globally with grants, training, and safety programs. Comparable as a journalism support NGO offering grants and fellowships to journalists facing safety and resource constraints.
• International Journalists' Network (IJNet): ICFJ-run global network providing training, opportunities, and resources for journalists worldwide. Comparable as a journalism training and networking platform, though with global rather than European focus.
• Arena for Journalism in Europe: European journalism collaborative platform focused on cross-border investigations and journalist networking across Europe. Directly comparable mission, audience (European journalists), and grant-based operating model.
• European Journalism Centre (EJC): Non-profit based in Maastricht supporting journalism innovation and cross-border reporting across Europe. Directly comparable as a journalism support NGO serving similar European journalist audiences and offering grants, training, and networking programs.
• Journalismfund.eu: European non-profit providing grants for cross-border investigative journalism. Highly comparable as a grant-making journalism support organization with similar funder mix and audience of European investigative journalists.

Broad incumbents

• Reporters Without Borders (RSF): Major international press freedom organization headquartered in Paris with global scope. Comparable mission around press freedom and journalist support; larger and broader in scope than N-Ost's European/Central Asian focus, and is also an N-Ost partner.
• International Federation of Journalists (IFJ): Global federation of journalists and press unions with European presence. Comparable mission of supporting journalists and press freedom, though operates at much larger scale as a membership union organization.
• European Broadcasting Union (EBU): Geneva-based alliance of public service media organizations across Europe. Comparable in operating in European media/journalism space, but as a large incumbent broadcaster association rather than a journalism NGO.

Others

• Robert Bosch Stiftung Media Programs: German foundation (and N-Ost funder) operating journalism and media development programs including cross-border reporting support across Europe. Adjacent as a major foundation funder with overlapping programmatic priorities in journalism support.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/n_ost
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@n-ost
• Facebookfacebook.com/nost.online
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/network-for-reporting-on-eastern-europe-n-ost-eurotopics
• Instagraminstagram.com/n_ost_org

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 N-Ost