Institute of Mass Information

What Institute of Mass Information does

The Institute of Mass Information (Інститут масової інформації, IMI) is a Ukrainian civil society organization (NGO) founded in 1995/1996 and headquartered in Kyiv at 03056, Kyiv, Berestejckyj (Peremogu) Av 25, ap. 99, with EDRPOU registration 24075824. The organization promotes freedom of speech, quality journalism, media literacy, and access to public information across Ukraine. Its service portfolio includes the Freedom of Speech Barometer (monthly monitoring of media freedom violations), the White List (Білий список) of online media meeting professional standards, Standards Monitoring, Disinformation Monitoring, Content Research, Social Media Monitoring, Gender Balance Monitoring, Regional Analytics, and legal support for journalists and media organizations. IMI also runs the List of Deceased Journalists and List of Imprisoned Journalists registries, the Media Crime Registry documenting Russian crimes against media infrastructure, and Safety and Techno-Help advice resources.

IMI's core operational platform is the MediaBazas (Медіабази) network—24 regional media hubs created in autumn 2022 to support independent journalists during Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine, covering all Ukrainian oblasts including Crimea, Donetsk, Luhansk, and Kherson. These hubs provide free workspace with electricity and internet, protective equipment, training, workshops, webinars, and community events. The organization does not develop proprietary technology products; its work is human-expertise-driven, centered on monitoring methodology, legal knowledge, and community organizing.

IMI operates as a non-profit with a community-led go-to-market motion. All services—legal support, monitoring, training, and MediaBaza resources—are provided free of charge to journalists and media organizations. Funding comes from grants and project financing from international donors (Internews, UNESCO, House of Europe, RSF, IFPIM, IFRUM, ECPMF, the Ukrainian Cultural Fund, MiCT, the Vienna Institute for International Human Sciences, and the Ukrainian Media Fund) and from voluntary charitable donations via LiqPay, bank transfers in UAH/EUR/USD, and other means. IMI also functions as a grant-facilitation intermediary, publishing international funding opportunities for Ukrainian media through its announcement platform. In November 2025, IMI joined the Board of the International Fund for Public Interest Media (IFPIM), representing the Eastern Europe focus region.

Name

Institute of Mass Information

Legal name

ГО Інститут масової інформації

Website

https://imi.org.ua

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Institute of Mass Information is a Ukrainian NGO that promotes media freedom and supports independent journalists through monitoring products, legal aid, and a network of 24 regional media hubs covering all Ukrainian oblasts, funded by international grants and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Kyiv

HQ country

Ukraine

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Grants and project financing: IMI receives non-repayable financial assistance from international donors and grant-making organizations to implement projects within its statutory mandate, including legal support for journalists, media monitoring, and freedom of speech advocacy. The monthly amount required for project implementation is stated at 50,000 hryvnias.
2. Donations and charitable contributions: IMI accepts voluntary donations from individuals and organizations through online payment systems (LiqPay), bank transfers in UAH, EUR, and USD, and other means. Donations are described as non-repayable financial assistance for statutory activities.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

IMI is a Ukrainian civil society organization that monitors freedom of speech and media standards, provides free legal support to journalists and media outlets, and operates a nationwide network of 24 regional media hubs (Медіабази) offering wartime protective equipment, training, workspace, electricity and internet access. Its deliverables include the Freedom of Speech Barometer, the White List of quality media, disinformation and gender-balance monitoring, regional analytics, documentation of war crimes against journalists, and capacity-building programs for the journalism community.

Product overview

Institute of Mass Information (IMI) is a Ukrainian NGO focused on media freedom monitoring and journalist support. The organization operates as a platform of monitoring products and support services rather than a unified software product. Its core offerings include: the Freedom of Speech Barometer for tracking violations; a network of MediaBases (regional hubs) providing journalists with protective equipment, training, and workspace; the High Quality List (White List) certifying media meeting professional standards; and various monitoring products covering content quality, disinformation, gender balance, and regional analytics. Support services include legal assistance for journalists, safety guidelines, and documentation of Russian war crimes against media workers. IMI also publishes research, guides, and audio materials, and facilitates grant opportunities for independent media through its announcement platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Freedom of Speech Barometer (Барометр свободи слова)

Quantifiable outcome

• Network of 24 regional media hubs across Ukraine

Named customers1 record

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

Three partnerships are on record, tiered major and minor.

• Reporters Without Borders (RSF)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRSF and IMI collaborate on media freedom monitoring, with RSF referencing IMI reports and both organizations advocating for journalists' rights. RSF developed the Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI) standard, and IMI's grantees can access JTI certification support through IFPIM.
• JusticeInfo.netminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIMI publishes grant opportunities for coverage of justice for war crimes in partnership with JusticeInfo.net, facilitating journalistic access to funding for war crimes reporting.
• Media Development Foundation (MDF)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMDF runs a documentary filmmaking school 'Documentary Lab 2.0' with IMI publishing announcements for the program targeting regional media organizations with human rights focus.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• International Federation of Journalists (IFJ): Global federation of journalists' unions focused on press freedom, journalist safety, and professional standards — overlaps IMI's journalist advocacy and safety guidance mandate.
• Article 19: International freedom of expression organization that monitors press freedom, defamation laws, and SLAPP cases — directly aligned with IMI's Legal Support, SLAPP tracking, and freedom of speech monitoring.
• Reporters Without Borders (RSF): Global press freedom NGO that monitors journalist safety and press freedom conditions; an active IMI partner that references IMI's Freedom of Speech Barometer and co-advocates on Ukrainian journalist protection.
• Index on Censorship: UK-based organization promoting and defending freedom of expression; comparable monitoring and advocacy role focused on press freedom and disinformation tracking.
• International Press Institute (IPI): Global press freedom network advocating for independent journalism and tracking violations; comparable mission to IMI in monitoring media standards and journalist safety.
• Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ): International press freedom organization that documents journalist killings, imprisonments, and threats — directly comparable to IMI's Media Crime Registry and Lists of Deceased/Imprisoned Journalists.
• Internews International: International media development organization providing grants and capacity building for independent media in fragile states; an active IMI partner channeling funding to Ukrainian outlets via IMI's platform.
• European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF): European press freedom hub providing rapid legal and practical support to journalists; comparable to IMI's Legal Support and Media Crime Registry functions and a listed IMI partner.

Broad incumbents

• Free Press Unlimited: Dutch-based NGO supporting independent journalism worldwide, including Ukraine; comparable donor/funder and capacity-building role in fragile media environments.

Regional players

• PEN Ukraine: Ukrainian branch of PEN International supporting writers and journalists under threat; a regional peer in the same Ukrainian press-freedom ecosystem and listed IMI partner.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/imiukraine
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@imiukraine
• Facebookfacebook.com/imi.org.ua
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/imi-org-ua
• Instagraminstagram.com/imi.org.ua

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Institute of Mass Information