Österreichischer Journalistinnenkongress

What Österreichischer Journalistinnenkongress does

The Österreichischer Journalistinnenkongress (JOKO), founded in 1998 by Maria Rauch-Kallat, is Austria's longest-running annual congress dedicated to advancing women in journalism and addressing the 'glass ceiling' (gläserne Decke) in Austrian media. Held each November at the Haus der Industrie in Vienna and operated by mrk diversity management gmbh under the non-profit framework of the Hildegard Burjan Institut, JOKO serves female journalists, editors, media executives, and academics primarily in Austria and the broader DACH/EU German-speaking markets. The congress's core products are the annual JOKO event with keynotes, panels, breakout sessions, and Living News interviews; the MedienLÖWINNEN awards program comprising GOLD (lifetime achievement, voted on by 70+ Austrian journalists), SILBER (best individual contribution on women's issues), and LÖWE (best editorial team); and the YoungStars mentorship pipeline program launched in 2013 for early-career women.

The organization operates with a core team of approximately 5 employees and runs a Drupal-based website for event registration, content, and newsletter distribution. It has no proprietary technology platform, mobile app, or AI/ML capabilities; AI is discussed as a congress theme rather than a deployed product feature. The 28th edition is scheduled for November 2026 under the theme 'Neustart statt Niedergang'.

The business model is sponsorship- and event-driven. Revenue is sourced from corporate sponsorship of award categories (Lotterien Österreich for MedienLÖWE, AGRANA for SILBER), venue partnership (Wirtschaftskammer Österreich provides Haus der Industrie), gala ticket sales, and likely grants via the affiliated Hildegard Burjan Institut. Participants include mid-market and enterprise media professionals; the YoungStars program targets students and early-career women. Marketing spans the Drupal website, email newsletter, five social platforms, APA-OTS press releases, and the annual congress and gala as flagship demand-generation events. No equity funding, M&A, or publicly disclosed pricing exists; ticket pricing and financial figures are not publicly disclosed.

Name

Österreichischer Journalistinnenkongress

Legal name

mrk diversity management gmbh

Website

https://journalistinnenkongress.at

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Österreichischer Journalistinnenkongress (JOKO) is a Vienna-based non-profit association, founded in 1998, that runs Austria's longest-running annual congress advancing women in journalism. It serves female journalists, editors, and media professionals through its annual flagship event, the MedienLÖWINNEN awards, and the YoungStars mentorship program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Media Conferences and Awards

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Professional and Management Development Training (61143)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Writing, Journalism & Publishing Camps (EDAMALAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Mentorship, Coaching & Office-Hours Platforms (MPACALAG)

Keywords

• Women in journalism
• Journalism conferences
• Media awards program
• Journalism mentorship
• Media networking events

Headquarters

HQ city

Vienna

HQ country

Austria

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Event-based programs and awards: Annual congress with paid participation, Gala evening ticket sales, and sponsorship of award categories (MedienLÖWINNEN prizes). Sponsors include Lotterien Österreich (MedienLÖWE), AGRANA (MedienLÖWIN SILBER), Wirtschaftkammer Österreich (Gala venue), and others.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Österreichischer Journalistinnenkongress (JOKO) is an annual congress and awards program for women in journalism and media, held each November in Vienna. It delivers a one-day flagship congress featuring keynotes, panels, breakout sessions, and Living News role-model interviews, preceded by a Gala-Abend at which the MedienLÖWINNEN prizes (MedienLÖWIN GOLD for lifetime achievement, MedienLÖWIN SILBER for best individual contribution on women's issues, and MedienLÖWE for best editorial team) are presented. Alongside the annual event, JOKO runs the YoungStars mentorship program offering workshops, media-house excursions, and hands-on training for young women aspiring to journalism careers.

Product overview

Österreichischer Journalistinnenkongress operates as an annual congress organization focused on supporting and advancing women in journalism. The core offerings include the annual JOKO congress featuring keynotes, panels, and breakout sessions, alongside the prestigious MedienLÖWINNEN awards program comprising three categories: GOLD (lifetime achievement), SILBER (best journalistic contribution on women's issues), and MedienLÖWE (best editorial team). The YoungStars program provides mentorship and training for emerging female journalists. The organization was founded in 1998 and hosts its events at the Haus der Industrie in Vienna.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MedienLÖWINNEN: Award program recognizing outstanding female journalists in Austria, including MedienLÖWIN GOLD (lifetime achievement), MedienLÖWIN SILBER (best individual contribution), and MedienLÖWE (best editorial team/medium)
• YoungStars

Products and services

• JOKO Annual Congress (Österreichischer Journalistinnenkongress) Annual one-day flagship congress for female journalists and media professionals in Austria, featuring keynotes, panels, breakout sessions, and Living News role-model interviews. Held each November in Vienna at Haus der Industrie; the 28th edition is scheduled for November 4, 2026.
• MedienLÖWIN GOLD Award Lifetime achievement award for a female media professional whose career body of work and presence in the media industry serves as a role model, encouraging other women to pursue careers in media. Voted on by more than 70 Austrian journalists.
• MedienLÖWIN SILBER Award Award for the best individual journalistic contribution addressing women's issues, recognizing excellence in gender-aware reporting across all media formats (print, TV, radio, online). Sponsored by AGRANA.
• MedienLÖWE Award Award for media outlets, editorial teams, or initiatives that demonstrate continuous and sustainable women-friendly, supportive, and empowering reporting through comprehensive focus on women's issues. Sponsored by Lotterien Österreich.
• YoungStars Program Mentorship and pipeline program for young women aspiring to journalism or media careers, offering workshops, media-house excursions, networking with top media professionals, and hands-on training in press release writing, social media campaigns, and congress moderation. Over 30 young women enrolled in the 2026 cohort.
• Gala-Abend der MedienLÖWINNEN Annual gala evening held on the eve of the congress where the MedienLÖWINNEN prizes (Gold, Silber, Löwe) are awarded to winners in a formal ceremony, supported by Wirtschaftskammer Österreich as venue provider.

Quantifiable outcome

• 28 consecutive annual congresses held since 1998
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 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

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

• mrk diversity management gmbhcoreOthersmrk diversity management gmbh (1010 Wien, Werdertorgasse 17/4) is listed as the entity responsible for the content of the website and appears to be the operational management company behind the Journalistinnenkongress. Tel: +43 1 922 52 60.
• Hildegard Burjan Institut – Verein zur Förderung der politischen BildungcoreOthersThe Hildegard Burjan Institut (ZVR 809871059, 1010 Wien, Stubenbastei 12/14) is the affiliated non-profit association (Verein) behind the congress, providing the institutional framework for the political education mission of the Journalistinnenkongress.
• Wirtschaftkammer Österreich (WKO)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Austrian Federal Economic Chamber (WKO) co-sponsors the MedienLÖWINNEN awards program and provides the Haus der Industrie venue for the annual congress. WKO representatives participate in congress programming, including panel moderation.
• Lotterien ÖsterreichmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerAustrian National Lottery (Lotterien Österreich) sponsors the MedienLÖWE award, providing funding for the award statue and ceremony. Listed as the prize sponsor on multiple award announcements (2022–2025).
• AGRANAmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerAGRANA, an Austrian agricultural processing company (sugar, starch, fruit), sponsors the MedienLÖWIN SILBER award. Their logo appears on award announcements for 2025.
• UniqaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerUniqa, Austrian insurance company, supported the YoungStars 2024 kick-off event as a sponsor, hosting or co-organizing the program launch activities.
• SanofiminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSanofi (pharmaceutical company) sponsored the MedienLÖWIN SILBER 2023 award, appearing as a logo partner on award announcements.
• SiemensminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSiemens Austria sponsored the MedienLÖWE 2022 award, appearing as a logo partner on award announcements.
• VHS Urania (Volkshochschule)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerVHS Urania (House of Women at the Vienna Adult Education Center) hosted the Midterm-Event 2023 on 'Politik, PR & Journalismus' as a co-organizer and venue provider.
• Frauennetzwerk Medien ÖsterreichcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Austrian Women's Media Network is a key institutional partner. Its chair Martina Madner and members participate in congress programming, jury deliberations for awards, and Living News sessions. The network's media contacts are central to award nominations.
• APA (Austria Press Agency)majorGTM or Marketing PartnerAPA provides press photo coverage of the congress and gala events (photographer Mirjam Reither). YoungStars write press releases distributed via APA-OTS. APA staff (e.g., Valerie Schmid) participate as panelists.
• ORF (Austrian Public Broadcasting)majorGTM or Marketing PartnerORF is both a participant (staff appear on panels, receive awards) and a media partner. ORF's TV-thek carries coverage of the Gala-Abend. ORF staff (Julia Ortner, Claudia Reiterer, Ingrid Zettel, etc.) are regular congress participants and award recipients.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Strengths4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/JoKo_AT
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCv2u3SKIboWlQRetFDrqgHQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/journalistinnenkongress
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/journalistinnenkongress
• Instagraminstagram.com/joko_at

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Österreichischer Journalistinnenkongress