La Silla Vacía
La Silla Vacía is a Colombian independent digital media foundation founded in 2009 that produces political journalism, fact-checking, and curated political-power databases for Colombian readers, institutions, and learners, funded primarily through reader memberships, paid courses, and data subscriptions.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- Headquarters—
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What La Silla Vacía does
La Silla Vacía is a Colombian independent digital media foundation (FUNDACIÓN LA SILLA VACÍA, NIT 901829341-4) founded in 2009 that produces political journalism, investigative reporting, and fact-checking focused on power structures in Colombia. The organization operates a unified digital platform integrating multiple sub-brands: the core La Silla Vacía news outlet covering national and regional politics (with dedicated sections for Antioquia, Bogotá, Caribe, Eje Cafetero, Pacífico, Santanderes, Región Sur, and Silla Amazonía), the Detector de Mentiras fact-checking unit (Colombia's first, founded in 2014), the Silla Datos subscription portal hosting 80+ curated databases on Colombian political power, the Silla Cursos online education platform (launched 2018), and the Estudio La Silla Pódcast production studio distributing six original podcast series. The Red de Expertos network organizes 11+ thematic expert communities spanning peace, rural, environmental, constitutional law, gender, education, democracy and technology, and other policy domains, providing specialist analysis to journalists and readers.
The business model is reader-supported rather than advertising- or paywall-based. The primary revenue stream is the SuperAmigos membership program, which collects recurring monthly, semi-annual, or annual contributions starting at 20,000 COP from individual readers. Secondary streams include paid online courses priced at approximately 50,000 COP per seat (with 15% group discounts for 10+ licenses), institutional subscriptions to Silla Datos, podcast production services, studio rental, and sponsored educational programs such as Reto 50 (developed with the Embassy of France and Comunidad Informada/CFI). Payments are processed via Stripe and Colombian gateways including Bancolombia, Nequi, Daviplata, and PSE. Distribution is entirely digital via the website, email newsletters, social channels (Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok), and podcast platforms (Spotify).
The technology stack includes a content management system, podcast production infrastructure, the DetecBot WhatsApp chatbot for crowdsourced fact-checking, and La SillaIA — a conversational AI assistant launched during the 2026 Colombian presidential election cycle that draws from the organization's verified fact-check database. The organization maintains a no-paywall policy and ad-free position for political/electoral podcast content, underwriting editorial independence through diversified reader contributions.
La Silla Vacía firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- La Silla Vacía
- Legal name
- FUNDACIÓN LA SILLA VACÍA
- Website
- https://lasillavacia.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- La Silla Vacía is a Colombian independent digital media foundation founded in 2009 that produces political journalism, fact-checking, and curated political-power databases for Colombian readers, institutions, and learners, funded primarily through reader memberships, paid courses, and data subscriptions.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
La Silla Vacía industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Independent Digital Journalism
- NAICS
- Broadcasting and Content Providers (516)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Investigative & Nonprofit News Organizations (MPAJADAF)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- News, Politics & Current Affairs Magazines (MPAJAEAO)
Keywords
La Silla Vacía business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- SuperAmigos Membership Program: Recurring monthly, semi-annual, or annual contributions from readers (SuperAmigos) starting at 20,000 COP per month. This is the primary sustainability model enabling independent journalism without paywalls.
- La Silla Cursos (Online Courses): Paid educational courses on journalism, digital storytelling, women's leadership, and AI for social media management. Individual course prices around 50,000 COP; group discounts available (15% for 10+ licenses).
- La Silla Datos Subscriptions: Subscription-based access to over 80 proprietary databases on Colombian political power. Targets institutions, companies, and researchers. Contact: [email protected].
- Podcast Studio Services: Podcast production services including full production assistance, studio rental with La Silla Vacía producer support, podcast creation training for organizations, and advertising slots in original podcasts (ad-free policy for political/electoral content).
- Educational Program Partnerships: Sponsored or subsidized educational programs such as Reto 50 (in partnership with the Embassy of France and Comunidad Informada/CFI), providing free or subsidized training to specific demographics.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | SuperAmigos monthly membership starting at 20,000 COP/month |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Individual online courses at ~50,000 COP |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Reto 50 anti-disinformation training: free (100 spots) |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
La Silla Vacía product offering
Product offeringCore offering
La Silla Vacía is a Colombian independent digital journalism foundation (founded 2009) that produces daily political news, investigative reporting, fact-checking content (Detector de Mentiras, since 2014), expert analysis (Red de Expertos, 11+ themed networks), and original podcasts on Colombian politics and power. It monetizes through reader membership (SuperAmigos, recurring contributions from 20,000 COP/month), paid and free online courses (La Silla Cursos), institutional subscriptions to 80+ proprietary databases on political power (La Silla Datos), and podcast production/studio services (Estudio La Silla Pódcast).
Product overview
La Silla Vacía is a Colombian independent digital media organization founded in 2009 that operates a unified digital journalism platform with multiple integrated products and sub-brands. The core platform (La Silla Vacía) delivers daily political journalism across sections including Nacional, Silla Académica, Silla Amazonía, and En Vivo. It is supported by the SuperAmigos membership program and complemented by four key sub-products: (1) Detector de Mentiras — a dedicated fact-checking unit founded in 2014 that also operates DetecBot on WhatsApp and, during the 2026 election, launched La SillaIA, an AI chatbot drawing from its verified database; (2) Silla Cursos — a virtual education platform (launched 2018) offering paid journalism/leadership courses and free courses including Reto 50 and an AI for social media course; (3) Estudio La Silla Pódcast — the podcast production arm offering original shows and studio rental/training services; and (4) Silla Datos — a subscription-access database portal with over 80 datasets on Colombian political power. The Red de Expertos expert network provides thematic analysis across peace, rural, environmental, constitutional, technology, gender, education, and other policy areas.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Detector de Mentiras: Fact-checking unit of La Silla Vacía, the first of its kind in Colombia, verifying claims in political campaigns and public discourse
- Silla Cursos
- Silla Académica
- Red de Expertos
- Silla Amazonía
- Silla Datos
- LabAI
- SuperAmigos
Products and services
- La Silla Vacía digital journalism platform Independent Colombian digital news platform providing daily political journalism, investigative reporting, live news coverage (En Vivo), opinion columns, and regional coverage across specialized sections including Silla Nacional, Silla Académica, Silla Amazonía, Detector de Mentiras, and Red de Expertos.
- La Silla Datos Subscription-based database portal compiling and systematizing 80+ databases on Colombian political power, including corruption cases, government contracts, cabinets, and the peace process, available to institutions, companies, and researchers.
- Detector de Mentiras Colombia's first fact-checking unit (founded 2014), verifying claims made by political candidates, public officials, and content circulating on social media; publishes fact-checks on its website, produces audiovisual investigations, and operates DetecBot on WhatsApp.
- La Silla Cursos Virtual education platform offering paid courses in journalism, digital storytelling, women's leadership, and AI for social media management; individual courses priced around 50,000 COP with 15% group discount for 10+ licenses.
- Estudio La Silla Pódcast Podcast production and distribution arm offering original political podcasts (Huevos revueltos con política, Déjà Vu, Ausencias, El Futuro del Futuro, Cauca Verde, On the Record, El País de los Millenials, Los Incómodos) plus studio rental, podcast creation training, and advertising slots.
- SuperAmigos membership program Reader membership and crowdfunding program offering monthly, semi-annual, and annual subscription plans starting at 20,000 Colombian pesos per month; funds independent journalism and ensures editorial independence without paywalls.
- Reto 50 (anti-disinformation training) Free virtual training program designed by the Detector de Mentiras team for people aged 50 and older, teaching them to identify disinformation patterns including AI-generated deepfakes, false images, and manipulated audio using real Colombian electoral cases.
Quantifiable outcome
- First fact-checking unit in Colombia, operating since 2014 — over a decade of verifying political claims.
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use La Silla Vacía
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
La Silla Vacía technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
AI capability4 records
Feature4 records
La Silla Vacía partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Embassy of France in ColombiacoreThe Embassy of France partnered with La Silla Vacía to develop Reto 50 (Challenge 50), a free virtual anti-disinformation training program for adults 50+ across Colombia, as part of the Comunidad Informada program designed by CFI (Committee on Freedom of the Press/Media Development). The program consists of two virtual sessions (May 12-13, 2026) with 100 free spots, delivered by the Detector de Mentiras team.
- StripecoreStripe serves as the payment gateway for all online transactions on La Silla Vacía's platform, including SuperAmigo membership payments and course purchases. Stripe is certified, uses bank-level encryption, and handles all transaction security.
- Universidad Eafit – Centro de Estudios e Incidencia Valor PúblicominorLa Silla Académica collaborated with researchers from Universidad Eafit's Centro de Estudios e Incidencia – Valor Público, who produced academic policy recommendations (roadmaps for the first 100 days of government) that La Silla Vacía compared against presidential candidate proposals.
- Comunidad Informada (CFI)minorCFI (likely Committee on Freedom of the Press/Media Development) designed the Comunidad Informada program framework within which La Silla Vacía and the Embassy of France implemented the Reto 50 anti-disinformation training for adults 50+ in Colombia.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
La Silla Vacía competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Connectas: Latin American cross-border investigative journalism network that convenes outlets including La Silla Vacía. Peer in ecosystem role, journalism-training focus, and LatAm investigative infrastructure.
Direct peers
- Chequeado: Argentina-based fact-checking organization pioneering political claim verification in LatAm. Direct comparator to Detector de Mentiras in mission, methodology, and fact-checking-first positioning.
- CIPER Chile (Centro de Investigación Periodística): Chile's leading nonprofit investigative journalism center. Shares La Silla Vacía's model of data-driven, reader-funded political and power investigations, with comparable scope and regional positioning.
- Agência Pública: Brazilian investigative journalism nonprofit focused on human rights, power, and public-interest reporting. Closely comparable in structure, regional scope, and funding approach to La Silla Vacía.
- Aristegui Noticias: Mexican independent digital news outlet focused on investigative journalism and political accountability. Comparable in independent digital news positioning, scale of audience, and adversarial editorial stance.
- Maldita.es: Spain-based nonprofit fact-checking and data journalism organization. Closest international analogue to La Silla's combination of fact-checking unit (Detector de Mentiras), data journalism, and reader-supported funding.
- Ojo Público: Peruvian nonprofit investigative journalism outlet with a similar model of independent digital reporting, data-driven investigations, and reader-supported funding. Comparable in mission, structure, and LatAm nonprofit media positioning to La Silla Vacía.
Broad incumbents
- El Tiempo: Colombia's largest mainstream newspaper with broad political and general-news coverage. Provides a clear incumbent benchmark on audience scale, advertising base, and brand reach against which La Silla Vacía competes.
- Semana: Colombia's leading news magazine with strong political coverage and investigative reputation. Comparable in political-journalism niche but with much broader reach and a paid circulation model.
- El Espectador: Historic Colombian newspaper with a strong digital pivot and political-coverage depth. Comparable as a Colombian national news competitor, though with a substantially larger audience and institutional backing.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
La Silla Vacía social profiles
Digital presenceLa Silla Vacía financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
La Silla Vacía leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
La Silla Vacía funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
La Silla Vacía M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about La Silla Vacía
What does La Silla Vacía do?
La Silla Vacía is a Colombian independent digital journalism foundation (founded 2009) that produces daily political news, investigative reporting, fact-checking content (Detector de Mentiras, since 2014), expert analysis (Red de Expertos, 11+ themed networks), and original podcasts on Colombian politics and power. It monetizes through reader membership (SuperAmigos, recurring contributions from 20,000 COP/month), paid and free online courses (La Silla Cursos), institutional subscriptions to 80+ proprietary databases on political power (La Silla Datos), and podcast production/studio services (Estudio La Silla Pódcast).
Is La Silla Vacía a public or private company?
La Silla Vacía is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was La Silla Vacía founded?
La Silla Vacía was founded in 2009. It employs 51 to 100 people.
How does La Silla Vacía make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. SuperAmigos Membership Program is the primary driver. The others are la Silla Cursos (Online Courses), la Silla Datos Subscriptions, podcast Studio Services and educational Program Partnerships.
Who are La Silla Vacía's main competitors?
Connectas is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are Chequeado, CIPER Chile (Centro de Investigación Periodística), Agência Pública, Aristegui Noticias, Maldita.es and Ojo Público. Broad incumbents are El Tiempo, Semana and El Espectador.
Does La Silla Vacía have an API?
No public API is recorded for La Silla Vacía.
What industry is La Silla Vacía in?
La Silla Vacía's product category is Independent Digital Journalism. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJADAF, Investigative & Nonprofit News Organizations, with a secondary code of MPAJAEAO, News, Politics & Current Affairs Magazines. Its NAICS code is 516.