Hetq Media Factory

What Hetq Media Factory does

Hetq Media Factory (Հետք Մեդիա Գործարան) is a non-profit journalism training and multimedia content production organization based in Yerevan, Armenia, operating as a project of the 'Investigating Journalists' public organization (Hetq). Founded in 2019, the organization runs a free, one-year professional journalism education program covering 11 mandatory subjects — including investigative journalism, data journalism with Python, fact-checking, video storytelling, filming, photo storytelling, and writing — delivered daily over two semesters. Students are admitted through an application, motivational letter, CV review, and 15-minute interview, and learn by producing real journalism that is published as Hetq Media Factory output across long reads, photo stories, videos, text articles, and infographics.

The organization monetizes through two streams. The primary revenue source is international grant funding: it was established and sustained from 2019 to 2025 by a U.S. State Department Public Diplomacy Office grant via the U.S. Embassy in Armenia, and from 2026 the educational program is funded by the Children of Armenia Foundation (COAF). Additional grant and partnership support comes from the European Democratic Foundation, DT Global, the Canadian Embassy Local Initiatives Fund, the National Endowment for Democracy, the Wikimedia Foundation, the Friedrich Naumann Foundation, the Heinrich Böll Foundation, the Media Initiatives Center, the Eurasia Partnership Foundation, and Impact Hub Armenia. The second stream is paid media services — multimedia content creation, text content, video production, data analysis and visualization, infographics and animations, course organization, and venue/facility rental — sold primarily to NGOs and international organizations such as FPWC, UNFPA, World Vision Armenia, Eurasia Partnership Foundation, and DT Global.

Hetq Media Factory has no proprietary technology platform; its 'technology' footprint is limited to teaching Python for data journalism and producing interactive maps and data visualizations as part of its editorial output. The organization distributes content through the hetq.am and mediafactory.am websites and maintains an active presence across six social media platforms. It operates from a single headquarters at Nalbandyan 106/1, Sayat-Nova Business Center in Yerevan, and serves the Armenian market, with content occasionally addressing broader regional themes such as rural depopulation in Syunik and Vayots Dzor and environmental issues around Lake Sevan.

Name

Hetq Media Factory

Legal name

«Հետաքննող լրագրողներ» հասարակական կազմակերպություն

Website

https://mediafactory.am

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Hetq Media Factory is a non-profit journalism training organization in Yerevan, Armenia, offering a free one-year program in 11 subjects (investigative, data, video, photo journalism, fact-checking) and producing multimedia investigative content, funded primarily by international grants and supplemented by paid media services to NGOs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Journalism Education and Multimedia Production Services

NAICS

Broadcasting and Content Providers (516), Motion Picture and Video Production (512110), Motion Picture and Video Industries (5121)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741), Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

Investigative & Nonprofit News Organizations (MPAJADAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Media Partnerships & Content Co-productions (NGO/Cultural) (MPABADAN), Student Media & Publications (Newspaper, Radio, TV) (EDALAHAE), Communications, Media Studies & Journalism (EDAGABAK)

Keywords

• Journalism training programs
• Investigative journalism education
• Multimedia content production
• Data journalism services
• Nonprofit media organization

Headquarters

HQ city

Yerevan

HQ country

Armenia

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Grant Funding: Primary revenue source — Hetq Media Factory is funded entirely by international donors and foundations. Major funders include the U.S. Embassy (U.S. State Department Public Diplomacy grant, 2019-2025), Children of Armenia Foundation (COAF, 2026 cohort), European Democratic Foundation, DT Global, Canadian Embassy Local Initiatives Fund, National Endowment for Democracy (NED), Wikimedia Foundation, Friedrich Naumann Foundation, Heinrich Böll Foundation, Media Initiatives Center, Eurasia Partnership Foundation, Impact Hub Armenia, and others.
2. Paid Media Services: The organization offers paid services including: multimedia content creation for various platforms, text content creation, video production, data analysis and visualization, infographics and animation creation, course organization, and venue/facility rental.
3. Venue/Facility Rental: The Media Factory's premises are available for rent for events, business meetings, filming, and discussions via a separate application process.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Hetq Media Factory runs a free, one-year professional journalism training program covering 11 multidisciplinary subjects (investigative journalism, data journalism, video/photo storytelling, fact-checking, filming, writing skills) where student assignments are published as real journalism on the Hetq platform. It also produces and sells paid multimedia content creation services (text, video, data analysis, infographics, animations), organizes courses, and rents its Yerevenue premises for events and filming. The organization is a project of Armenia's 20-year investigative outlet Hetq (Investigating Journalists Public Organization).

Product overview

Hetq Media Factory (Հետք Մեդիա Գործարան) is a journalism training and multimedia content production organization operating as a project of the 'Investigative Journalists' public organization. The organization offers free professional journalism education (teaching 11 subjects including investigative journalism, data journalism, photo/video storytelling, and fact-checking) combined with paid commercial services for external clients. Its product portfolio consists of editorial content in multiple formats (long reads, photo stories, videos, text articles, infographics/animation) produced by students as part of their training, covering social, environmental, and human interest topics in Armenia. Commercial services include multimedia content creation for various platforms, text content production, video creation, data analysis and visualization, infographic and animation production, and venue rental. The organization does not operate as a traditional software product company.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 19 students received free professional journalism education in 2026 cohort (funded by COAF)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 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

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Wikimedia FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHetq Media Factory and Wikimedia Foundation implemented the WikiGraphers project, which contributed to the visual content development of Armenian Wikipedia.
• Eurasia Partnership FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerImplemented 'Civipedia: Enriching Wikipedia with Civil Society Articles,' creating dozens of Armenian-language Wikipedia articles about civil society and their audio versions.
• Impact Hub Armenia (Իմփաքթ Հաբ Արմենիա)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJointly implemented the 'Waste as Resource: Circular Economy Secrets' program, producing social animated videos on circular economy aimed at changing public behavior.
• Yerevan State University Journalism FacultycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHetq Media Factory and YSU Journalism Faculty signed a cooperation memorandum to jointly ensure a quality educational environment for future journalists.
• V. Brusov State UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrusov University Career Center signed a cooperation memorandum for active participation of university lecturers and students in Hetq Media Factory programs and close collaboration on media production and dissemination.
• Democracy Development FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with YSU Journalism Faculty formalized through the Democracy Development Foundation, to jointly support journalism education.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Internews: Global media development organization that supports independent journalism and media training worldwide, including in Eastern Europe and the Caucasus. Directly comparable to Hetq Media Factory as an NGO providing journalism training and capacity-building in emerging markets.
• IREX: International nonprofit focused on media development, education, and civic engagement, with active programs in the former Soviet Union. Comparable as a large, grant-funded media training organization serving the same regional markets.
• Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty (RFE/RL): U.S.-funded international broadcaster with Armenian Service. Comparable as a major producer of investigative and public-affairs journalism in the Caucasus region, sharing the same Western donor ecosystem.
• Thomson Foundation: UK-based journalism training organization operating globally, including in post-Soviet states. Comparable as a long-established journalism training provider serving similar international markets and donor ecosystems.

Direct peers

• OCCRP (Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project): Investigative journalism network focusing on corruption and organized crime in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. Comparable as a grant-funded, cross-border investigative journalism organization with training components.
• Eurasianet: Independent news outlet covering the Caucasus and Central Asia, including Armenia. Comparable as a non-profit investigative and analytical journalism outlet serving the same Armenian regional context with similar donor-funded model.

Emerging players

• Bellingcat: Open-source investigative journalism organization with data-driven methodologies and training programs. Comparable as a non-traditional investigative outlet that combines data journalism training with publication.
• Pulitzer Center: U.S.-based nonprofit that funds and produces investigative journalism and runs journalism training programs. Comparable as a grant-making and training-focused journalism organization with global reach and educational mission.
• Free Press Unlimited: Dutch-based nonprofit supporting independent journalism worldwide, including training journalists in developing markets. Comparable as a grant-funded organization combining journalism training with content production for NGOs.

Others

• GIJN (Global Investigative Journalism Network): International association of investigative journalism organizations with strong Caucasus membership. Comparable as a network supporting investigative journalism training and capacity-building in the same regional context.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/hetqfactory
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@hetqfactory
• Facebookfacebook.com/hetqfactory
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hetqfactory
• Instagraminstagram.com/hetqfactory
• TikToktiktok.com/@hetqfactory?fbclid=IwAR2FqRuwJHEcX7R8NSmf_2N3KRNUwc1Tt985x2gRktQLdLc2oEQZWVb7SI0

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Hetq Media Factory