Proekt

What Proekt does

Проект (Proekt) is an independent investigative journalism outlet founded in 2018, originally headquartered in Moscow and now operating from California, USA, after being designated an "undesirable organization" by Russian authorities in 2021. The outlet produces long-form investigative reports (Тексты), documentary films (Фильмы), and large-scale special projects (Спецпроекты) focused on Russian politics, power structures, corruption, and historical investigations. Its most notable recent work includes a genealogical database covering approximately 10,000 Russian officials and their relatives, a book on Vladimir Putin («Царь собственной персоной»), and documentary films on subjects such as Ramzan Kadyrov and KGB operations.

The core technology consists of a digital publishing platform (proekt.media) with text and video content distribution, a YouTube channel, Telegram presence, and ProtonMail-based encrypted tip infrastructure. Cryptocurrency donation rails (Bitcoin, Monero) are integrated to serve donors inside Russia who cannot use domestic bank cards. The outlet maintains a published interactive database of officials at nepotism.proekt.media.

The business model is reader-supported and donation-driven: monthly recurring donations (USD and EUR tiers), one-time contributions, YouTube channel memberships, and book sales (paper, ebook, audiobook) through external publisher Babook. Content is distributed free-to-read with no paywall. There are no disclosed funding rounds, institutional investors, advertising relationships, or enterprise customers. Leadership is anchored by founder and editor-in-chief Roman Badanin (formerly of RBC and TV Rain) and deputy editor Mikhail Rubin (Stanford JSK Fellow), supported by a team of named investigative journalists, with some contributors maintaining anonymity for safety. The sister outlet Агентство (Agentstvo), created by part of the team in 2021, handles news content while Проект focuses on in-depth investigations.

Name

Proekt

Legal name

Проект

Website

https://proekt.media

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Проект is an independent investigative journalism outlet producing long-form reports, documentary films, and special projects on Russian politics and corruption, serving Russian-speaking readers worldwide through a donation-funded, free-to-read publishing platform operating from exile in California.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Investigative Journalism

NAICS

Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (51621), Book Publishers (51313), Book Publishers (513130)

SIC

Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741), Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812), Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)

akta.pro primary industry

Investigative & Nonprofit News Organizations (MPAJADAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Politics, Current Affairs & Social Commentary Publishing (MPAJAAAM), Government & Public Policy Publishing (Regulations, Gazettes, Legislative Tracking) (MPAJACAI)

Keywords

• Investigative journalism
• Documentary films
• Special projects
• Reader-funded media
• Independent media

Headquarters

HQ city

California (exile)

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Reader donations / crowdfunding: Проект relies on reader support through monthly recurring donations (via bank card in USD/EUR) and one-time contributions. Cryptocurrency donation options (Bitcoin, Monero) are also available, particularly for donors inside Russia who cannot use Russian bank cards.
2. Book sales: The outlet publishes books for sale, including the book 'Царь собственной персоной. Как Владимир Путин обманул всех нас' (paper version $29, ebook $11.99, audiobook $11.99). Sales are conducted through the project's website and the external publisher Babook.
3. YouTube channel membership / sponsorship: The outlet operates a YouTube channel with membership/sponsorship options, offering early access to content and stream notifications as a benefit to supporters.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Проект (Proekt) is an independent investigative journalism outlet that produces long-form written investigations, documentary films, and large-scale data-driven special projects focused on Russian politics, government corruption, and power structures. The publication also sells books and maintains an interactive database of Russian officials, operating from exile after being designated an 'undesirable organization' by Russian authorities in 2021.

Product overview

Proekt is an independent Russian investigative media outlet producing multi-format journalism including written investigations (Тексты), documentary films (Фильмы), and special long-form projects (Спецпроекты). The outlet is known for its in-depth investigations into Russian power structures, corruption, and political affairs. They also publish books, maintain a database of Russian officials (База чиновников), and accept reader donations. The publication operates from exile after being designated as an 'undesirable organization' by Russian authorities in 2021.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Агентство (Agentstvo): A separate news outlet created by part of the Проект team in 2021, focusing on news content rather than investigations

Quantifiable outcome

• Investigated biographies of approximately 10,000 people (1,329 government officials and their relatives) in the genealogical study, finding nepotism indicators for 76% of top Russian officials

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Rupep.orgminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 November 2025Rupep.org is a Russian NGO that maintains a database of public officials' biographies and potential conflicts of interest. Проект used Rupep.org's data as one of the sources in its genealogical research project 'Отцы и деды' (Fathers and Grandfathers), which investigated nepotism among Russian government officials.
• Протокол (publication)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 November 2025Протокол is an independent Russian publication that contributed to Проект's genealogical research project 'Отцы и деды'. The collaboration involved data sharing and joint research into the family connections of Russian government officials.
• WikigandaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 November 2025Wikiganda is an independent data project referenced in Проект's research. It was used as a source in some investigations, contributing data on Russian officials and their connections.
• Kloop Media (data team)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 October 2024Kloop Media's data team contributed to Проект's research project 'Книга небытия' (Book of Non-Existence), which studied the main phobias of Russian officials.
• Babook (publisher)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 11 November 2020Babook is an external publisher that sells Проект's book 'Царь собственной персоной' in paper, ebook (epub/fb2), and audiobook formats. Babook also handles payments for readers inside Russia who cannot use Russian bank cards, serving as a workaround for donation restrictions.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• IStories (Важные истории): Independent Russian investigative journalism outlet also labeled a 'foreign agent' and forced into exile. Closest peer by content format (long-form investigations, documentary films, OSINT-driven research on Russian elites).
• Meduza: Independent Russian-language news outlet operating from Latvia after being declared an 'undesirable organization' in Russia. Most directly comparable to Proekt in product mix, audience, exile operating model, and donor-funding model.
• The Insider: Russia-focused investigative outlet also designated 'undesirable' in Russia and operating from abroad. Directly comparable in its use of leaked databases and OSINT to investigate Kremlin-linked corruption and security services.
• TV Rain (Dozhd): Independent Russian TV channel forced into exile in 2022. Proekt's editor-in-chief Badanin formerly led TV Rain, and the outlet is comparable in exile-based YouTube-driven distribution and donor support model.
• Agentstvo (Агентство): News-focused sister outlet spun off from Proekt in 2021 by part of the same team. Directly comparable as an exile-based Russian-language outlet, though focused on daily news rather than long-form investigations.
• The Bell: Independent Russian business and politics newsletter-based outlet operating from exile. Comparable in donor/subscription revenue model and Russian-speaking diaspora audience, with adjacent business-news focus.
• Novaya Gazeta Europe: Exile continuation of Nobel Prize-winning Novaya Gazeta. Direct peer in audience (Russian-speaking readers abroad), donor-funding model, and in-depth investigative reporting on Russian politics and war.

Broad incumbents

• Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty (RFE/RL): U.S.-funded broadcaster with a large Russian Service reaching the same audience. Comparable in covering Russian politics from outside Russia, but operates at much larger scale with grant-based rather than donation-based funding.
• OCCRP (Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project): Global investigative journalism consortium that runs cross-border data collaborations analogous to Proekt's genealogical-research project. Comparable methodology (OSINT, leaked databases, multi-partner investigations) and Russian/Post-Soviet coverage.
• BBC Russian Service: Major Western public broadcaster's Russian-language service, blocked in Russia. Overlaps with Proekt in covering Russian politics for Russian-speaking audiences, but as part of a much larger general-news portfolio.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC5UwzkI8NlcDHgrRkVBkR5Q
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/proektmedia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Proekt