FACTA

What FACTA does

FACTA is an independent Italian non-profit media outlet (legally registered as impresa sociale S.R.L. in May 2023) headquartered in Bologna that applies the scientific method to investigative and data journalism, primarily on environment, climate, public health, and science topics. It was incubated as a spin-off of the Italian science communication agency formicablu and now operates as an autonomous organization with 1-10 employees, a four-person co-founder leadership team, and advisory boards spanning journalism innovation and scientific disciplines. FACTA produces investigations through a documented 5-step methodology (hypothesis, data/literature review, field reporting, expert feedback, publication) and publishes in both Italian (original) and English under a CC BY-NC 4.0 license, often in syndication with Italian and European outlets such as Il Bo Live, Le Monde, De Standaard, and Dagbladet Information.

The outlet's core product surface consists of long-form investigative series (e.g., 'Under the Surface' on European groundwater with 14 journalists across 7 countries, 'Beyond the Hem' on fashion sustainability, 'A War on the Biosphere in Gaza', Lake Garda personhood series), episodic articles, and an Italian-language Substack newsletter ('Paludi'). No proprietary technology platform is disclosed; production relies on data analysis, field reporting, and multimedia production, with light AI tooling (notably satellite imagery analysis by contributor Benedetta Pagni).

FACTA's business model is grant- and partnership-driven: its target revenue mix is 25% philanthropic grants, 55% institutional and editorial partnerships (co-productions with universities, NGOs, and research centres), 10% training/workshops/consultancy services (including on AI and journalism), and 10% public project funding. It has no consumer subscription pricing, and its core audience segments are researchers/students/teachers, NGOs and civil society organizations, local administrations, and international researchers/activists — primarily in Italy and the broader Mediterranean/European region. The organization aims to reach full financial sustainability by the end of 2025.

Name

FACTA

Legal name

FACTA impresa sociale S.R.L.

Website

https://facta.eu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

FACTA is an independent Italian non-profit media outlet (Bologna, founded 2023) applying the scientific method to investigative and data journalism on environment, climate, and science topics, serving researchers, NGOs, civil society, and the public in Italy and Europe through Italian and English publications.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Investigative Journalism

NAICS

Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers (5131)

SIC

Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Investigative & Nonprofit News Organizations (MPAJADAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Data Journalism & News Intelligence Publishers (Indexes, Election/Market Data) (MPAJADAK)

Keywords

• Investigative journalism
• Data journalism
• Science journalism
• Independent media
• Environmental reporting

Headquarters

HQ city

Bologna

HQ country

Italy

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. Philanthropic grants: Multi-year institutional support aimed at consolidating FACTA's core structure and enabling editorial independence. Represents 25% of target revenue mix.
2. Institutional and editorial partnerships: Co-productions with universities, NGOs, and research centres that fund joint investigations, data-driven reporting, and outreach initiatives. Represents 55% of target revenue mix.
3. Training, workshops, and consultancy services: Services offered to journalists, educators, and civil society actors, covering topics such as AI and journalism, crisis communication, and science-media translation. Represents 10% of target revenue.
4. Public project funding: Participation in public-funded projects aligned with thematic focus (environment, public health, digital literacy). Represents 10% of target revenue.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

FACTA is an independent Italian non-profit media outlet that produces science-based investigative and data journalism. It applies a five-step scientific method—hypothesis formulation, data and literature review, field reporting, expert feedback, and final publication—to deliver rigorous investigative reporting on climate, environment, public health, and sustainability. Content is published in Italian and English on its website, syndicated with other Italian media outlets, and complemented by training and consultancy services.

Product overview

FACTA is an independent Italian non-profit media outlet that produces science-based investigative and data journalism. The organization operates primarily as a journalism outlet rather than a technology product company. Its main offerings include the 'Under the Surface' investigation series on European groundwater, along with episodic articles and investigations covering environmental, climate, and science topics. Content is published in Italian and English, often in syndication with other Italian media outlets. FACTA also distributes a newsletter to its Italian-speaking community.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Under the Surface investigation Cross-border investigative journalism project examining European groundwater crisis, analyzing data from the European Environment Agency to create interactive maps of aquifer health across European countries.
• FACTA Newsletter (Paludi / SWAMPOWER) Italian-language newsletter (including themed editions such as Paludi and SWAMPOWER) providing updates on FACTA's investigations and scientific citizenship initiatives to subscribers.
• Training, workshops, and consultancy services Professional services offered to journalists, educators, and civil society actors covering topics such as AI and journalism, crisis communication, and science-media translation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Under the Surface investigation created interactive map of 7,165 groundwater bodies across Europe, revealing 15% are in poor condition
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 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, flagship and minor.

• Reference Media CirclecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFACTA is a member of the Reference Media Circle, a self-organised European network of 24 independent media collectively advocating for the well-being and financial sustainability of independent, public interest media. FACTA adopts the Reference Media Circle Transparency Code.
• EDJNet (European Data Journalism Network)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFACTA is a member of EDJNet, a network of media and data journalists from all over Europe, enabling cross-border data journalism collaborations.
• Datadista (Spain)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerDatadista is the Spanish investigative team that initiated the Under the Surface project and built the European groundwater database. FACTA collaborated as Italian partner in this cross-border investigation.
• Arena for Journalism in EuropeflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerArena for Journalism in Europe launched and coordinated the Under the Surface investigative project. FACTA participated as Italian partner in this European consortium.
• Le Monde (France)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLe Monde was a partner in the Under the Surface investigation, collaborating on European groundwater journalism across 7 countries.
• Reporters United (Greece)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerReporters United was a partner in the Under the Surface investigation, collaborating on European groundwater journalism.
• De Standaard (Belgium)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDe Standaard was a partner in the Under the Surface investigation, collaborating on European groundwater journalism.
• Dagbladet Information (Denmark)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDagbladet Information was a partner in the Under the Surface investigation, collaborating on European groundwater journalism.
• Investico (Netherlands)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInvestico was a partner in the Under the Surface investigation, collaborating on European groundwater journalism.
• Il Bo Live (University of Padova)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFACTA publishes Italian versions of investigations on Il Bo Live magazine, edited by the University of Padova, amplifying reach within Italy.
• IrpiMediaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFACTA collaborated with IrpiMedia on the 'A war on the Biosphere in Gaza' investigation, presenting data and studies on widespread destruction in the Gaza Strip.
• formicablucoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFACTA was incubated as a spin-off of formicablu, an Italian science communication agency, until the end of 2023. FACTA's co-founders have backgrounds with formicablu.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The Markup: US nonprofit data-driven investigative outlet focused on technology's impact on society. Direct peer given shared data journalism methodology, nonprofit investigative model, and editorial focus on topics where empirical analysis drives public-interest investigations.
• Datadista: Spanish data journalism investigative team that initiated and built the European groundwater database for the Under the Surface project. Direct peer given shared data-driven investigative methodology, cross-border collaboration model, and comparable organizational scale.
• Investigate Europe: European cross-border investigative journalism outlet that coordinates journalists across multiple EU countries on topics of European public interest. Direct peer given shared cross-border investigative model, public-interest mission, and collaborative journalism approach.
• IrpiMedia: Italian independent investigative journalism outlet focused on environmental, human rights, and organized crime topics. Direct peer given shared Italian non-profit investigative model, prior collaboration on the 'A war on the Biosphere in Gaza' investigation, and comparable editorial scale.
• Bellingcat: Independent investigative outlet using open-source data analysis for cross-border investigations. Direct peer given shared data-driven investigative methodology and independent nonprofit model, though operating at a much larger scale.
• Arena for Journalism in Europe: European collaborative journalism platform that launched and coordinated the Under the Surface investigation FACTA participated in. Direct peer given shared cross-border investigative focus and journalism collaboration infrastructure for independent European media.

Broad incumbents

• ProPublica: Large US nonprofit investigative journalism outlet producing high-impact, evidence-based reporting. Broad incumbent peer given shared nonprofit investigative model, public-interest mission, and methodological rigor, though operating at vastly larger scale and broader topic scope.
• Pulitzer Center: US nonprofit that funds and produces in-depth global journalism on underreported issues. Broad incumbent peer given shared nonprofit model, grant-funded investigative approach, and focus on accountability journalism, though at much larger scale and with broader geographic focus.

Emerging players

• Coda Story: European-headquartered independent investigative outlet focused on cross-border reporting on authoritarianism, disinformation, and human rights. Emerging player peer given shared independent nonprofit model, European base, and cross-border investigative scope, though with different topical focus.

Regional players

• European Data Journalism Network (EDJNet): European network of media and data journalists enabling cross-border data journalism collaborations, of which FACTA is a member. Regional peer given shared data journalism focus and European geographic scope, though it operates as a network rather than a single editorial outlet.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/facta-eu

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 FACTA