Media Loves Tech: Impact stories

Together with Al Khatt, a local project partner and non-governmental media organization, DW Akademie aims to scout, promote, develop and test innovations for the media sector.

In 2018, a legal support framework for startups in Tunisia came into effect, structured around a label of merit and benefits for entrepreneurs, investors and startups. Just like MEDIA LOVES TECH, it aims to support development through bold entrepreneurial spirit and innovative ideas.

Download "Media Loves Tech: Impact stories" here.

Since its launch, the annual MEDIA LOVES TECH incubation program, financed by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), supports eight to twelve startups. Implemented almost entirely online, and originally as a three-day mentor-supported hackathon, it has grown  to become an incubation cycle lasting three months. It promotes all phases of a startup, everything from the original idea to market entry.

It has been five years since the program began and it is still going strong. This publication is an initial assessment. Does the belief hold true that progress comes from promoting innovation? Can promoting new media projects with viable business models succeed in an unstable economic or political environment? One has to look at various aspects to find answers. It is often said that over 90 percent of startups go under in the first two years.

Still, startups are often seen as a forerunner to economic development and as having a stimulating effect on the overall economy. Even if initiatives do flop, their traces can still be found in the ecosystem. When assessing the MEDIA LOVES TECH program, it's worth reflecting on its achievements and insights for the future. Five projects are presented here. DW Akademie's team has taken an in-depth look at the projects' stories and progress, and includes key performance indicators. Measuring impact in an unsteady startup environment can be a challenge, and our success stories address this. But at DW Akademie we believe that "big changes start small," and that is what the startups have done.