Media Development Investment Fund

Media Development Investment Fund (MDIF) is a not-for-profit investment fund based in New York City, established in 1995. It focuses on providing debt and equity financing to independent media businesses in regions with a history of media oppression. MDIF aims to promote sustainable business models for independent news outlets by offering affordable financing and technical assistance. Since its inception, the fund has disbursed over $238 million, which includes $207 million in loans and equity investments, along with $30.6 million in technical assistance and other grants. The organization has earned $42.7 million from interest, dividends, and capital gains while recovering more than $74.3 million of its principal investments. MDIF has supported 123 clients across 42 countries and, as of September 30, 2020, managed a portfolio valued at $109.5 million, allocated to 44 media businesses in 28 countries.

Kihara Kiarie

Chief Investment Officer

24 past transactions

Dataphyte

Venture Round in 2021
Dataphyte is a media and data analytics company that provides products and services, such as data journalism and data-driven investigations, to help the public and private sectors generate value from data and socio-economic insights.

Datasketch

Pre Seed Round in 2021
Developer of a data analytics software designed to perform data collection, cleaning, and visualization. The company's software lets users upload data, edit the same with a host of visualization tools, export the charts in multiple formats to be published on social networks, and access an open data repository consisting of several data sets that are ready to complement that of the users, enabling clients to create their own set of data visualizations.

Petit Press

Venture Round in 2021
Petit Press, as is one of the most important publishers in Slovakia. It provides a wide range of multimedia products and services. The portfolio of printed periodicals includes more than 30 central and regional titles with a weekly sales volume of over 545,000 copies. Digital media is represented in particular by the most visited news portal SME.sk , which has almost 2.3 million visitors per month .

Insajder

Debt Financing in 2021
Operator of a multimedia platform. The company specializes in cable channel that produces and broadcasts current information and documentary programs.

colab.re

Venture Round in 2020
Colab.re is a citizen-to-government engagement platform founded in 2012 and headquartered in São Paulo, Brazil. It facilitates social interactions between citizens and government entities, allowing individuals to report daily issues, suggest urban improvements, and rate public services. The platform also provides governments with a freemium customer relationship management (CRM) and workflow management tool. As of March 2016, Colab.re has over 150,000 users in Brazil and has partnered with more than 100 clients, including municipalities, state governments, federal departments, and utility companies. The company's mission centers on fostering collaboration between citizens and government to enhance urban living conditions.

Josh Talks

Seed Round in 2020
Josh Talks Pvt. Ltd. is a media platform that creates content in the form of short talks and videos, focusing on inspiring stories across various sectors such as entrepreneurship, sports, arts, and activism. Founded in 2015 by Shobhit Banga and Supriya Paul, the company aims to raise the aspirations of young individuals, particularly those aged 16-25 in Tier 2, Tier 3, and Tier 4 cities in India, as well as in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The platform features speakers from diverse backgrounds, covering a wide range of subjects, including public policy and social initiatives. By sharing compelling narratives, Josh Talks seeks to empower youth leaders and viewers to dream bigger and learn about different career paths in their preferred language.

Mail & Guardian

Acquisition in 2017
Mail & Guardian is an online newspaper based in Johannesburg, South Africa, founded in 1994. It offers a wide range of news coverage, including local and international updates across various categories such as opinion, arts and culture, business, politics, special reports, science and technology, and education. The platform operates on a subscription basis, providing readers with insightful information about current events and happenings both in South Africa and globally. Under the editorial leadership of Chris Roper, Mail & Guardian aims to deliver comprehensive and engaging content to its audience.

Suara

Seed Round in 2017
Operator of an online media platform intended for News. The company's platform is a news portal targeting millennials with a primary focus is political news, in particular local issues, enabling people with day-to-day updates.

Katadata

Venture Round in 2017
Katadata Indonesia, PT is an online media and research company based in Jakarta, Indonesia, dedicated to providing comprehensive economic and business news. Established in 2012, the platform serves as a valuable resource for business leaders and policymakers by delivering in-depth analyses and investigations. Katadata focuses on presenting information in a clear and engaging manner, utilizing various formats such as infographics and videos to enhance public understanding. The company's approach aims to simplify complex topics while maintaining their essential details, reflecting its commitment to clarity and accessibility. The team at Katadata consists of experienced journalists and researchers specializing in areas such as energy, finance, macroeconomics, commerce, and infrastructure. As internet and mobile usage in Indonesia continues to grow, Katadata positions itself as a key player in the dissemination of economic and financial information.

colab.re

Series A in 2017
Colab.re is a citizen-to-government engagement platform founded in 2012 and headquartered in São Paulo, Brazil. It facilitates social interactions between citizens and government entities, allowing individuals to report daily issues, suggest urban improvements, and rate public services. The platform also provides governments with a freemium customer relationship management (CRM) and workflow management tool. As of March 2016, Colab.re has over 150,000 users in Brazil and has partnered with more than 100 clients, including municipalities, state governments, federal departments, and utility companies. The company's mission centers on fostering collaboration between citizens and government to enhance urban living conditions.

Agora SA

Post in 2016
Agora SA is a prominent media company in Poland, primarily engaged in the publishing of daily newspapers and magazines. It is best known for "Gazeta Wyborcza," the largest opinion-forming newspaper in the country, and also publishes the Metro newspaper along with several glossy magazines. In addition to print media, Agora offers a range of online services through its internet portals, including Gazeta.pl, Sport.pl, and Blox.pl. The company is active in the radio broadcasting sector, operating over 15 radio stations, which feature well-known brands such as TOK FM, Rock Radio, and Golden Hits. Agora's diverse portfolio allows it to cater to a wide audience across various media platforms.

colab.re

Convertible Note in 2015
Colab.re is a citizen-to-government engagement platform founded in 2012 and headquartered in São Paulo, Brazil. It facilitates social interactions between citizens and government entities, allowing individuals to report daily issues, suggest urban improvements, and rate public services. The platform also provides governments with a freemium customer relationship management (CRM) and workflow management tool. As of March 2016, Colab.re has over 150,000 users in Brazil and has partnered with more than 100 clients, including municipalities, state governments, federal departments, and utility companies. The company's mission centers on fostering collaboration between citizens and government to enhance urban living conditions.

ElMeme

Seed Round in 2014
El Meme is a digital news and entertainment outlet based in Argentina, established in 2014. The company focuses on identifying and monitoring trends to help audiences understand current events and their relevance. With a network of over 10,000 creative professionals, including writers, filmmakers, and designers, El Meme reaches more than 30 million young millennials across the United States, Mexico, Colombia, Chile, and Argentina each month. The platform offers services in digital content production and distribution, including content marketing and native advertising, while also utilizing programmatic buying and social media strategies to target specific audiences. By combining entertaining and informative content, El Meme assists clients in developing effective content strategies that enhance brand awareness and engage customers.

GkillCity

Seed Round in 2014
GkillCity is a digital publication based in Guayaquil, Ecuador, founded in 2011. The organization focuses on narrative, photojournalism, and audiovisual storytelling to address political and cultural issues with a pro-citizen perspective. Its mission includes combating discrimination, violence, and secrecy. GkillCity has published 152 editions, featuring contributions from over 290 collaborators worldwide. As a countercultural communication project, it seeks to establish itself as the leading digital media platform in Ecuador, aiming to expand its offerings to include more audio content, mobile applications, and digital TV channels.

Scroll

Seed Round in 2014
Scroll Media Inc. is a digital publishing company based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, that specializes in delivering news, information, and entertainment. Founded in 2009, Scroll provides a platform for journalists and readers, focusing on critical perspectives and rigorous reporting of significant political and cultural stories. The company offers a newsfeed that highlights essential events and issues, catering to a global audience through various digital formats, including mobile devices and tablets. By emphasizing objective analysis and comprehensive coverage, Scroll aims to keep its readers informed on daily developments and crises across multiple sectors.

Outernet

Seed Round in 2014
Outernet will utilize a constellation of low-cost, miniature satellites and existing satellite infrastructure in geostationary orbit. In both cases, satellites receive content from the web through a network of ground stations which uplink content that the community has collectively requested. The data packets are broadcast in loops so that poor signal quality does not prevent continuous updating of content. In order to serve the widest possible audience, Outernet utilizes globally-accepted, standards-based protocols, such as DVB-S, WiFi, and USSD. Citizens from all over the world, through SMS and feature-phone apps, will participate in building the information priority list. Users of Outernet's website also make suggestions for content to broadcast.

Everwrite

Venture Round in 2013
EverWrite provides tools to improve online content findability and ROI. It offers a statistical approach to content production, which enables publishers to create content that users are searching for and give them the chance of ranking on Google’s first page. Diego Tulio Tomaz Gomes and Edmar Ferreira founded EverWrite in 2011 and is based in Belo Horizonte in Brazil.
www.portalKBR.com is a news portal which aggregating KBR68H newsroom and its networks throughout Indonesia.

Agrobook

Venture Round in 2012
Agrobook offers online content for farming communities. The company is based in Russia.

Everwrite

Seed Round in 2012
EverWrite provides tools to improve online content findability and ROI. It offers a statistical approach to content production, which enables publishers to create content that users are searching for and give them the chance of ranking on Google’s first page. Diego Tulio Tomaz Gomes and Edmar Ferreira founded EverWrite in 2011 and is based in Belo Horizonte in Brazil.

FeedGeorge

Venture Round in 2012
Feedgeorge is a location-based content aggregator based in Kuala Lumpur.
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