Looking to grow & launch your publication?
With support through a Press Forward grant and in collaboration with Defector Media and the University of Colorado’s MEDLab, Start.coop is now accepting applications for our first-ever accelerator for worker-friendly media.
What is the Opportunity?
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Information Sessions: July 7 and July 23, 2026
Application Closes: July 31, 2026
Notified of your Selection Status: no later than August 28, 2026
Program Dates: October 13, 2026 - January 28, 2027
Workshops will be held on Tuesdays (and some Thursdays) at 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm ET / 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm PT!
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As a recipient of the Press Forward grant, we can provide support during this accelerator to cooperatively owned media orgs and worker-friendly non-profit media orgs based in the United States.
Not eligible for this Accelerator program? Please check out our Lean Co-op free online course. {Check out our definition of worker friendly?}
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What We Look For
As Start.coop works to lift each year’s most promising entrepreneurs, our team uses the following criteria to evaluate applicants:
Social impact: What is your news focus and social impact? Preference for publications with a focus on local news to strengthen their communities. But other media orgs are welcome to apply!
Financial viability: Does revenue or subscription model make sense? Is it viable long-term?
Industry Experience: Does the founding team have relevant industry experience?
Ability to execute: Can the founding team execute on their vision?
Entrepreneur Passion: Are the founders passionate and dedicated? What skills do they bring?
Not eligible for this Accelerator program? Please check out our Lean Co-op free online course.
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Our three baseline criteria for start-ups to be eligible for our general accelerator are:
Media orgs that share governance with their community (workers, users, etc.) or plan to in the next 12 months
We encourage teams with at least two founding members. Applications from solo founders are also welcome and will be thoughtfully considered.
Based in the U.S.
Willing to let us track your success and outcomes over the next five years.
A 12-week facilitated accelerator program that uses the Lean Co-op methodology, the Accelerator is designed to help cooperatives and worker-friendly nonprofits build their revenue and cooperative values so your publication can be sustainable and make a true impact.
The accelerator consists of 11 live workshops and an in-person week facilitated by members of MEDLab, Defector Media, and Start.coop, and access to on-demand learning modules.
Over 12 weeks of the Accelerator, the Start.coop team will work with you to:
Validate your business model
Build a plan to drive sales and grow your revenue
Validate your cooperative governance model
Explore different types of financing for your business
Develop traction for your business’s sustainability
Develop their storytelling through their deck
What you’ll get
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We provide a robust learning experience for entrepreneurs focused on building real-world business skills so you can succeed. Each workshop has a hands-on activity designed to support your business development.
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You’ll receive eight 1:1 business coaching sessions with a member of our Leadership Council.
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You are connected with a cohort of values-aligned entrepreneurs with whom you can lean on for support as you build your businesses together.
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We provide access to our online curriculum for on-demand modules when you need them.
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We curate and secure discounted access to top business management tools and services (e.g., legal, accounting, CRM, and marketing tools), saving you time and money during the critical start-up phase.
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We will provide a $5,000 grant per participating cooperative
What do I get access to in the Lean Co-op online curriculum?
You’ll gain access to the following e-learning modules:
What is a Cooperative?
What is Your Cooperative Purpose?
What's the Customer Problem?
Your Product or Service
Your Business Model
Your Financial Model
Your Ownership Model
Cooperative Legal Frameworks
Session Preview
October 13: Your Cooperative Purpose
October 20: Your Customer Problem and Designing Your Solution
October 27: Decision Making & Governance
November 3: Your Legal Framework
November 9 - 13: In-Person at University of Colorado Boulder
November 17: Building Your Funnel
December 1: Storytelling- Building Your Narrative
December 8: Your Justifiable Ask
December 15: Financing Your Publication
January 12: Storytelling-Presentation & Delivery
January 17: Your Cooperative Culture
January 28: Graduation Showcase