Exploring Startup Opportunities in News and Media – Open House

The Brown Institute provides several opportunities for our students and alumni community to engage in innovative projects and competitions. Whether you’re interested in pioneering new approaches to storytelling, launching a media venture, or seeking mentorship to refine your ideas, we have programs designed to support your ambitions.

Join us for a mixer and open house to learn more about these opportunities and to speak with current grantees about their experiences with the program. See below for a highlight of the programs we will be discussing.

Magic Grant Program
Our flagship Magic Grant Program was established to support innovative projects at the intersection of media and technology. We offer year-long funding awards of up to $150,000 and up to $300,000 for teams that include members from both Columbia and Stanford universities. Grantees receive financial support, mentorship from a distinguished advisory group, and access to our extensive alumni network to develop new ways to find and tell stories, from creating powerful works of journalism to developing platforms that extend creativity.

• Call for Proposals Opens: January 2025
• Proposal Deadline: Late March 2025
• Awards Announced: End of April 2025

Read about our newest cohort of projects and learn more about how to apply in 2025.

Startup Columbia Venture Competition: Media Track
The Startup Columbia Venture Competition is a campus-wide series offering non-dilutive cash prizes to winning teams. The Media Track, sponsored by the Brown Institute, encourages applications from tech-based or tech-enabled ventures working in journalism or media. This includes novel uses of AI, machine learning, data visualization, VR/AR, and more.

• Prizes: $15,000 for first place, $10,000 for second place, and $5,000 for third place
• Additional Opportunity: Paid 12-week fellowships for up to two people per team to participate in Brown’s 2025 Summer Entrepreneurship Program
• Final Competition Prize: Up to $100,000 to continue work on your venture

This opportunity is intended for early-stage ventures founded, managed, and owned by current Columbia students or by Columbia alumni within 5 years of their most recent Columbia degree. Applications open in early January 2025, and pitches are due at the beginning of February. More details will be announced on Startup Columbia and the Brown Institute sites.

Entrepreneurs-in-Residence Program
As a service to our community, we offer an Entrepreneurs-in-Residence program composed of a cohort of seasoned entrepreneurs. They are available to help you think through proposal ideas and strengthen pitches prior to application for any of our competitions. For more information or to schedule a session, please reach out to us at browninstitute@columbia.edu.