The Challenge

Al Jazeera Media Network (AJMN) invites forward-thinking start-ups and developers to help define the newsroom of the future. We are looking for cloud-based, AI-driven solutions where AI acts as a thought partner to editorial teams, going beyond simple data aggregation.

Only one entry per Start-up may be submitted across all Events, regardless of how many founders or team members are associated with the Start-up.

Targeted Innovation Areas

Your Solution must address at least one of:

• AI in News Gathering & Publishing
• Verification, Knowledge & Editorial Support
• Sentiment, Audience & Performance Analysis
• Brand Awareness & Media Intelligence
• Trending News & Signal Detection
• Multilingual and Cross-Format Content Adaptation
• Newsroom Workflow Automation & Orchestration

For more detail on the innovation areas, see the FAQ.

The Award Package

The Winner will receive:

• A monetary component of up to USD $20,000, and
• The opportunity to enter into a 3–6-month Implementation Engagement with AJMN under a separate Implementation Contract, to deploy the winning Solution in AJMN’s environment.

Award payment is staged:

• First Stage Payment: USD $2,000 after formal Winner announcement, subject to eligibility and compliance with the Terms up to that point.
• Second Stage Payment: USD $18,000 only after completion of the 3–6 month implementation/incubation period, successful delivery and integration of the Solution in line with the Implementation Contract and agreed SOW/acceptance criteria, and final sign-off by AJMN.

The Second Stage Payment is conditional. To the maximum extent permitted by Law, AJMN may withhold, reduce or decide not to pay all or any part of the Second Stage Payment if these conditions are not met or if the Winner fails to perform under the Implementation Contract or the Terms. Award structure and conditions are explained in more detail in the Terms and Conditions of Entry and in the FAQ.

Competition Roadmap

The journey to the finals consists of four distinct stages:

Stage 1 – Submission: Submit your Solution (MVP, functional prototype, or existing product) with required materials via the Entry Portal by 23:59 Qatar / 20:59 Portugal on 12 November 2026 (the “Closing Date”).

Stage 2 – Technical Evaluation: AJMN’s technical committee reviews eligible submissions and selects shortlisted teams (expected to be up to five (5)) by 3 December 2026.

Stage 3 –Online Presentations: Shortlisted teams present their Solutions via online video conference between 8 December and 31 December 2026 (exact date to be confirmed). No presentations take place at any Event venue.

Stage 4 – Winner Announcement: The Winner is announced at Web Summit Qatar 2027 (or at such other time and in such manner as AJMN may determine).

Key Requirements (Headline Summary)

Eligibility: Entrants must meet the eligibility criteria in the Terms and Conditions of Entry  (including age, per-Start-up entry cap, and Web Summit Event attendance requirements).

• Cloud Architecture: Solutions must be cloud-native and suitable for enterprise-scale deployment (GCP preferred).
• Implementation Commitment: The Winner must commit appropriate technical resources for a 3–6 month Implementation Engagement with AJMN post-competition under an Implementation Contract.

IP & Ownership: As a condition of receiving the Award Package and entering the Implementation Engagement, the Winner will be required to assign to AJMN all intellectual property rights in the Winning Solution and related Submission Materials, subject to any pre-existing/background IP carve-outs as set out in the Terms.

• Confidentiality: Shortlisted teams must sign AJMN’s NDA before receiving any internal data samples or other confidential information.

Taxes: Any taxes or similar amounts arising in connection with the Award Package are the Winner’s responsibility, unless applicable law requires AJMN to withhold or account for such amounts.

Further information on eligibility, technical expectations, IP, confidentiality and delivery milestones is available in the Terms and Conditions of Entry and in the FAQ.

What to Submit

Through the Entry Portal, you will be asked to provide:

• A written description of the problem, your Solution, technical approach, and expected impact on journalism workflows.
• A working artefact (MVP, PoC or existing product) or other demonstrable prototype.
• Architecture and data-flow diagrams.
• A short video demonstration of the Solution.
• Any existing technical documentation that will help AJMN assess feasibility and integration.

Are you ready to build the engine of the Next-Gen Newsroom?

Read the full FAQ View full Terms and Conditions of Entry