ONA24 Start-Up Alley
The Start-Up Alley is part of the ONA24 Midway, a futures lab for tomorrow’s journalism, bringing together the best thinking in the media technology, tools and workforce space.
Your start-up exists because you wanted to disrupt the ecosystem. You saw a problem that needed to be addressed and created a solution. That’s why ONA is interested in introducing you to our global community of digital innovators in the journalism space. We are looking for new tools that can help elevate the online media space. We want people confident in what they have created and excited to demonstrate it in interactive ways.
ONA defines start-ups as ventures that have not been operating for more than 24 months and we offer those groups a deeply discounted rate to support participation at our annual conference. Start-ups are allowed to participate in the ONA Start-Up Alley a maximum of two times.
What to Know
The Start-Up Alley receives significant promotion before and during the annual conference. In the lead-up to ONA24, the Start-Up Alley will be featured in a dedicated blog post on the conference site, which will be promoted in the conference newsletter and on social.
Onsite at ONA24, there will be physical signage highlight the Start-Up Alley, as well as a tabletop area in the Midway for the groups to use as a shared networking space starting the evening of Wednesday, Sept. 18 at the Welcome Reception through the end of programming on Friday, Sept. 20. (This tabletop area will be labeled on the interactive map in the ONA24 app.) Additionally, there will be a dedicated session block on the official ONA24 agenda promoting the Start-Up Alley, encouraging attendees to visit that tabletop area to learn about each of the groups.
A brief application is required to submit by Thursday, May 16. All applicants must also participate in a phone call or video chat about their start-up, scheduled through Calendly. Applicants will receive a response by May 24. Total groups selected are limited to 10 organizations.
Any group applying for the Start-Up Alley may also simultaneously apply to participate in Midway programming at ONA24. (Consideration for Midway programming will be contingent on acceptance into the Start-Up Alley.)
If selected for the Start-Up Alley, the sponsorship cost is $550. The package includes:
- One full ONA24 conference pass
- Shared tabletop space in ONA24 Midway, Sept. 18-20, located in Regency Hall on the Ballroom Level of the Hyatt Regency Atlanta.
- Shared promotion in ONA24 blog post highlighting Start-Up Alley, linking to a dedicated information page for each group. The blog post will be promoted in the ONA24 newsletter and on ONA social accounts.
- Opportunity to propose Midway programming
- Official recognition as an ONA24 Start-Up Alley participant and promotion as part of ONA24 Midway
- Digital presence on ONA24 app and website
- Listing in ONA’s Industry Directory (one year)
- Organization name listed in conference email newsletters