Google has just announced the first Google News Initiative Innovation Challenge for the region, designed to provide support to some of the small and medium-sized organizations that make reliable information available when it is needed most," Google explains.

The Funding is aimed at European media companies, with funding of up to 150,000 euros. Applications close in May

The Innovation Challenge is open to established publications, online-only publications, news start-ups, collaborative partnerships, and freelancers based in Europe.

Eligible candidates "should have newsrooms with less than 50 full-time journalists," and companies that employ more than 50 full-time journalists "may still apply and will be considered by Google," says the technology, quoted by Lusa.

This new program follows on from GNI's previous initiative for the region, the Digital News Initiative (DNI) Innovation Fund.

The DNI Fund "has supported 662 ambitious digital journalism projects, ranging from giving investigative journalists tools for collaboration across borders, to creating open source 'software' that helps independent journalism business models thrive, to using virtual reality to help people develop greater empathy for others."

GNI is looking for "great ideas," so if a media company wants to launch a new news product, has a previously untested approach to increasing quality in journalism, or wants to find a new way to diversify revenue sources, it can apply for this new program.

"Applications, in English, should be made 'online' through our 'website' and are open until May 31, 2022 at 23:59 GMT," the company statement notes.