New U was founded in 2009 to help increase the number of innovative thinkers and product developers in the news media industry who women and or of color, providing them with a forum in which to develop and express innovative ideas. New U offers a 2.5-day annual “boot camp” for twenty carefully selected candidates, who are earlier in the operating year provided a direct mentor from their projected
industry and then during the boot camp provided intensive training in small business administration, venture capital, branding, tax status, and all issues relevant to creating and maintaining a start-up business. Fellows compete at the conclusion of the boot camp by pitching their ideas and business plan outlines to their respective business communities online, and four ideas are subsequently awarded seed money grants to help fund their business progress. New U is primarily sponsored by generous support from the Ford Foundation, administered by UNITY Journalists of Color, Inc., and is currently engaging other partners and sponsors to join the project.
