Smart Media Accelerator

DW Akademie’s SMART MEDIA ACCLERATOR is back with its 2026 edition and is going regional. DW Akademie will support quality journalism in North Africa through two programs: MEDIA LOVES TECH and MEDIA PARCOURS. In this round, applications for both programs are open to candidates from Morocco and Tunisia.

Thematics

The Smart Media Accelerator is a pioneering initiative to strengthen quality journalism. Its focus spans the whole spectrum of media, from budding ideas and start-ups to well-established and active organization and is committed to catalyzing the development of the media it supports.

First, MEDIA LOVES TECH is a 6-month online incubation program (pre-incubation: May-July; incubation: September-October). It is designed for media project leaders and tech solutions in journalism based in Morocco and Tunisia.

Second, MEDIA PARCOURS is A 9-month acceleration program for established Moroccan and Tunisian media outlets (independent, associative, or private). It aims to optimize operations and strengthen organizational practices.

Eligibility

• The MEDIA LOVES TECH competition is open to everyone over 18 years old at the time of their registration (hereinafter “eligible participants”) in Tunisia and Morocco.
• Journalists, developers, designers, data scientists, creative minds, techies, individuals or representatives of organizations, are invited to submit their concepts or apply to become part of a team.
• MEDIA PARCOURS’s call for entries is open to all non-public Moroccan and Tunisian media structures. These include community, private and associative media; radio, television, newspapers and online media are invited to respond to the call.
• The applicant organisation must be established in Morocco or in Tunisia and develop a media activity, in whole or in part, in Morocco or in Tunisia.

How to apply 

To send applications English, please use this application form and to send applications in Arabic, use this form. The last date to submit applications is April 15, 2026. 

For more information, please visit this page.