Few would expect a venture studio to start its journey by launching a local newspaper. Yet, a year ago, that's exactly what we did and it has proven to be an unexpectedly powerful strategy for ecosystem building.
Why a local newspaper?
While we operate all across Europe, we have a significant portion of our team based in Groningen, Netherlands. The “light-bulb moment” was straightforward: Groningen, a city of 240,000 with a substantial international population, lacked a dedicated English-language media outlet. The existing sources were either heavily academic, sporadic in their coverage or exclusively Dutch-focused. This created a significant information gap for internationals trying to navigate and engage with their adopted city.
So, we launched Groningen Mail with minimal resources — our marketing budget was just €10 per day for Instagram advertisements, which only lasted for a month or so. But what we lacked in funding, we made up for with a community-driven approach. We integrated a volunteer system of contributing writers who brought diverse perspectives and authentic voices to our coverage. Partnerships naturally emerged with the university, student associations and local businesses. Within a year, we reached 150,000 monthly views across our platforms — a notable achievement given the city's demographics.
Community, community, community.
The real revelation came in understanding how a media company creates unique opportunities for ecosystem building. Every stakeholder in a city's landscape needs effective media coverage, from small businesses to major institutions. This natural alignment opens doors for meaningful collaborations and positions you at the intersection of information flows which provides unparalleled insights into local dynamics and emerging opportunities.
For those looking to build influence in their ecosystems, media projects offer several distinct advantages. First, they facilitate organic relationship building. When you're creating valuable content for a community, conversations with key stakeholders become natural and mutually beneficial. Each story becomes an opportunity to build authentic connections.
Second, running a media platform provides granular insights into market needs. Through daily coverage and community engagement, you develop a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities within your ecosystem. This knowledge proves invaluable when evaluating potential ventures or identifying market gaps.
Third, media presence establishes credibility and trust before you need to leverage it. By consistently delivering value through quality content and community engagement, you build social capital that can later be activated for other initiatives.
How did this initiative help us?
For our venture studio, Evernomic, these benefits have been transformative. The local relationships we’ve built through Groningen Mail have enhanced our ability to identify promising opportunities and understand the nuances of the local ecosystem. This ground-level understanding is particularly valuable as we work to support startups across European markets.
- leverage in conversations
- reputation
The key insight isn't about launching a newspaper specifically, but rather about finding creative ways to embed yourself in the ecosystem you aim to serve. While traditional accelerators often start with capital and programs, we've found that starting with community building and information sharing creates a stronger foundation for long-term impact.
How can you benefit from a media business?
For others looking to build influence in their local ecosystems, consider what unique value you can provide to your community before asking for anything in return. The medium matters less than the approach - whether it's through media, events, or other community-focused initiatives, establishing yourself as a valuable contributor to the ecosystem creates opportunities that traditional business development approaches might miss.
A media presence can be particularly powerful for ecosystem builders because it creates multiple touchpoints with the community. You're not just attending networking events or having one-off meetings - you're consistently present in the community's daily information flow. This ongoing presence builds familiarity and trust in ways that more traditional approaches often can't match.
What started as a solution to an information gap has evolved into a powerful platform for ecosystem building. The synergies between community engagement and venture building become increasingly apparent as we grow both Groningen Mail and our venture studio activities. Sometimes, the most effective way to accelerate growth is to first invest in understanding and serving your community.
This approach requires patience and a long-term perspective. But for those willing to invest in building genuine value for their communities, the returns - in terms of relationships, insights, and opportunities - can be transformative.