The Ken, a Bangalore-based online news company, publishes analytical business news from India on a subscription basis. Omidyar Network led the startup’s $1.5 million Series A funding round. The Ken is otherwise backed primarily by tech angel investors.
Omidyar’s support for The Ken is the impact investor’s second recent media deal in India, following its investment in native-language self-publishing platform Pratilipi in February.
Last year, Omidyar Network announced that it would commit $100 million to fixing the global trust deficit, particularly eroding faith in the media. Its work to this end includes a partnership with the Media Development Investment Fund for a new media accelerator in South Africa, funding a study on women-led digial media in Latin America, grants to local news organizations and investments in new media ventures.
