Earlier this week, Mozilla and Knight launched our first news innovation challenge (aka MoJo). We’ve had good buzz, but also people saying ‘what is this thing?‘

I wanted to come up with the simplest possible explanation. At the top level, the idea behind MoJo is:

Back five individuals to build mind blowing web apps
in collaboration with world-leading news sites.

Broken down a little more, Mozilla and Knight plan to:

1. Find five incredibly talented web developers and designers.
2. Give them a paid fellowship in a world-leading newsroom for a year.
3. Using these newsrooms as a lab: build open tech and web apps that shape the whole field of news.

If you are an incredibly talented web developer and designer, you should enter the challenge over the next five weeks. Here is how:

a. Submit your idea for a news web app or tool. All you need is a napkin sketch to start.
b. If your idea is good, the brightest minds in web tech and news will help you build a prototype.
c. If your idea is really good you’ll have a chance to build out your app during a one year fellowship.

Why does Mozilla care about the future of news on the web? Because:

We want to see the open technology and participatory culture
of the web become a core part of how news is made. This is
good for the web and good for society.

If you want a slightly more detailed but still simple overview of MoJo, you might want to watch this two minute explainer video:

Phillip Smith’s 10+ reasons to enter the Knight-Mozilla news innovation challenge is also a great read. And, of course, you should also check out the MoJo web site and the first challenge around open video and story telling.