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§ Private Profile · Taipei, T'ai-pei, Taiwan
The News Lens is a technology company.
The News Lens operates as a digital news platform, providing independent media content with in-depth analysis and reporting on critical news, social, and political issues. Primarily targeting Chinese readers, the platform delivers diverse perspectives through multilingual versions, showcasing a sophisticated approach to digital publishing.
Founded in 2013 by Joey Chung and Mario Yang, The News Lens emerged from a collective dissatisfaction among media professionals. Their insight was the need for a new media organization capable of delivering unbiased, quality journalism and driving change in the information landscape from its Taipei, Taiwan base.
The News Lens serves readers seeking independent and critical examinations of current events. The company's long-term vision centers on fostering a more informed public discourse by offering alternative narratives and rigorous reporting. It aims to be a trusted source for those desiring a deeper understanding of complex issues, evolving its offerings within the dynamic digital media environment.
The News Lens has raised $6.0M across 3 funding rounds.
The News Lens has raised $6.0M in total across 3 funding rounds.
The News Lens (TNL) is a Taiwan-based digital media platform founded in 2013, delivering multilingual news, analysis, and perspectives on politics, technology, culture, business, and lifestyle to a global audience, particularly young, educated readers in Taiwan, Hong Kong, East/Southeast Asia, and beyond.[1][2][3][6] It has evolved into TNL Mediagene through acquisitions and a 2023 merger with Japan's Mediagene Inc., expanding into a media group with over 20 brands, AI-powered advertising tech, data analytics, e-commerce, and events; the company went public on NASDAQ in December 2024 as TNMG, operating sites like Business Insider Japan, Gizmodo Japan, and INSIDE.[1][4][5][6][7] TNL solves the problem of biased or shallow coverage by emphasizing political neutrality, diverse viewpoints, quality journalism, and device-agnostic access, serving millennials/Gen Z with 4.9M+ monthly unique visitors and partnerships like Time and Fortune; growth includes $11M raised, expansions into ad tech/data services, and awards like Google News Initiative funding.[1][2][3][6]
The News Lens was founded in 2013 in Taipei by Joey Chung (co-founder/CEO, former Sanrio China president) and Mario Yang (co-founder/CCO, ex-CNET Taiwan editor-in-chief and Business Weekly senior editor), driven by media professionals frustrated with Taiwan's mainstream outlets' lack of diverse perspectives.[1][2][3] The idea emerged to create an independent platform aggregating and curating global news with original analysis in Chinese, English, and later Japanese editions.[2][9] Early traction came from rapid audience growth among young, high-purchasing-power readers; by 2017, it partnered with Time and Fortune, and from 2018, acquired outlets like INSIDE, Sport Vision, and Cool3c, shifting toward a media group.[1][2] Pivotal moments include the 2023 merger forming TNL Mediagene (headquartered in Tokyo), NASDAQ IPO in 2024, and recognitions like a 2022 Harvard Business School case study and Financial Times' Asia-Pacific High-Growth ranking.[2][4][7]
The News Lens rides the wave of digital media transformation in Asia, blending content with AI/data tech amid rising demand for neutral, personalized info in Mandarin/Japanese markets, where traditional media lags.[1][6] Timing aligns with Asia's adtech boom—fueled by Gen Z's 40M+ readers and e-commerce growth—positioning TNL Mediagene as a retail media leader via omnichannel data and events.[4][6][7] Market forces like ad spend shifts to programmatic/AI (e.g., zero/first/third-party data integration) favor its stack, while influencing the ecosystem through acquisitions, NASDAQ visibility, and tools empowering brands in Taiwan/Japan/Southeast Asia.[5][6] It sets standards for independent, tech-savvy journalism, bridging Greater China and Japan amid geopolitical tensions.
TNL Mediagene is poised for Asian dominance in AI-driven media-tech, with expansions into new markets, enhanced data platforms (e.g., AI agents per recent white paper), and live events scaling revenue post-IPO.[6][7] Trends like AI governance in Southeast Asia, retail media networks, and cross-border e-commerce will propel growth, potentially evolving its influence from content aggregator to full-stack martech powerhouse.[8] As digital natives demand unbiased, data-personalized experiences, TNL's neutral edge and tech moat position it to capture more of the $100B+ Asian digital ad market, building on its merger-fueled ascent from Taipei startup to NASDAQ player.[1][4]
The News Lens has raised $6.0M across 3 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $3.0M Series C in June 2018.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 1, 2018 | $3M Series C | — | Gideon YU, Prefix Capital, Charles Huang, Kevin LIN, Steve Zhao, Dorcas, Hazel Asset Management, North Base Media, Walden International | Announced |
| Mar 22, 2017 | $2M Series B | Wiskey Capital | Alice SUN, Edgar Chiu, Irene Chen, Victor Chen, WEI Shang, AngelVest天使谷, Dorcas Investments, Marcus Brauchli, Trinity Investment, Walden International | Announced |
| May 26, 2015 | $1M Series A | — | Hari Kumar, Herbert Chang, JIM WU, 500 Startups, Marcus Brauchli | Announced |
The News Lens has raised $6.0M in total across 3 funding rounds.
The News Lens's investors include Gideon Yu, Prefix Capital, Charles Huang, Kevin Lin, Steve Zhao, Dorcas, Hazel Asset Management, North Base Media, Walden International, Wiskey Capital, Alice Sun, Edgar Chiu.