Neue Narrative

Neue Narrative is a media company founded in 2019 with a mission to balance profit and social purpose, believing that independent, self-owned media is essential for democracy. From the very beginning, Neue Narrative aimed to make a positive impact on society – not just through their content, but also through the way the company itself was structured. The founders addressed key questions: Who owns the company? Who benefits from its success? Can it be sold or speculated on? By adopting steward-ownership, they ensured long-term independence and alignment with their mission.

In 2020, Neue Narrative raised €350,000 in their first financing round, including €100,000 from co-founder Sebastian Kleins personal funds. They issued non-voting C-shares to like-minded investors, offering fixed and performance-based returns that aligned with the company’s risk profile. D-shares, also non-voting, were created to compensate founders for earlier investments and entrepreneurial risks, ranking behind C-shares in repayment priority.

Building trust in steward-ownership was challenging in 2019/2020, as the model was still relatively unknown. Yet, Neue Narrative’s strong network, clear mission, and a product that resonated with investors helped attract supporters, including first-time investors who were inspired by the company’s vision.