ForSet is a Tbilisi-based creative social enterprise specialising in data and visual storytelling. Through its reporting and educational programmes, ForSet co-creates data stories from Eurasia.

ForSet was founded in 2017 by a group of data journalists, designers, researchers, and technologists, some of whom previously worked for the now-defunct local NGO JumpStart Georgia. The NGO was the first of its kind experimenting with data journalism, not only in Georgia, but in the entire Eastern Europe and Central Asia region.

ForSet runs intensive educational courses for Georgian and Eurasian journalists, activists, and students. After receiving training in how to collect, clean, analyse and visualise data, participants produce data projects under ForSet's mentorship, and create static and interactive infographics, multimedia stories, quizzes, and games. Stories are published in regional media outlets; some are available on ForSet's website.

Through partnerships, ForSet has conducted data-driven communication campaigns for Georgian audiences through its social media channels, as well as through well-established media outlets. The topics include human rights, economic empowerment, and debunking vaccination-related misinformation.

The organisation advocates for better access to information. It created the easy-to-use Freedom of Information Request tool AskGov, runs monthly DataViz competitions and publishes award-winning stories through partner media, such as On.ge and Imitom.ge.

It also organises DataFest Tbilisi, an annual data conference in Eastern Europe and Central Asia that brings together hundreds of data professionals to share experiences, spread inspiration, create meaningful connections, and promote the cross-sectoral use of data to make a change.

ForSet also organises hackathons and community-building activities, and facilitates the creation of civic tech tools to benefit society.

In 2017, ForSet won the TruthBuzz contest, organised by the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) with the support of theCraig Newmark Foundation, for creating a mobile gaming app to fight fake news.

Source: Oasis Europe

Last updated date: November 2025

Location:
Tbilisi, Georgia
Year the organization started publishing:
2017
Languages:
English
Georgian
Type of coverage:
International
Countries of coverage:
Armenia
Azerbaijan
Belarus
Georgia
Other
Spain
Switzerland
Ukraine
Other countries of coverage:
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan

Content

Editorial coverage:
Generalist, focused on multiple topics
Type of content produced by theme:
Science
Education
Environment
Politics
Technology
Economy and business
Health and well-being
Law and crime
Society and human rights
Economy and finance
Gender
Feminism
LGBTIQ+
Ethnic minorities
Religious minorities
DEIA: Diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility
Refugees
Migration
War crimes and transitional justice
Journalism genres:
Narrative journalism
Journalism coverage types and techniques:
Data journalism
Solutions or constructive journalism
Explanatory journalism
Cross-border journalism
Collaborative journalism
Tech platforms and other mediums used:
Website
Blog
Newsletter
Social media platforms
YouTube
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram
LinkedIn
Primary tech platform or medium used to publish content:
Website

Audience and reach

Social media audience

Facebook number of followers:
7,027
Twitter number of followers:
378
Instagram number of followers:
650
YouTube number of followers:
323

Management and team

Founders

Female:
7
Male:
3
Founders:
Ani Sharashenidze, Anton Kamaryan, Ia Ninoshvili, Irakli Chumburidze, Jason Addie, Mariam Gamkharashvili, Meri Pepanashvili, Nino Macharashvili, Kristina Parjiani, Teona Tomashvili
Directors:
Nino Macharashvili

Team

Full-time employees:
13
Part-time employees:
2
Freelancers or consultants:
1
Volunteers:
5

Business structure and revenue sources

Organization tax status:
Hybrid model (more than one nonprofit or for-profit)
All revenue sources reported by media leaders:
Grants
Advertising
Consultancy services
Content services for others
Audience support / reader revenue
Grants from private donor organisations
Grants from foreign governments
Grants from local and national government, and other connected governmental institutions or entities
Grants from United Nations, UNESCO, and other agencies
Event sponsorships
Services for clients and other private corporations
Services for nonprofit organisations
Services for foreign governments
Services for local governmental entities
Training services for journalists
Training services for other clients
Product development and sales
Technology development services
Content development for other media
Content development for other non-journalistic companies
Content development for NGOs
Event ticket sales
The primary source of revenue reported by media leaders:
Grants from private donor organisations
The second most important revenue source reported:
Content services for others

Transparency

Doesn’t publish information about annual revenue
Publishes the names of donors
Doesn’t have an ethics policy / manual
Doesn’t have a data privacy policy
Doesn’t have a whistleblower policy
Doesn’t have a complaints policy
Doesn’t have a sexual harassment or institutional violence policy
Is not signed up to a press regulator, trust initiative, or part of a press association
Publishes up to date information about its team

Why is this profile included?

This media outlet is part of our directory because it meets SembraMedia’s inclusion criteria: it produces original content, serves the public interest, and works with independence and transparency. This profile was developed using information provided directly by the media outlet, through surveys or interviews. We aim to keep the information current, but SembraMedia does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness, and recommends verifying any key details with the media organization.

In SembraMedia we use own and third party cookies for analytical purposes that allow us to track, monitor and analyze your browsing and behavior to make improvements to the product based on the analysis made, as well as own technical cookies that allow the proper functioning of the website. You can accept all cookies by clicking the "Accept" button or configure or reject their use by clicking "Reject". More information in the Privacy and Cookies Policy.