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How Reliable Wikipedia Sources Work

(Explained Clearly for Companies)

To build a stable Wikipedia page for a company or founder, independent, high-quality media coverage is the foundation. Wikipedia does not allow promotional articles, paid placements, or rewritten press releases.

The Company Guide to Wikipedia Notability

Below is a complete guide to help companies understand what kind of coverage is accepted, what is rejected, and what type of article they should aim for.

1. What Counts as Reliable, Wikipedia-Eligible Coverage

  • Written by staff journalists

    Especially important for Forbes, Entrepreneur, Inc., etc.
    ✔ Accepted: Forbes Staff-written
    ❌ Rejected: Forbes Contributor / Forbes Councils
    Reason: Contributor columns are self-published and often pay-to-play.

  • Original reporting, not “churnalism”

    TechCrunch and other tech media must publish real journalism, not a rephrased press release. We've broken down the difference:

✔ Original Reporting (Accepted)

  • Journalist interviews company leadership
  • Adds independent analysis, comparisons, and context
  • Provides information not present in the press release
  • Contains quotes from investors, analysts, or customers
  • Shows editorial investigation

❌ Churnalism (Rejected)

  • Article copies content from a press release
  • No interviews
  • No original information
  • No context or analysis
  • “Company X announced today…” (and that’s it)
  • Reputable media with editorial control

    Examples: Reuters, Bloomberg, Associated Press, TechCrunch, Washington Post, The Guardian, Arabian Business, The National, Economic Times, Business Insider. These outlets have editors, fact-checking standards, and press ethics.

  • Articles must be substantial

    A full piece of reporting — not just a brief mention or listing.

2. What Does NOT Count as Reliable Coverage

  • Press releases: BusinessWire, PR Newswire, GlobeNewswire, company newsroom.
  • Sponsored / paid placements: “Forbes BrandVoice,” “Entrepreneur Leadership Network,” “Sponsored Content,” advertorials.
  • One-on-one PR interviews: Q&A formats without journalism.
  • SEO blogs and aggregator sites: Low-tier websites, lists, affiliate articles.
  • Churnalism / rewritten press releases: Even if published on a big website, it still gets rejected.
  • Social media: YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, LinkedIn — none are valid sources.

3. The Article That Establishes True Wikipedia Notability

Below is a realistic long-form example of the kind of 8–12 paragraph article that easily qualifies as a reliable Wikipedia source. It demonstrates the depth, detail, and independence required.

Example of a High-Quality, Wikipedia-EligSible Media Article

“How Solarity Systems Became a Key Player in the European AI Energy Market” — Forbes (Staff Writer)

Over the past four years, Solarity Systems has evolved from a small Munich-based research project into one of Europe’s fastest-growing AI-driven energy optimization companies. Founded by former Siemens engineer Lukas Eberhardt and data scientist Anna Gruber, the company focuses on predictive load-balancing and grid-efficiency tools used by utilities across Germany, the Netherlands, and the Nordic region. According to analysts from Euler Consulting, Solarity now manages data streams from more than 2.4 million smart meters, placing it among the top five independent grid-optimization providers in the European Union.

The company’s rapid rise began in 2022 after securing a pilot partnership with Stadtwerke München, the municipal energy provider of Germany’s third-largest city. Unlike many startups in the energy-tech space, Solarity developed a proprietary algorithm — known internally as HeliosCore — that forecasts consumption patterns at the neighborhood level with a claimed accuracy rate of 87%, outperforming existing legacy systems by more than 20 percentage points, according to independent testing by Fraunhofer ISE.

In a series of interviews with Forbes, Eberhardt explained that Solarity’s competitive advantage comes from “hyper-local modeling,” which combines IoT sensor networks, weather satellite data, and machine-learning predictions in near real-time. “We built HeliosCore because the European grid is becoming too complex for traditional forecasting methods. Utilities need granular, dynamic systems, not monthly spreadsheets,” he said.

Investors appear to agree. In 2024, Solarity closed a €42 million Series B funding round led by Sweden’s Northwind Capital, with participation from E.ON Ventures and the European Innovation Council Fund. The round valued the company at €310 million, according to documents reviewed by Forbes. Northwind partner Sofia Lindholm said the fund conducted a four-month technical audit before investing. “This is not a hype-driven company,” she noted. “The team demonstrated measurable grid-efficiency improvements in real deployments, not simulated conditions.”

Solarity’s technology has attracted attention beyond Europe as well. In early 2025, the company signed a cooperation agreement with Abu Dhabi’s Masdar City to assess energy-consumption patterns across two new residential districts. While still in the early stages, Masdar officials told Forbes they expect the system to reduce distribution losses by 6–9% over the next 12 months.

Despite its momentum, Eberhardt stresses that Solarity faces “complex regulatory and operational challenges,” especially as EU policymakers push for more transparent AI models in critical infrastructure. The company is currently working with TÜV Süd to develop an independent audit framework for AI-driven grid systems — the first of its kind in Germany.

Looking ahead, Solarity plans to expand into Italy, France, and the Iberian Peninsula, markets where outdated grid systems present significant optimization opportunities. With more than 140 employees across four offices and a projected annual revenue of €58 million for 2025, the company is positioning itself as a foundational player in Europe’s transition toward smarter, more flexible energy networks.

Why this example fits Wikipedia requirements

  • Written by a staff journalist
  • Uses independent data from analysts, investors, and energy providers
  • Provides interviews and original reporting
  • Includes financial data, traction metrics, partnerships
  • Gives context within the industry
  • Not promotional, not paid, not a rephrased press release

If a real company obtains even one article of this depth, plus 2–3 supporting articles from reputable media, a Wikipedia page becomes stable and defensible.

4. What Companies Must Prepare to Attract These Articles

  • Clear milestones (funding rounds, expansions, major clients)
  • Data (growth metrics, product statistics, R&D achievements)
  • Leadership quotes + interview availability
  • High-quality press kit (but NOT promotional)
  • Strong positioning compared to competitors
  • Transparency (journalists avoid companies that hide information)

5. Media Requirements for a Strong Wikipedia Page

English Wikipedia (Strictest)

  • At least 3–5 independent, staff-written articles
  • 1 long-form feature like the example above
  • Zero paid or contributed content

Other Wikipedias (Spanish, French, Arabic, etc.)

  • 2–3 good articles may be enough
  • Still must be independent and non-promotional

Frequently Asked Questions

Notability is the key criterion for inclusion on platforms like Wikipedia. It means you or your organization has received significant coverage in reliable, independent sources (e.g., major news outlets, books, academic journals). Our free assessment will analyze this for you.

No ethical service can guarantee approval, as the final decision rests with volunteer editors. However, our expertise in the rules and our meticulous process give you the highest possible chance of success by ensuring every submission is fully compliant.

Wikipedia has the strictest notability rules. Wikitia is a valuable professional platform for subjects that are notable but may not yet meet Wikipedia's high threshold, making it a perfect place to build a verifiable online presence and secure a Google Knowledge Panel.

Timelines vary based on complexity, but a typical project from research to live page takes 4-8 weeks. We prioritize quality and compliance over speed to ensure a lasting, positive result that is secure from deletion.

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