WaitWhat
WaitWhat is a New York-based digital media company that produces premium podcasts, video, and live events targeting business professionals, technology leaders, and personal development audiences, anchored by flagship shows such as Masters of Scale and Pioneers of AI with high-profile hosts.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What WaitWhat does
WaitWhat is a private digital media company founded in 2017 and headquartered in New York (393 Canal Street, Suite 116) that produces premium podcast, video, and live event properties aimed at business professionals, technology leaders, and personal development audiences. The company operates a portfolio of flagship shows anchored by high-profile hosts, including Masters of Scale (founding host Reid Hoffman), Rapid Response (Bob Safian), Pioneers of AI (Dr. Rana el Kaliouby), Possible (Reid Hoffman and Aria Finger), and Remarkable People (Guy Kawasaki), alongside network shows such as Meditative Story, Should This Exist?, Spark & Fire, Offsite Adventures, and Sleep Song. Content is produced using professional audio/video workflows (Descript, ProTools) and distributed in hybrid audio-video format across YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music, with the company reporting more than 130 million cumulative downloads across its properties. The company's broader properties are co-developed or distributed in partnership with Thrive Global (Meditative Story), Quartz (Should This Exist?), Harvard Business Publishing (Podcases), and Cornerstone (exclusive Masters of Scale distribution to enterprise customers).
The business model is a hybrid of consumer subscription, brand sponsorship/partnerships, enterprise content production and licensing, and live event ticketing (Masters of Scale Summit). WaitWhat monetizes through premium subscription services for exclusive content and events, alliance/sponsorship relationships (managed via [email protected]), and B2B content production contracts such as branded podcasts and educational audio courses for enterprise customers like Cornerstone and Harvard Business Publishing. The company has raised a cumulative $16.3 million in disclosed funding — a $4.3 million Series A in February 2019 led by Burda Principal Investments and Cue Ball, followed by a $12 million round in June 2021 led by Raga Partners with participation from James Murdoch (Lupa Systems), Laurene Powell Jobs (Emerson Collective), Capital One Ventures, and others. The company operates as a remote-first organization with approximately 40 team members, has won multiple Webby Awards, Signal Awards, and Ambies, and is led by CEO Jeff Berman, with founders June Cohen, Deron Triff, and Jai Punjabi continuing in senior roles.
WaitWhat firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- WaitWhat
- Legal name
- Wait What Inc.
- Website
- https://waitwhat.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- WaitWhat is a New York-based digital media company that produces premium podcasts, video, and live events targeting business professionals, technology leaders, and personal development audiences, anchored by flagship shows such as Masters of Scale and Pioneers of AI with high-profile hosts.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
WaitWhat industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Podcast Media Network
- NAICS
- Sound Recording Industries (5122), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (51621), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920)
- SIC
- Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812), Services-Advertising (7310)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Podcast Networks & Multi-Show Publishers (MPACADAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Podcast Hosting & Enterprise Solutions (Private/Branded Podcasts) (MPACADAF), Podcast Networks & Studio Platforms (MPAIADAC), Audio Production & Podcasting (BPAFAIAE), Live Podcast Recordings (MPAGACAJ)
Keywords
Where WaitWhat is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
WaitWhat business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Subscription Services: Subscription services allow paying members access to exclusive content, live events, and additional benefits. This creates recurring revenue from premium content consumers.
- Partnerships and Sponsorships: Partnerships and sponsorship opportunities are available for brands seeking to associate with WaitWhat's premium business content and audience. Contact email [email protected] indicates active B2B partnership development.
- Live Events: Masters of Scale Summit and live events generate revenue through ticket sales and create brand-building opportunities that drive podcast subscriptions and partnerships.
- Content Production for Partners: WaitWhat produces branded podcasts and content for partners like Thrive Global (Meditative Story), Harvard Business Publishing (Podcases), and Cornerstone, generating production fees and licensing revenue.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
WaitWhat product offering
Product offeringCore offering
WaitWhat produces premium original podcasts, video content, and live events featuring iconic business leaders and innovators. The company operates a media network of flagship shows such as Masters of Scale, Rapid Response, Pioneers of AI, Possible, and Meditative Story, distributed across YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music, while generating additional revenue through premium subscriptions, brand partnerships, sponsored content production, and the annual Masters of Scale Summit.
Product overview
WaitWhat is a digital media company producing podcasts, video, live events, and partnership experiences. The company's core product portfolio centers on four flagship podcast shows: Masters of Scale (business growth strategies with Reid Hoffman), Rapid Response (urgent business leader conversations hosted by Bob Safian), Pioneers of AI (AI technology exploration with Dr. Rana el Kaliouby), Possible (future-focused innovation with Reid Hoffman and Aria Finger), and Remarkable People (visionary interviews with Guy Kawasaki). The network also includes Meditative Story, Spark & Fire, Should This Exist?, and other shows distributed through YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon. WaitWhat extends its reach through live events including the annual Masters of Scale Summit, and has been downloaded more than 130 million times across its properties.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Masters of Scale: Weekly business podcast featuring iconic business leaders sharing lessons and strategies with founding host Reid Hoffman.
- Rapid Response
- Pioneers of AI
- Meditative Story
- Spark & Fire
- Should This Exist?
- Masters of Scale Summit
- Possible
- Remarkable People
- Offsite Adventures
- Sleep Song
Products and services
- Masters of Scale A weekly podcast featuring candid conversations with iconic business leaders, founders, CEOs, and innovators sharing lessons and strategies from growing the world's most fascinating companies. Hosted by founding host Reid Hoffman and distributed on YouTube, Spotify, iTunes, and Amazon.
- Rapid Response A podcast featuring urgent conversations with top business leaders navigating real-time challenges and exploring what is most important when striving to innovate, create, and lead. Hosted by former Fast Company editor-in-chief Bob Safian.
- Pioneers of AI A weekly podcast exploring how artificial intelligence is changing the way we live, featuring conversations with leading creators, critics, and thinkers behind groundbreaking technology. Hosted by AI scientist, investor, and author Dr. Rana el Kaliouby.
- Possible An award-winning weekly podcast sketching out the brightest version of the future and what it will take to get there, exploring technology, art, education, and healthcare with forward-thinking leaders. Hosted by Reid Hoffman and Aria Finger.
- Remarkable People
- Meditative Story A mindfulness podcast combining storytelling with meditation techniques, featuring personal narratives that guide listeners through mindfulness practices. Co-produced with Thrive Global (Arianna Huffington).
- Offsite Adventures
- Spark & Fire
- Sleep Song
- Should This Exist? A podcast examining how technology impacts humanity, questioning the ethical implications of emerging technologies. Co-developed with Quartz.
- Sincerely, X
- Masters of Scale Summit
- Premium Subscription Membership
- Branded Content Production
Quantifiable outcome
- 130 million+ content downloads across all properties
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use WaitWhat
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
WaitWhat technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
WaitWhat partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- CornerstonecoreCornerstone partnership brings Masters of Scale podcast and courses exclusively to Cornerstone customers, providing enterprise distribution of WaitWhat content through Cornerstone's learning platform.
- Thrive Global (Arianna Huffington)coreWaitWhat and Arianna Huffington's Thrive Global co-created Meditative Story, a first-of-its-kind immersive storytelling podcast combining mindfulness and personal narrative.
- QuartzcoreMasters of Scale spun out Should This Exist? in partnership with Quartz to examine how technology is impacting humanity, leveraging both brands for audience reach.
- Harvard Business PublishingcoreHarvard Business Publishing and Masters of Scale co-developed Podcases, an audio-driven business education offering that combines WaitWhat's content expertise with HBP's educational reach.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
WaitWhat competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Pushkin Industries: Premium podcast studio founded by Malcolm Gladwell and Jacob Weisberg producing host-driven narrative and business-adjacent shows (Revisionist History, Against the Rules). Directly comparable as a high-craft, founder-led podcast network monetizing through ads, subscriptions, and branded content.
- Lemonada Media: Independent podcast network focused on premium, mission-driven shows with a subscription and advertising model. Comparable as a venture-backed multi-show publisher competing for similar premium ad inventory and sponsor budgets.
Broad incumbents
- Wondery: Large podcast network and studio (acquired by Amazon) producing narrative and business shows. Comparable as a multi-show premium publisher, but operates at significantly greater scale with Amazon's distribution and capital behind it.
- The Ringer: Bill Simmons-founded media company (now owned by Spotify) producing podcasts and written content with strong host-driven franchises. Comparable in operating a portfolio of personality-led shows, though broader in sports and culture scope.
- TED Audio Collective: TED's podcast network producing idea-driven shows built around marquee speakers and branded intellectual property. Comparable in monetizing premium thought-leadership audio, but operates under the global TED brand.
- Audacy (Cadence13 / Pineapple Street): Public radio broadcaster and podcast publisher whose Cadence13 and Pineapple Street Studios produce premium narrative and business podcasts. Comparable as a multi-show studio serving similar advertiser categories, but with much broader broadcast infrastructure.
- Gimlet Media: Acclaimed podcast studio (acquired by Spotify in 2019) known for narrative and business shows like StartUp and Reply All. Historically the closest comp to WaitWhat's premium host-driven model; now illustrates platform-acquisition risk as a bear-case reference point.
- iHeartMedia: Largest U.S. radio broadcaster with a sizable podcast network and live events business. Comparable in operating an advertising- and event-supported audio network, though at vastly greater scale and with terrestrial-radio economics.
Regional players
- PRX (Public Radio Exchange): Public radio distributor and podcast publisher behind Radiotopia and Marketplace. Comparable as a podcast network with public-media DNA producing high-craft shows, but distribution leans non-commercial/grant-supported rather than premium subscription.
Emerging players
- Maximum Fun: Independent podcast network with a membership-driven business model spanning culture, comedy, and creativity shows. Comparable as a smaller, community-funded multi-show network, though more pop-culture than business-leadership focused.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
WaitWhat social profiles
Digital presenceWaitWhat financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
WaitWhat leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
WaitWhat funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors12 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
WaitWhat M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about WaitWhat
What does WaitWhat do?
WaitWhat produces premium original podcasts, video content, and live events featuring iconic business leaders and innovators. The company operates a media network of flagship shows such as Masters of Scale, Rapid Response, Pioneers of AI, Possible, and Meditative Story, distributed across YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music, while generating additional revenue through premium subscriptions, brand partnerships, sponsored content production, and the annual Masters of Scale Summit.
Is WaitWhat a public or private company?
WaitWhat is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was WaitWhat founded?
WaitWhat was founded in 2017. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is WaitWhat based?
WaitWhat is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does WaitWhat make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Subscription Services are the primary driver. The others are partnerships and Sponsorships, live Events and content Production for Partners.
Who are WaitWhat's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Pushkin Industries and Lemonada Media. Broad incumbents are Wondery, The Ringer, TED Audio Collective, Audacy (Cadence13 / Pineapple Street), Gimlet Media and iHeartMedia. PRX (Public Radio Exchange) is listed as a regional player. Maximum Fun is listed as an emerging player.
Does WaitWhat have an API?
No public API is recorded for WaitWhat.
What industry is WaitWhat in?
WaitWhat's product category is Podcast Media Network. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPACADAB, Podcast Networks & Multi-Show Publishers, with a secondary code of MPACADAF, Podcast Hosting & Enterprise Solutions (Private/Branded Podcasts). Its NAICS code is 5122 and its SIC code is 7812.