What Podcorn does

Podcorn is a two-sided marketplace that connects podcast creators directly with brands for native sponsorships, host-read advertisements, and branded content collaborations. Founded in 2019 and headquartered in Los Angeles, the platform enables podcasters to list themselves, set their own rates, and pitch sponsorship ideas, while brands can create campaigns, receive proposals, and engage creators either self-service or through a full-service managed offering. The underlying technology combines a marketplace matching layer with automated dynamic ad insertion, allowing dynamically inserted ads to generate revenue for podcasters without requiring them to manage sales or ad operations.

The company monetizes through three primary streams: a marketplace commission on sponsorship transactions between podcasters and brands, advertising revenue from dynamically inserted ads served via its free hosting tier, and professional-service fees for full-service brand campaign management with guaranteed deliverables. Its customer base spans individual creators and SMBs on the supply side and both first-time and experienced brand advertisers on the demand side, with named enterprise brands such as Hulu, Amazon, Sony, Capital One, and Lexus publicly featured on the platform.

Podcorn's product surface has since been integrated into Audacy's Creator Lab (creators.audacy.com), reflecting acquisition by the major US radio broadcaster. The platform is differentiated from competitors by its explicit no-exclusivity, no-hidden-fees stance, its hosting-plus-monetization bundle, and its dual self-service / full-service go-to-market for brands. The firm employs 11-50 people, was co-founded by Agnes Kozera, and raised $2.2M in seed funding in 2019 led by Global Founders Capital with Bessemer Venture Partners, 500 Global, Alumni Ventures, Correlation Ventures, and Next 10 Ventures.

Name

Podcorn

Website

https://podcorn.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Podcorn is a self-service two-sided marketplace that connects podcast creators with brands for native sponsorships, host-read ads, and branded content. Founded in 2019 in Los Angeles and now operating as Audacy's Creator Lab, it serves SMB and enterprise advertisers and individual creators.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Podcast Advertising Marketplace

NAICS

Other Sound Recording Industries (512290), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (516210)

SIC

Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)

akta.pro primary industry

Podcast Networks & Multi-Show Publishers (MPACADAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Creator Tools & Monetization Platforms (Podcasts/Audio) (MPAIADAG)

Keywords

• Podcast sponsorship marketplace
• Podcast advertising platform
• Creator brand collaborations
• Host-read ad marketplace
• Dynamic ad insertion

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Marketplace Commission: The marketplace facilitates connections between podcasters and brands, taking a commission on sponsorship transactions. Podcasters set their own rates and retain control over content while the platform enables the commercial relationship.
2. Hosting Services: Free podcast hosting with automated ad technology integrated, enabling podcasters to monetize through dynamically inserted advertisements. Revenue is generated through ad monetization rather than hosting fees.
3. Brand Advertising Services: Full-service campaign management for brands including guaranteed deliverables, with pricing based on service level and campaign scope.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Podcorn (now operating as Creator Lab Marketplace) is a self-service two-sided marketplace that connects independent podcasters with brand advertisers for native sponsorships, host-read ads, and branded content collaborations. It bundles free podcast hosting with automated dynamic ad insertion so creators can monetize back-catalog inventory while the marketplace takes a commission on sponsorship deals between podcasters and brands. Brands can run campaigns either self-service or through a full-service team, with no exclusivity or hidden-fee commitments on either side.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Creator Lab Marketplace (Podcast Sponsorship Marketplace) Self-service two-sided marketplace that lets podcasters browse sponsorship opportunities, pitch ideas, and create host-read ads or branded content, while brands create campaigns, receive proposals, and hire podcasters directly. Targets independent podcasters and brand advertisers of all sizes with no exclusivity or hidden-fee commitments.
• Free Podcast Hosting with Dynamic Ad Insertion Free podcast hosting service bundled with automated dynamic ad insertion that lets podcasters monetize their back-catalog inventory without managing ads themselves. Designed for podcasters seeking low-friction monetization alongside or instead of direct sponsorships.
• Self-Service Brand Campaign Tools Self-service campaign management tools that let brands create campaigns, receive proposals from podcasters, and execute host-read integrations and branded content directly through the marketplace platform. Targets first-time advertisers through experienced marketers.
• Full-Service Podcast Campaign Management White-glove campaign management service where an expert team handles ideation, curation, execution, and delivery of branded podcast campaigns with guaranteed deliverables. Targets enterprise brands that want hands-on support beyond self-service tools.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Midroll Media: Midroll, owned by SiriusXM, runs a podcast advertising sales network and marketplace that matches brands with shows for host-read sponsorships — a direct functional peer to Podcorn's brand-creator sponsorship marketplace.
• Acast: Acast operates an open podcast hosting and monetization marketplace that connects podcasters with advertisers via programmatic and host-read sponsorships — the same dual-sided model Podcorn runs, with dynamic ad insertion and global marketplace liquidity.
• Megaphone (Spotify): Megaphone is a podcast hosting, monetization, and programmatic ad marketplace owned by Spotify, offering host-read ads and dynamic insertion — directly overlapping Podcorn's hosting-plus-sponsorship-marketplace stack for premium and enterprise publishers.
• AdvertiseCast: AdvertiseCast is one of the largest programmatic podcast advertising marketplaces, connecting thousands of shows with brand budgets via both programmatic and direct host-read deals — directly comparable to Podcorn's marketplace-driven monetization.

Broad incumbents

• Spotify Ad Studio: Spotify Ad Studio lets brands self-serve audio and podcast ad campaigns across Spotify's owned-and-operated inventory — overlapping with Podcorn's self-service brand workflow but bundled into the broader Spotify ecosystem.
• Anchor (Spotify): Anchor offers free podcast hosting with built-in monetization (sponsorships, subscriptions, listener support) — the same freemium hosting-plus-monetization wedge Podcorn uses, but bundled into Spotify's distribution stack.
• Apple Podcasts Subscriptions: Apple Podcasts offers creator subscriptions and integrated ad tools inside the iOS Podcasts app — a broad incumbent platform that competes for both creator monetization budgets and brand ad dollars that might otherwise flow through Podcorn.

Emerging players

• Patreon: Patreon is a direct creator-monetization platform that lets podcasters earn from listener subscriptions, premium content, and community — overlapping with Podcorn's listener-supported and branded content use cases but focused on fan-funded rather than advertiser-funded monetization.
• Podscribe: Podscribe provides podcast ad attribution and analytics, often used by brands running host-read sponsorship campaigns — adjacent to Podcorn's marketplace but focused on measurement rather than deal-making.

Others

• Backstage (Backlot Media): Backstage connects creators (actors, influencers) with brand opportunities via a marketplace model — structurally analogous to Podcorn's creator-brand marketplace but oriented to talent/influencer rather than podcast verticals.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/podcorn

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors6 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Podcorn