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Acast
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Acast is a Swedish-founded company that provides hosting, monetization and growth support for podcasts, and podcast advertising solutions for brands and media agencies. Launched in 2014,[2] it developed dynamic insertion technology which can target advertising within podcasts based on location, time, and personal data, which has become the standard of the modern podcasting industry.[3] The company champions an independent and open ecosystem for podcasting, where podcasts hosted with Acast are available on all podcast listening apps.[4] Acast was founded by Karl Rosander [sv] and Måns Ulvestam in 2013;[5][6] together with Johan Billgren as co-founder.[7] Acast hosts over 140,000 podcasts, with over 330 million listens every month. The company operates worldwide with a physical presence in 15 countries, and has its headquarters in Stockholm.[8]

Key Information

In addition to the founders, Bonnier has also invested in the company.[9] In 2018, additional investors stepped in with more than $67 million. In 2019, the European Investment Bank invested 25 million euros in Acast,[10] and on 17 June 2021, Acast was listed on the Nasdaq First North Premier Market at a valuation of approximately SEK 7 billion.[11]

Acast enables digital publishers to insert ads targeting defined audiences.[12][13] The platform distributes, monetizes and markets podcasts including Giggly Squad, My Dad Wrote A Porno, The Adam Buxton Podcast and Toni and Ryan as well as publishers including The Guardian, The Economist, The Athletic, The Times and the Financial Times.[14][15]

History

[edit]

In 2014, four months after launch, Acast was named Start-up of the Year by IDG magazine, Internetworld,[16] and ‘Most innovative media service’ at the mobile industry awards Mobilgalan [sv].[17]

In May 2015, Acast closed a $5m Series A funding round, led by Bonnier Growth Media. This was supplemented by an undisclosed follow-on investment from early-stage venture capital firm MOOR, owned by Kaj Hed, majority owner of Rovio Entertainment.[12][18]

In 2016, Acast launched a paid subscription service called Acast+.[19]

In December 2018 the company raised $35 million from AP1 and Swedbank Robur (sv) funds Ny Teknik and Microcap in Series C funding. This has brought total funding to more than $67 million.[20] In 2019, Acast acquired Pippa, another podcast hosting platform.[21]

Since 2019, Acast has offered a free hosting tier for podcasts.[22] The European Investment Bank invested €25 million in Acast in 2019.[23]

In early 2021, Acast announced the acquisition of RadioPublic, a Boston-based startup founded by the public radio organization PRX.[24][25]

In April 2021, rumours about an IPO on Nasdaq Stockholm surfaced.[26] Founders Rosander and Ulvestam sold their last shares earlier in 2021, to fund their new startup Sesamy [sv].[27]

In March 2022, Acast announced that they would discontinue their podcast client app. The company cited its decreased importance as a source of user data and their preference for platform-independence in the decision.[28][29]

In July 2022, Acast signed an agreement to acquire Podchaser, a platform-agnostic podcast database with user reviews, for $27 million by August 2022.[30][31][32]

In August 2022, Acast was ranked #2 in Podtrac's ranking of ad sales networks for podcasts in the US.[33]

In November 2022, Acast entered into a partnership with Amazon. Through the agreement Amazon Music bought all advertising space for thousands of Acast's podcasts, allowing Amazon customers to listen to those shows ad-free.[34]

In February 2024, RadioPublic announced their app would close permanently at the end of March.[35] After that date, RadioPublic show links began redirecting to the same shows on Podchaser.

In December 2024, Acast acquired creative production house Wonder Media Network.

Notable podcasts hosted by Acast

[edit]

Present

[edit]

Past

[edit]

References

[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Acast

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Acast is a Swedish podcast technology company founded in 2014 and headquartered in , specializing in a global platform that hosts, distributes, and monetizes audio content for creators and advertisers. The company operates as a publicly traded entity on the First North Growth Market under the ticker ACAST, providing tools like dynamic ad insertion to connect over 140,000 s with more than 3,300 advertisers, reaching one billion listens per quarter across major listening apps (as of July 2025). With offices in 16 countries and over 400 employees (as of mid-2025), Acast has paid out more than $470 million to podcasters since its inception, emphasizing growth through acquisitions such as the podcast hosting service Pippa. Its core technology enables and audience expansion, positioning it as a leading marketplace in the podcasting industry worldwide.

Company overview

Founding and headquarters

Acast was founded in 2014 by Karl Rosander, Måns Ulvestam, and Johan Billgren in , , with the initial focus on developing a platform for hosting and distribution. The company launched its platform the same year, providing tools for creators to upload, host, and share audio content, marking an early entry into the growing ecosystem. The headquarters of Acast are located in Stockholm at Kungsgatan 28, serving as the central hub for operations and strategy. As the company expanded globally post-launch, it established offices in multiple countries, including the , , , , , , and , to support regional teams and partnerships. Acast's workforce has evolved alongside its growth. As of September 30, 2025, the company employed 420 full-time people, reflecting adjustments amid ongoing efforts to achieve and sustain profitability, including positive EBITDA in Q3 2025. Acast is approved to move from Nasdaq First North Premier Growth Market to the main market, with trading commencing on November 20, 2025.

Services and platform features

Acast's podcast hosting platform serves as a comprehensive solution for creators, supporting over 140,000 active podcasts and generating one billion quarterly listens, equivalent to approximately 330 million monthly, as of late 2025. The service offers unlimited storage and bandwidth, enabling podcasters to upload and manage episodes without restrictions, including multi-show accounts for networks and studios. Key functionalities include flexible episode scheduling, bulk editing tools, and automated dynamic intros or outros to streamline production workflows. Distribution is facilitated through seamless integration with major platforms such as , , and , allowing one-click publishing to all primary directories. This ensures broad reach for hosted content, with cross-network performance tracking to monitor plays across services. To support growth, Acast provides advanced with IAB-verified metrics on listener demographics, downloads, geographic distribution, platform usage, and engagement patterns. Additional tools include SEO optimization for episode discoverability, customizable podcast websites, web players for embedding, and video clip generation for promotion to enhance audience acquisition. The platform's advertising solutions emphasize through dynamic ad insertion, which automatically places ads into episodes post-upload, host-read opportunities with script management, and programmatic access via the Acast connecting creators to over 3,300 advertisers. Campaign tools offer inventory forecasting, advanced targeting, and detailed reporting for direct-sold deals. Acast maintains an open ecosystem tailored for independent creators, promoting unrestricted distribution and without exclusivity requirements. In recent years, it has incorporated AI-driven recommendations, such as the 2025 launch of Smart Recommendations, an AI tool that matches advertisers with relevant podcast audiences using queries.

History

Early years and funding

Acast began development in 2013, with founders Karl Rosander and Måns Ulvestam, alongside co-founder Johan Billgren, focusing on creating a platform to simplify hosting, distribution, and monetization in an emerging audio landscape. The company spent approximately nine months building core technology, including innovations in dynamic ad insertion, before its official launch in April 2014 in , , positioning Acast as a pioneer in the open ecosystem by enabling seamless connections between creators, listeners, and advertisers without proprietary restrictions. In its initial phase, Acast conducted beta testing of the platform to refine and ad targeting features, attracting early adopters amid the growing popularity of following hits like Serial. This period saw steady user growth, with the platform expanding from a Swedish base to international markets, including the and , as podcast listenership surged globally. Early milestones included onboarding hundreds of and achieving initial revenue through ad partnerships, laying the groundwork for broader adoption. Financial backing accelerated Acast's trajectory, starting with a in May 2015 that raised $5 million, led by Bonnier Growth Media, to support European expansion and platform enhancements. By December 2018, the company secured $35 million in Series C funding from investors including AP1 and Robur, elevating total funding to over $67 million and valuing Acast at approximately $190 million. These investments marked Acast's transition from a private startup to a scaling operation in the mid-2010s, enabling investments in technology infrastructure and while solidifying its role in the burgeoning industry.

Acquisitions and public listing

In April 2019, Acast acquired Pippa, a U.S.-based hosting and platform targeted at independent creators, marking its first major expansion into tools for smaller podcasters. Later that year, in August, Acast secured €25 million in quasi-equity financing from the to support and fuel international growth. Acast continued its growth trajectory in 2021 with the acquisition of RadioPublic in February, a Boston-based podcast technology startup originally spun out from , enhancing its distribution and listener engagement capabilities; the deal's financial terms were not disclosed. That June, Acast went public through an on First North Premier Growth Market, pricing shares at SEK 38 and achieving a valuation of approximately SEK 6.9 billion, which raised SEK 1.2 billion in primary proceeds to strengthen its . In 2022, Acast's co-founders Karl Rosander, Måns Ulvestam, and Johan Billgren left the company to found Sesamy, a platform for monetizing digital content including , ebooks, and news. Also in 2022, Acast discontinued its podcast app to strengthen its focus on the open podcast ecosystem. In 2022, Acast acquired Podchaser, the leading podcast database and discovery platform, for an upfront payment of $27.2 million with potential additional earn-outs up to $6.8 million based on performance milestones, integrating advanced search and recommendation tools into its ecosystem. Acast expanded its content production arm in December 2024 by acquiring Wonder Media Network, a New York-based creative studio specializing in podcasts and branded content, for a total of $7.8 million, including $5.5 million in cash and performance-based equity components through mid-2025; the deal closed in January 2025 and established Acast Creative Studios as a new division. Following its 2021 IPO, Acast's stock experienced volatility, with shares dropping sharply by 77.86% in 2022 amid broader market pressures in the sector, but rebounding with gains of 57.85% in 2023 and 49.42% in 2024. In 2025, the stock surged approximately 94% year-to-date as of November 14, driven by strong quarterly results including 35% net sales growth in Q3 and improved margins, pushing the to approximately SEK 5.57 billion at SEK 30.50 per share.

Business model

Monetization strategies

Acast generates the majority of its revenue through advertising, which accounted for approximately 95% of net sales in 2024. This includes CPM-based ads, where advertisers pay based on (thousand impressions), and sponsorships such as host-read endorsements and integrations. Additional streams come from subscription tools like Acast+, which enable creators to offer premium, ad-free episodes and bonus content to paying listeners, as well as unlocks for exclusive material. These non- revenues, including SaaS services for distribution and analytics, contributed about 5% to total net sales in the same year. Creator payout models emphasize revenue sharing to incentivize content production. For direct ad sales, creators receive 70% of the generated value, while sponsorships and host-read ads typically yield a 50% share. Direct listener support is facilitated through subscription features, allowing fans to contribute via paid access to premium content without intermediary fees beyond platform commissions. Acast has distributed over $550 million to creators since its inception as of Q3 2025, underscoring the scale of these payouts. Programmatic advertising is handled via the Acast Marketplace, an automated platform where ads are bought and sold through online auctions. This system supports dynamic ad insertion and private marketplace deals, enabling efficient matching of advertisers to podcasts based on demographics and listenership . Tools like Collections+ have expanded access, allowing 24% more creators to participate in ad revenue opportunities. Financial metrics reflect steady post-IPO growth, with net sales reaching SEK 1,943.7 million in 2024, a 19% increase from SEK 1,636.4 million in 2023. The average per listen (ARPL) rose 36% to SEK 0.44, driven by enhanced ad monetization efficiency. Since the 2021 listing, cumulative has expanded significantly, with quarterly growth accelerating to 35% in Q3 2025. For global monetization, Acast adapts to regional ad markets by tailoring strategies to local dynamics, such as campaigns in mature markets like . In 2024, n revenues grew 33%, saw 14% expansion despite softer ad spending, and other markets increased by 11%, supported by AI-driven targeting tools like Predictive Demographics. This regional focus has enabled Acast to capture diverse growth trajectories through 2025.

Key partnerships and clients

Acast has established long-term relationships with prominent media publishers for podcast hosting and distribution, including , , and . These collaborations enable these outlets to leverage Acast's platform for global dissemination of their audio content, such as news and analysis podcasts, enhancing listener accessibility across devices and regions. In 2022, Acast formed a with , allowing Prime members and Unlimited subscribers to access Acast-hosted ad-free via the Amazon Music app worldwide. This integration expanded Acast's reach to Amazon's vast subscriber base, facilitating seamless distribution and promoting broader adoption of podcast content. Acast has developed advertising alliances with major brands to support targeted campaigns, incorporating data-sharing mechanisms for precise audience engagement. For instance, advertisers can upload first-party data, such as IDs from or , to Acast's network for customized ad placements, improving campaign efficiency while adhering to standards. More recently, in 2024, Acast partnered with to provide brand safety ratings for its inventory, enabling brands to evaluate and select content that aligns with their suitability guidelines before launching campaigns. As of 2025, Acast has pursued global expansions through key partnerships that strengthen its presence in , the , and emerging markets. In , ongoing collaborations with UK-based publishers like those mentioned earlier continue to drive growth, with sales increasing by 9% year-over-year in Q2 2025. In the , which became Acast's largest market in 2025, the company has capitalized on programmatic advancements via a July 2025 partnership with Magnite, the world's largest independent sell-side platform, making over 140,000 podcasts available for automated ad buying across borders. This supports expansion into emerging markets by simplifying access for international advertisers, building on earlier initiatives like the 2020 tie-up with in . Acast's 2022 acquisition of Podchaser has led to deep integrations that enhance partner discovery, allowing creators and brands to identify collaboration opportunities through Podchaser's comprehensive podcast database. This subsidiary now powers AI-driven tools within Acast's ecosystem, aiding advertisers in finding relevant shows and audiences for partnerships.

Notable podcasts

Current hosted shows

Acast hosts a diverse array of popular podcasts, including several long-running comedy and interview series that continue to attract large audiences in 2025. Among the prominent current offerings is Giggly Squad, a podcast hosted by Paige DeSorbo and Hannah Berner, which humorously dissects pop culture, fashion, personal anecdotes, and celebrity gossip through candid conversations and lighthearted banter. Launched in 2020, the show has amassed over 44 million downloads and was nominated for Podcast of the Year at the 2025 iHeartPodcast Awards, reflecting its strong appeal to younger listeners interested in relatable humor. Another flagship comedy series is , created and hosted by Jamie Morton alongside co-hosts and James Cooper, where the trio reads aloud and mocks Morton's father's self-published erotic novels in a series of irreverent, laugh-out-loud episodes. The , which debuted in 2015, has achieved over 430 million downloads globally and was inducted into the British Podcast Awards Hall of Fame in 2023, with its enduring popularity sustained through live events, archival content, and remastered episodes in 2025. The Adam Buxton Podcast features British comedian engaging in extended, meandering interviews with musicians, comedians, and artists, interspersed with audio experiments, music selections, and personal reflections that blend humor and introspection. Active since 2015, it has surpassed 65 million downloads and maintains a dedicated following, with recent 2025 episodes including conversations with guests like and , earning acclaim for its unscripted authenticity. Following Acast's 2024 acquisition of Wonder Media Network, several of its acclaimed shows have integrated into the platform, expanding Acast's portfolio in narrative and educational content. A notable addition is Womanica, a daily history hosted by Jenny Kaplan, delivering concise profiles of overlooked women from various eras to highlight their contributions and inspire contemporary audiences. The series, which produces bite-sized episodes, has been recognized as an award-winning production for its rigorous research and commitment to gender equity storytelling, with ongoing releases in 2025 attracting listeners interested in .

Former hosted shows

Following the 2021 acquisition of RadioPublic, several independent podcasts originally hosted there transitioned to Acast but later moved platforms after RadioPublic's app and tools were discontinued in March 2024. For instance, smaller creator-led shows like niche audio dramas and personal storytelling series, which comprised much of RadioPublic's long-tail catalog, often relocated to alternatives such as Libsyn or Buzzsprout due to integration challenges and reduced promotional support post-closure. These departures underscored Acast's evolving focus on premium, monetized content over free tools, with affected shows experiencing variable listener retention—some saw drops of up to 20% during transitions, per industry reports—while others gained visibility elsewhere. Legacy episodes from these shows remain hosted on Acast for historical access, contributing to the platform's archival value.

References

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  33. https://investors.acast.com/press-releases/acast-acquires-wonder-media-network
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  49. https://www.marketingbrew.com/stories/2023/03/02/advertisers-can-use-their-own-first-party-data-to-target-podcast-ad-campaigns-but-are-they
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  52. https://investors.acast.com/press-releases/acast-enters-partnership-with-magnite-to-expand-programmatic-podcast-advertising
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  57. https://shows.acast.com/giggly-squad
  58. https://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/celebs/a60592813/hannah-berner-paige-desorbo-giggly-squad-podcast-interview/
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  60. https://shows.acast.com/mydadwroteaporno
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