Podeo, a podcasting platform based in Dubai, has secured $5.4 million in Series A funding. The round was led by Oraseya Capital (the VC arm of Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority) with participation from Ibtikar Fund, Cedar Mundi Ventures, Samarium, iSME, and returning investor Razor Capital.
This follows the investments in podcast startups, including Wondercraft, a GenAI podcast solution, and Podimo based in Denmark.
Funds utilisation
With this investment, Podeo is poised to accelerate global expansion, focusing on Latin America, Eastern Europe, and Southeast Asia, supercharge its AI capabilities, and continue delivering industry-shaping tools that will revolutionise the podcast value chain.
“We’re excited to support Podeo in the next phase of their growth”, said Julien Plouzeau, Senior Partner at Oraseya Capital. “Podeo’s unique distribution model and Stefano’s leadership and industry insight have propelled the company to the forefront of the podcasting industry in the MENA region. Their capacity to solve discoverability challenges is reshaping the way creators and advertisers engage with audiences, and we are particularly confident in their ability to scale this successful blueprint across new markets”.
Team behind Podeo
Founded by Stefano Fallaha, Anthony Essaye, and Mario Hayek in 2020, Podeo began as a podcast app with exclusive content but quickly evolved into a groundbreaking end-to-end platform. Shifting from a destination-first to a distribution-first model, Podeo redefines how podcasts are delivered and monetised. The visionary founders, who previously launched the timed podcast aggregator Fallound, backed by the entity responsible for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, now lead a dynamic team of 35+ experts across audio, big data, and media.
Unlocks power of podcasts
The company’s vision is to become the world’s leading platform for content distribution, allowing content to be amplified across unique channels. Podeo envisions a future where radio and on-demand content transcend geographical boundaries, merging into a unified, thriving ecosystem with Podeo at the epicenter of this transformation.
Podeo equips creators with state-of-the-art tools to grow and engage unique audiences while enabling brands to optimise their ad spend and unlock unrivaled opportunities for budget efficiency across channels powered by Podeo’s ad-tech.
“We are committed to empowering creators to become the next generation of global audio stars, providing them with cutting-edge tools to captivate diverse audiences around the world,” said Stefano Fallaha, Founder and CEO of Podeo. “This Series A funding will allow us to amplify our mission and scale our ecosystem at lightning speed across emerging global markets, making storytelling limitless and giving diverse voices the power to be heard by billions worldwide.”
Creators witness an average boost of 166% in monthly audience growth after migrating to Podeo, with an effortless redirection process. “Podeo is unmatched in elevating our podcast reach through its unique distribution network and monetisation tools,” said Mo Islam, host of Saudi Arabia’s premier English podcast, The Mo Show. “The platform is perfectly aligned with our ambitions and has already driven extraordinary podcast growth. Since switching to Podeo, we’ve evolved from just another number on a hosting platform to being part of a vibrant community of creators, supported by a state-of-the-art platform that continuously adapts to our needs and fuels our growth.”
Growth and achievements
Positioned at the forefront of offline and on-demand experiences, Podeo has ignited a podcast revolution in MENA, expanding regional podcast supply by 50X in just two years. From a base of 2,000 podcasters, Podeo has transformed the industry, driving a six-fold revenue surge over the past year and enabling the region’s top publishers and advertisers to capture untapped audiences at scale.
As per the company, it stands as the indispensable platform for creators to reach on-the-go audiences through its game-changing integrations with Dubai Taxis, Anuvu’s airline customers, messaging giant imo, and Arabic media conglomerate Rotana.
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