Castos
Enables brands to create public podcasts to grow their audience, and private podcasts to offer exclusive, member-only content.
| Date | Investors | Amount | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | investor | €0.0 | round |
| investor | €0.0 | round | |
$760k | Seed | ||
| Total Funding | 000k | ||
| USD | 2022 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Revenues | 0000 | 0000 |
| EBITDA | 0000 | 0000 |
| Profit | 0000 | 0000 |
| EV | 0000 | 0000 |
| EV / revenue | 00.0x | 00.0x |
| EV / EBITDA | 00.0x | 00.0x |
| R&D budget | 0000 | 0000 |
Source: Dealroom estimates
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Castos provides a comprehensive podcasting platform designed for creators ranging from beginners to established brands and enterprises. The company was founded in 2017 by CEO Craig Hewitt, whose background in the podcasting space began with a productized editing service called PodcastMotor. This venture into services provided the initial cash flow and audience insights that paved the way for a transition into a SaaS model, a shift solidified by the acquisition of the 'Seriously Simple Podcasting' WordPress plugin.
The company's business model is centered on a subscription-based service with several tiered plans, starting from an Essentials plan at $19 per month to a Premium plan beginning at $499 per month. Revenue is generated through these monthly or annual subscriptions, which offer varying levels of features and download limits tailored to the podcaster's growth stage. A key aspect of Castos's offering is its multi-faceted approach to monetization for its users. Creators can generate revenue through private, subscriber-only podcasts, dynamic ad insertion, and direct listener donations via Castos Commerce, which integrates with Stripe.
Castos's product is a full-suite podcast hosting and analytics platform. A core feature is the ability to host unlimited podcasts and episodes across all plans, removing storage and bandwidth caps that might otherwise limit content creation. The platform ensures wide distribution by automatically submitting shows to major directories like Apple Podcasts and Spotify. For users with a WordPress website, the 'Seriously Simple Podcasting' plugin allows for direct management of the podcast from their WordPress dashboard. Additional features include automated transcriptions to improve accessibility and SEO, and the automatic conversion of audio files into video format for republishing on YouTube. The platform also provides detailed analytics, offering insights into listener demographics, device usage, and engagement to help creators tailor their content more effectively. For creators focused on premium content, Castos offers a dedicated mobile app for listeners of private podcasts, enhancing the subscriber experience.
Keywords: podcast hosting, podcast analytics, content monetization, Seriously Simple Podcasting, dynamic ad insertion, private podcasting, podcast production, YouTube republishing, Craig Hewitt, podcast subscription