Parcast founder Max Cutler left Spotify final February as a part of a wave of high-profile departures from its podcast vertical, and he’s now launching Pave Studios to create content material throughout a number of codecs. “Storytellers who efficiently interact audiences and create fandoms by written, audio, and video content material have led the cost in cultivating their sturdy communities into various companies,” stated Cutler.
The corporate has two new manufacturers to start out, with OpenMind, which focuses on wellness, and the true crime-geared Crime Home.
Spotify acquired the true crime and horror-focused studio Parcast in 2019 as a part of a $1 billion funding in authentic podcasts. After the sale, Cutler went on to function Spotify’s head of speak creator content material and partnerships, serving to handle unique podcast offers with Joe Rogan, Alex Cooper, Emma Chamberlain, and others. Most just lately, he served as an adviser to youngsters and family-focused audio community Starglow Media.
Regardless of layoffs and cuts that hit the podcast trade exhausting final yr, massive offers are nonetheless accessible for these in its prime echelon. SmartLess Media and its founders, Will Arnett, Jason Bateman, and Sean Hayes, signed a $100 million multiyear deal with SiriusXM in January, whereas Joe Rogan’s new nonexclusive Spotify deal is reportedly value as much as $250 million.
Pave introduced it has already signed on a handful of creators who it can work with to create authentic content material, together with Cash Rehab host Nicole Lapin, The Physician’s Farmacy host Mark Hyman, Vanderpump Guidelines star and religious astrologer Ally Lewber, Australian self-help podcaster Jemma Sbeg, and movie star astrologer Aliza Kelly.