Jake Shapiro

Jake Shapiro is a podcasting and public-media entrepreneur best known for co-founding PRX, RadioPublic, Matter Ventures, and Podfund. He is currently listed as Head of Creator Partnerships at Apple Podcasts, a role he announced in September 2020 after stepping back from RadioPublic and Podfund.

Shapiro co-founded PRX in 2003 with Jay Allison and public-radio partners, building it into an open marketplace and distribution platform for independent audio. PRX distributed major public-radio and podcast properties including *The Moth Radio Hour*, *This American Life*, *99% Invisible*, *WTF with Marc Maron*, and Radiotopia. In 2010, Ashoka selected him as a Fellow for work “democratizing public media” through PRX’s open architecture and marketplace.

While at PRX, Shapiro helped found Matter Ventures, an accelerator and investment fund for mission-driven media startups. He later became co-founder and CEO of RadioPublic PBC, a podcast listening platform and marketplace backed by investors including Project11, The New York Times, WGBH, and Bose Corporation.

In 2019, Shapiro launched Podfund through RadioPublic as a dedicated funding source for podcasters and audio ventures. Podfund closed a $2.3 million seed round with investors including Bloomberg Beta, Zelkova Ventures, TechNexus, Pascal Levy-Garboua, and Weave Capital. In November 2020, TechNexus assumed management of Podfund; reporting at the time said Shapiro and GM Nicola Korzenko had built a 19-company podcast and audio portfolio in the prior 18 months.

• Podfund’s stated thesis is: “We invest in media companies that leverage audio as a core strategy to drive audience, brand, and revenue.”
• Podfund backs podcast studios and high-potential creators with startup and growth capital, resources, and expertise.
• Typical funding is $25,000-$150,000, with possible larger initial checks or follow-on capital depending on stage, traction, revenue, and use of funds.
• Podfund uses traditional venture funding rounds, convertible notes, SAFEs, and revenue-financing options.
• The fund looks for three primary criteria: creators “poised for growth,” evidence of traction such as rising downloads or a passionate fan base, and initial revenue from ads, crowdfunding, live events, merchandise, or related lines of business.
• Podfund says it is open to all genres, but weighs production cost, market demand, audience potential, longevity, quality, and diversity.
• Podfund explicitly says it is not focused on new shows, untested ideas, or podcast technology startups; its focus is creator-led media companies producing audio content and developing ancillary businesses.