Finally, a list that actually features European creators 🏆
Eurowaves #17
Hey podcasters,
Before we get into this issue, I want to remind you all that I have also started a listserv (Google Group) for European podcasters and audio creators. It’s called Eurosounds and it’s a community to share ideas, give shoutouts, ask for help, and build connections.
Do you want to join the Eurosounds community?
Reply to this email or message me, and I’ll add you.
🇪🇺 Podcasting & Community News 🇪🇺
📣Valentin Farkasch of Orbit for Creators launched a Top 100 European Creators list! You’ve heard of the TIME100 Creators list, the TIME100 Podcasts list, but how much European representation did they have? Now we have our own list thanks to Valentin.
🏆The Lovie Awards recognising European Internet excellence in the fields of culture, technology & business, extended their entry deadline to August 8!
💸Podbiz is a new podcast hosted by Norma Jean Belenky and John Kiernan. It dives into international strategies, trends, and tools driving podcast monetization and industry growth. Subscribe and you’ll catch my name on the feed soon! We’ll be talking everything European-podcast-monetization.
🇦🇹#impact is a growing global community for voices with purpose. Hosted by Austrian-born Podcaster Regina Larko, it features conversations with change-makers and bold founders driving social impact. The #impact community brings together purpose-driven podcasters across Europe and beyond to learn, connect, and support each other.
🇩🇪A new TV channel called Talk?Now! has been launched on Twitch and Zattoo, playing non-stop video podcasts (although they don’t say so - the company describes the word “podcast” as “absurd”.) There’s a full interview with the founders in German in the BEIFAHRERSITZ newsletter.
🇪🇸Spanish public broadcaster RTVE is blocking podcasts of its national radio station, RNE, from some third party podcast apps.
Eurowaves Update ☘️
Since the last issue, we have…
…+32 new subscribers.
Share this issue with your podcaster friends to keep the community growing!
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Portugese Podcasters just got their first indie podcast network! 🇵🇹 with Audiva's João Amaro
João Amaro is a Lisbon‑based bootstrapped entrepreneur with a background in design. Early in his career, he launched a vertical-garden business during college and later founded Portugal’s first cookie‑dough shop, Donnie Dough. In 2023, he transitioned to the digital space by co‑founding Podsqueeze, alongside Tiago Ferreira, a Swiss Army‑knife AI tool for podcasters that streamlines content creation and is now trusted by top media groups and over 100,000 registered users.
Audiva is the first podcast network for indie Portuguese podcasters, that I discovered through Ana Xavier’s newsletter (go subscribe!).
You can connect with João on LinkedIn here.
Audiva is the first podcast network for indie Portuguese creators. What was the moment you knew there was a need for something like this?
The idea started to take shape almost organically. Through Podsqueeze, we've worked closely with thousands of podcasters across the world, and we’re lucky to have a strong presence in Portugal, where many of the biggest media groups use our tool. That gave us a unique perspective as we could see both the top of the iceberg and everything happening just beneath the surface.
We noticed that while podcasting was growing fast in Portugal, the spotlight was focused almost entirely on shows backed by big media. A lot of those shows are great, but many are essentially recycled radio content. Meanwhile, we kept stumbling across incredible indie podcasts which were original, creative, often tackling topics you wouldn’t hear anywhere else. And yet, they were isolated, scattered across platforms, and struggling to grow or monetize.
We realized that there was this whole ecosystem of quality indie creators who had the content, an engaged audience, and the drive, but lacked the infrastructure. That’s when we knew there was a need for something like Audiva: a way to bring these voices together, give them more visibility, and create opportunities that aren’t accessible when you're working solo.
How would you describe the state of independent podcasting in Portugal right now? What’s exciting, what’s missing, and where do you think the most growth is happening?
There’s a real energy in the independent space right now. You feel it especially in the video podcast scene, which is booming. More and more creators like writers, YouTubers, influencers, even small business owners, are getting into podcasting because it gives them the time and space to create more authentic content, and it's a format that works great for repurposing across social media.
What’s really missing is support. Independent creators often struggle to get discovered, especially when it comes to connecting with brands. Monetization requires a certain mindset and a level of commercial outreach that can be overwhelming, especially if you’re a solo podcaster juggling a day job and handling everything from recording to editing on your own. That’s exactly where a network like Audiva can make a difference, taking care of that side of things and letting creators focus on what they do best.
Can you recommend some independent Portuguese podcasts that you think are underrated?
Of course, I have to recommend some of the podcasts from our own network.
Dizer – An incredible podcast hosted by award-winning poet Pedro Freitas, also known as “Poeta da Cidade.” It’s a deep and thoughtful show that explores culture, the arts, and politics through a very personal lens.
Bitalk – While it’s primarily focused on entrepreneurship, Bitalk also dives into politics and culture. The conversations are dense, well thought out, and always feature high-quality guests.
BMS – A comprehensive podcast on fitness, wellness, and overall well-being. It’s both practical and inspiring, with a wide range of expert guests.
Bola Lá – Hosted by Portuguese actor Sabri Lucas, this podcast is all about football, with interviews featuring international stars. It strikes a nice balance between relaxed banter and serious sports talk.
And of course, I have to shout out my co-founder’s new podcast: Negócios Sem Trela, which loosely translates to “Business Off the Leash.” It focuses on building businesses without outside investment, bootstrapped, independent, and real. He also runs an English-language podcast called Indie Founder, which he's been publishing consistently for a few years, but this new one is tailored to the Portuguese audience.
There are many more, but these are great examples of the diversity and quality coming out of the indie podcast scene in Portugal right now.
🎙️🌍What I’ve been listening to🌍🎙️
Aline has never been attracted to anyone. In the series, they reminisce on their adolescence full of pop culture messages and societal expectations. By accepting their asexuality and aromantism, Alice redefines what love, relationship and family mean to them. One of my favorite podcast series now has a French version! Qu'est-ce que la vie sans l'expérience du désir sexuel ou romantique - de l'aventure d'un soir à la relation de couple ?
Since the last issue, I caught up with (about 100) podcast series that were waiting in my queue. One of them is the Tribeca-selected They Will / They Wont series. It’s a collaboration between playwright Ross Sutherland and Welsh author Joe Dunthorne. The two take turns writing chapters, passing control of the story back and forth. One of them has the explicit goal of bringing the two protagonists together (Team Love). The other one’s mission is to break the characters apart (Team Unlove). It’s truly such a fun listen!
Remember Valentin’s 100 European creators list from the top of the issue? He is highly involved in the creator space and so, has his own podcast. In one of the latest episodes, he interviews #impact’s Regina Larko. I loved listening to their insights and debates on video-audio podcasting, Regina’s pep talk for podcasters to (spoiler alert) podcast like no one’s watching, and what success looks like to them. This show is an amazing resource for creators.
What podcasts have you been listening to lately?
🇩🇰 Podcasts from Denmark 🇩🇰
Bjørn Barfoed Vestergaard is the founder of Amp 99, a leading Danish podcast marketing agency that helps top Scandinavian brands succeed through audio storytelling and marketing. He’s produced and supported +5 million podcast listens and built some of Denmark’s most effective podcast campaigns for leading media and brands. He is founder of three popular podcasts in the entrepreneur and marketing space: Role Models (Rollemodellerne), Traction and Master Podcast Marketing interviewing +100 thought-leaders and experts since 2017.
Genstart (DR): Genstart er en af landets mest lyttede podcasts og har udviklet sig til en institution indenfor danske nyhedspodcasts siden den blev startet i 2020, med millioner af downloads hver måned.
Genstart er udgivet af Danmarks Radio og udemærker sig ved at være et friskt pust I en nyhedsdækning som tit er bred og overfladisk, ved at give dig et godt lyddesignede format hvor du kan lytte til en ekspert dykke ned i et unikt emne som du ikke vidste du ville finde spændende.
Podcasten udkommer dagligt og dykker i hvert afsnit dybt ned i en enkelt aktuel historie med et ekspertinterview.
Genstart is one of Denmark’s most listened-to podcasts and has become an institution in Danish news podcasting since its launch in 2020, with millions of downloads each month. Produced by national broadcaster DR, the podcast offers a fresh alternative to broad and superficial news coverage by delivering expertly produced audio stories that dive deep into unique topics you didn’t know you’d find fascinating. Each daily episode focuses on one current news story, explored in depth through an expert interview.Kvinden med den tunge kuffert (Third Ear): Når det kommer til stærke dokumentar-, og underholdningspodcasts med spænding og god storytelling er det helt umuligt at komme uden om det danske produktionsselskab Third Ear. De har udgivet cirka 25 forskellige originale serier og har modtaget utallige priser både i Danmark og internationalt i for deres podcastproduktion. I kvinden med den tunge kuffert som de producerede i samarbejde med mediet Politiken, udfolder de en true crime historie om jagten på en kvinde fra Norge, som svindler sig vej igennem det kristne miljøer i Danmark, Norge og Sverige. Sindssyg spændende og storytelling i høj klasse.
When it comes to gripping documentary and narrative podcasts, Danish production company Third Ear is impossible to ignore. They’ve released around 25 original series and have received numerous awards in Denmark and internationally for their high-quality productions. In The Woman with the Heavy Suitcase, created in collaboration with Danish newspaper Politiken, they unravel a true crime story about the hunt for a Norwegian woman who cons her way through Christian communities in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. It’s a wildly compelling series with top-tier storytelling.
Drømmens Kaptajn (DR): Tilbage i 70’erne drog kaptajnen Troels Kløvedal ud på en verdensomsejling og det gjorde ham til en kendt eventyrer i Danmark med adskillige tv programmer. Sidenhen har hans søn Mikkel fortsat eventyrerne med sin familie og de har delt deres eventyrlige rejseliv på en lang række tv-programmer i Danmark i båd. Podcasten er et stærkt format som giver lytteren et portræt af et menneske som turde gøre det som ingen andre og derfor er drømmens kaptajn. Samtidig giver den et særligt indblik i en tid i 70’erne hvor alting var under hastig forandring og i opbrud.
Back in the 1970s, Danish sea captain Troels Kløvedal set out on a global voyage that made him a national icon and beloved adventurer, later known from numerous TV programs. His son Mikkel has since continued the family’s seafaring adventures, sharing their journeys through widely followed Danish TV series. Captain of the Dream is a powerful podcast portrait of a man who dared to live life differently—and offers a window into a transformative era in the 1970s, marked by cultural upheaval and restless change.
Thank you for sharing, Bjørn!
You can connect with him on LinkedIn here.
🚀Events and Opportunities🚀
Audio Production Awards, APAs (The UK)
Awards for UK-based audio producers, or those who make content primarily for a UK audience. There are 23 categories, including Best New Producer and Best New Voice. If cost is a barrier to entry, they have a Pay What You Can scheme, just email katie [at] audioproductionawards [dot] co [dot] uk to apply. You can read Talia Augustidis’ Spotlight on the APAs here.
When? July 31. The final deadline is September 17.
The MØRNING People Fund (International)
A quarterly £4000 grant for international artists, creatives, dreamers and innovators, designed to fuel the boundary-pushing work that keeps culture alive. MØRNING is a creative strategy studio “on a mission to make the world a bit less shit than it was yesterday.”
When? August 1.
SONOHR Audio Unlimited Call Out (Switzerland, International)
For the 16th SONOHR Radio & Podcast Festival, which will take place from 27 February to 1 March 2026, they are seeking audio-based artistic works and performances that broaden the scope of traditional audio productions, such as radio plays and podcasts, and that explore innovative and creative approaches to the audio medium. All languages are accepted.
When? August 4.
That’s it for now, thank you for reading!
Got an opportunity, podcast recommendation, or event to share for the next issue? Reply to this email or drop me a message.
Until next time,
Andreea Coscai