🇵🇹Portugese Podcasters just got their first indie podcast network! with Audiva's João Amaro
Eurowaves #17 Interview
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.
You’re known for building tech tools like Podsqueeze, and now you’re supporting creators through Audiva. How do tech and community intersect for you?
We created Podsqueeze because my co-founder, who had been podcasting for a while, often felt overwhelmed by everything it took to publish and promote an episode, writing show notes, pulling quotes, creating clips, repurposing content, etc. So we set out to build a tool that would make that workflow as seamless as possible using AI.
Today, Podsqueeze has become a kind of multitool for podcasters. It transcribes episodes, generates show notes, writes articles, creates social media clips, landing pages, enhances audio, and more. We like to call it the Swiss Army knife for podcasts.
But one thing Podsqueeze doesn’t do is negotiate brand deals, secure sponsorships, or facilitate cross-promotions. That’s still something creators have to navigate on their own, and for many, it's one of the hardest parts.
That’s why we decided to launch Audiva, to help close that loop. Especially in the indie podcast space in Portugal, where creators are doing amazing work but often lack the connections and resources to monetize it. Audiva is our way of giving them a space to connect, collaborate, and secure brand deals.
In Portugal, what are some challenges for independent podcasters? What's helping them grow?
When we talk about independent podcasts, we’re referring to any show that’s not affiliated with a major media group. These are usually produced by the host alone or with a small team, often people who have full-time jobs and create their podcasts out of pure passion. Many have built their own home studios or rent recording space when they can, and in most cases, they’re not making money from it.
One of the biggest challenges for independent podcasters in Portugal is visibility. The top podcast charts are still dominated by media groups, largely because they have the infrastructure to cross-promote shows across radio, TV, and other owned channels. For an indie creator without that kind of distribution, breaking through often depends on having an existing audience elsewhere, like YouTube, Instagram, or TikTok.
Monetization is another major hurdle. There’s no clear playbook for turning a podcast into income here, especially for creators outside the media system. Many are producing high-quality weekly shows, often with professional equipment, thoughtful content, and a loyal following, but they’re doing it without any direct revenue. Most don’t have the time, experience, or network to pitch to sponsors, and when they do, the offers are often small or don’t involve money at all, many times just an exchange of services.
That’s a big part of why we launched Audiva. As a network, we can bundle these indie shows into thematic clusters or audience segments that are actually valuable to brands. Instead of trying to monetize with small one-off deals, we can create structured campaigns with multiple shows, making it easier for brands to buy in and for creators to get paid without having to do the commercial work themselves.
As for what’s driving growth, I wish there were a simple answer, but the truth is, growing a podcast is a lot like growing a business. There’s no fixed formula. Every show is different, and success usually comes down to really understanding your audience and being willing to iterate over time.
That said, from what we’ve seen, especially through our work with Podsqueeze and Audiva, the indie podcasts that tend to gain the most traction usually have a few things in common: they’ve been around for a while, they invest in high production quality, and more often than not, they use video. Podcasts with video content perform significantly better on social media, where discoverability often comes down to short clips that hook attention quickly.
Having high-profile guests can also be a major growth driver, not necessarily because they bring a massive following, but because they help create compelling moments that translate well into shareable content. So while podcasting is still fundamentally an audio format, in the current landscape, video gives creators a major edge.
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.