SPOKENLAYER
New York City, US · 3 known investors
New York-based company that produces, distributes and monetizes short-form spoken-word audio for major publishers.
Also known as Spoken Editions · Spoken Layer
Founders & leadership
Investors · 3
Company profile
researched Aug 2026SpokenLayer is a New York City-based audio company focused on short-form spoken-word content, which it produces, distributes and monetizes on behalf of publishers. The company creates audio versions of publisher content — typically pieces of three to seven minutes — and reports producing over 1,000 such pieces each week for clients including Condé Nast, Hearst, Meredith, Tribune Publishing, Gannett, McClatchy, Digital First Media, GateHouse Media, Politico, TheSkimm, The Economist and Verizon Media.
Distribution spans smart speakers and virtual assistants such as Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, streaming and podcasting platforms including Spotify, and publishers' own web and mobile properties. Publishers use SpokenLayer's tools to produce and distribute voice apps across these surfaces. An earlier product line, Spoken Editions, delivered audio versions of website content and was carried on Apple's iTunes from 2016.
The company monetizes the content by working with advertisers who sponsor the short-form, timely audio, positioning itself in the voice and digital audio advertising market. It employs roughly 21-50 people and is headquartered at 72 Madison Ave in Manhattan.
Founding story
SpokenLayer was founded by Will Mayo in 2012 and is based in New York City. It publicly debuted the same year at TechCrunch Disrupt NYC's Startup Battlefield, where it was described as wanting to add voice to the web.
Business model
SpokenLayer works on behalf of media publishers across the full short-form audio chain: it produces audio versions of publisher content, distributes that content to smart speakers, streaming and podcasting platforms and the publishers' own web and mobile properties, and monetizes it by selling sponsorships of the content to advertisers. Revenue generated is shared with or earned on behalf of the publisher clients whose content is voiced.
Advertising and sponsorship: SpokenLayer works with advertisers to target audiences by sponsoring the short-form content it produces, monetizing on behalf of its publisher clients. One third-party data page estimates annual revenue of approximately $25.7 million, an estimate rather than a reported figure.
Traction
The company reports producing more than 1,000 short-form audio pieces per week for major publishers. Third-party listings place headcount at 21-50 employees. Reported total funding figures range from $6.8 million (Business Insider, December 2020) to $7.9 million (TechCrunch profile, as of January 2025).
Latest developments
In July 2019 SpokenLayer named Andy Lipset, formerly Vice President, East at Pandora, as Chief Executive Officer, with founder Will Mayo becoming Chief Strategy Officer with responsibility for product vision, global partnerships and investor relations. In December 2020, Business Insider named SpokenLayer among five audio firms that experts considered plausible acquisition targets amid podcast market consolidation, noting that competitor Audm had been acquired by The New York Times that year; CEO Andy Lipset said there were many conversations happening between SpokenLayer and other parties.
▸Full profile — market position, technology, go-to-market, geography, history, risks & controversies
Market position
SpokenLayer describes itself, and is described by investor Beasley Media Group, as a leader in short-form audio production, distribution and monetization, and as a leading provider of voice content for virtual assistants and connected devices. It was listed by Business Insider in December 2020 as one of five audio companies seen by industry observers as potential acquisition candidates in a consolidating podcast market where Spotify, iHeartMedia and SiriusXM had made large acquisitions.
SpokenLayer positions itself around short-form spoken-word audio — three-to-seven-minute pieces derived from publisher content — rather than long-form podcasts or narrated long-form journalism, and combines production, multi-platform distribution to voice assistants and podcast platforms, and advertiser monetization in a single offering for publishers. Its CEO described the company as having established itself as a leader in creating narratives in short-form digital audio.
Technology
SpokenLayer provides tools that publishers use to produce and distribute voice apps and audio content across Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Spotify, as well as streaming and podcasting platforms and publishers' own web and mobile properties.
Go-to-market
The company sells to large media and publishing organizations, which use its production and distribution tooling to extend written content into voice, and separately to brands and advertisers seeking to reach audio audiences at scale through sponsorship of the content it produces. Its leadership has been recruited from digital audio advertising backgrounds, including a CEO hired from Pandora in 2019.
Media and publishing companies seeking to convert written content into audio and reach listeners on voice platforms — cited clients include Condé Nast, Hearst, Meredith, Tribune Publishing, Verizon Media, Gannett, McClatchy, Digital First Media, GateHouse Media, Politico, TheSkimm and The Economist — as well as brands and advertisers buying sponsorship of short-form audio.
Geography
Headquartered in New York City, with offices at 72 Madison Avenue, Manhattan. Publisher clients cited are largely US media companies, alongside UK-linked investor Guardian Media Group Ventures and clients such as The Economist.
History
The company was founded by Will Mayo in 2012 and presented at TechCrunch Disrupt NYC's Startup Battlefield in May 2012 under the premise of adding voice to the web. In 2016 its Spoken Editions product — audio versions of publishers' written articles — was carried by Apple's iTunes. In July 2019 SpokenLayer expanded its executive team, hiring Pandora's Vice President, East, Andy Lipset, as Chief Executive Officer, with founder Will Mayo moving to Chief Strategy Officer; Bob Bausmith served as board chairman at the time. By late 2020 the company was cited in press coverage as a potential acquisition target amid consolidation in the podcast and audio sector.
Risks & controversies
The company operates in a consolidating audio market dominated by large acquirers such as Spotify, Amazon, Apple, Google, iHeartMedia and SiriusXM, and depends on distribution through third-party platforms including Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Spotify. A direct competitor, Audm, was acquired by The New York Times in 2020, and SpokenLayer itself has been publicly discussed as an acquisition candidate.
Compiled by commissioned research from 5 cited public sources — announcements, filings, and press listed under research sources below.
Key figures
latest reportedCompany-reported or press-reported figures, each dated to when it was claimed — not independently audited.
Timeline · 3
launches, deals, and filingsSpokenLayer announced the hiring of Andy Lipset, previously Vice President, East at Pandora, as Chief Executive Officer, beginning July 8, 2019. Founder Will Mayo moved from CEO to Chief Strategy Officer, focusing on product vision, strategy and global partnerships. Bob Bausmith was cited as SpokenLayer Board Chairman.
TechCrunch reported that Spoken Editions, audio versions of publishers' written content, went live on iTunes, following September 2016 coverage that Apple's iTunes would serve up publishers' Spoken Editions.
SpokenLayer appeared as a Startup Battlefield company at TechCrunch Disrupt NYC, covered in an article titled 'SpokenLayer Wants To Add Voice To The Web'.
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
▸Research sources · 5
primary sources listed
- SpokenLayer Revenue, Funding & Valuationprospeo.io · web
5 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does SPOKENLAYER do?
- New York-based company that produces, distributes and monetizes short-form spoken-word audio for major publishers.
- Who founded SPOKENLAYER?
- SPOKENLAYER was founded by Will Mayo.
- Who are SPOKENLAYER's investors?
- SPOKENLAYER's investors include Blue Collective, GMG Ventures, Mercuri.vc.
- Where is SPOKENLAYER headquartered?
- SPOKENLAYER is headquartered in New York City, US.