The Danish startup Podster has found success in adapting local podcasts into international formats. Now, Podster is delving into the development of original shows with content tailored for children. With experience in creating content for children, the Podster team is in their element with their first original production.
Podster’s decision to produce content for children is no surprise, given that several of the startup’s team members have prior experience crafting content for young listeners. Henriette Høj Gharib and Lars Peter Ilsø Larsen, both co-founders of Podster, previously created Fairytell, an audio app for children, in 2017. They sold the company to Podimo in 2021.
“We believe that there is still a significant gap in the market. Children are consuming audio like never before. As adults, we have a responsibility to create something that is fun, educational and can appeal to a shared listening experience,” explains Podster’s CEO and co-founder, Henriette Høj Gharib.
The new, entertaining true crime audio series is titled ‘Verdens vildeste banditter’ in Danish (‘The World’s Wackiest Bandits’). The podcast aims to create a unique and captivating audio experience that can fascinate the young listeners with stories of bank heists, prison escapes and scams. The series is penned by the popular Danish children’s book author Thomas Brunstrøm, known for the ‘Sallys far’-book series, which has been translated into multiple languages and just surpassed one million copies in sales.
“Children are incredibly intrigued by police and prisons, and since I personally enjoy children’s stories with a good sense of humour, we reached out to Thomas, who truly understands how to write for both children and parents,” elaborates Henriette Høj Gharib.
“In the United States, a remarkable 48% of all children listen to podcasts weekly, with parents joining in 71% of the time. If we can create a great, fun and educational offering that immerses children in exciting worlds without screen time, we have achieved our goal.”
Podster has created the series with global appeal in mind, though they anticipate releasing it in Denmark first.
