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Audible is a Newark, New Jersey-based digital media company that provides a subscription platform for audiobooks, podcasts, and exclusive spoken-word content. Operating as a wholly owned subsidiary, the platform offers a catalog of over 800,000 audio programs to millions of listeners worldwide through recurring monthly memberships and direct retail sales. The company was acquired by Amazon in 2008 for approximately $300 million and currently maintains a workforce of over 1,000 employees under the leadership of chief executive officer Bob Carrigan. In January 2024, the organization announced a five percent reduction in its workforce, affecting roughly 100 employees during a broader corporate restructuring effort. To expand its exclusive programming, the firm has secured high-profile content partnerships with creators such as Barack and Michelle Obama's Higher Ground Productions. Audible was founded in 1995 by Don Katz.
Key people at Audible.
Audible is the world's leading producer and provider of audio storytelling, including audiobooks, podcasts, and Originals, with over a million titles available in 50 languages across 180 countries.[1][2][8] It serves busy listeners seeking immersive, on-the-go entertainment and education through a subscription model that delivered 5.4 billion hours of content globally in 2024, solving the problem of accessing books and stories without physical reading by enabling downloadable digital audio.[1][3][4] Owned by Amazon since 2008 (though not detailed in results), Audible has sustained strong growth via technological innovation, a vast catalog featuring big names and emerging talent, and expansions like international launches and hardware like the Audible MobilePlayer.[1][3][4]
Audible was founded in 1995 by Don Katz, a former journalist and entrepreneur, who conceived the idea while jogging in Manhattan's Riverside Park with a cassette player, envisioning downloadable digital audiobooks for mobile listening.[1][2][3][5] Katz's background in writing and his belief in redefining spoken information drove the launch of Audible.com and the world's first portable digital audio player, the Audible MobilePlayer, in 1997, with the first download being *Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus*.[1][3] Pivotal moments included going public on NASDAQ in 1999, introducing the first subscription model in 2000, pioneering pre-podcast audio shows like one with Robin Williams in 2001, partnering with iTunes in 2003, and expanding to Germany (2004), UK and France (2005).[1][3] In 2007, Audible relocated its headquarters to Newark, NJ, to support the city's revitalization, embedding community impact into its culture.[3][5][7]
Audible rides the audio entertainment revolution, transforming publishing amid digital shifts in the 1990s by making stories portable and accessible, influencing media consumption as smartphones and streaming boomed.[2][6][8] Timing was ideal post-internet rise, with early tech like MP3 downloads and iTunes deals capitalizing on mobile audio demand, now amplified by podcasts and AI narration trends.[1][3] Market forces favoring on-demand, multitasking content—busy lifestyles, global reach—position it dominantly against competitors like Scribd or Kobo, while its Newark base models corporate urban renewal, inspiring tech firms to integrate social impact.[4][5][7] Audible shapes the ecosystem by dominating audiobooks (millions of subscribers), fostering creators, and proving audio's scalability in edutainment.[1][6]
Audible's trajectory points to deeper AI integration for personalized narration, expanded Originals, and global scaling via emerging markets and languages, building on 2024's consumption surge.[1][2] Trends like short-form audio, immersive soundscapes, and cross-platform synergies (e.g., with Amazon devices) will propel growth, while its Newark-rooted impact model could evolve into broader urban tech hubs worldwide.[7][8] As the audio pioneer enriching lives through spoken words, Audible remains poised to lead, turning Don Katz's jogging epiphany into an enduring medium that redefines storytelling in a voice-first world.[3][9]
Key people at Audible.
Audible has 1 tracked investment across 1 company. The latest tracked deal is $3.2M Series A in Veritonic in October 2020.
| Date | Company | Round | Lead Investor(s) | Co-Investor(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 8, 2020 | Veritonic | $3.2M Series A | Alan Patricof | Lerer Hippeau, Newark Venture Partners |
