Acast buys Backyard Ventures for $20 million (and retires the brand)
The $20 million deal adds 200-plus creators and an Austin base, while the Backyard Ventures name will disappear.
Acast has acquired US creator network Backyard Ventures for $20 million, adding more than 200 creators and a new Austin base as it expands beyond traditional podcast advertising.
The deal gives Acast a larger footprint across video, newsletters and social media, alongside Backyard Ventures’ podcast roster. The Backyard Ventures brand will be retired as the business is integrated into Acast.
Inside Acast’s $20 million deal
Acast will pay $16 million in cash at closing, with a further $4 million in Acast shares to be delivered on a deferred schedule. The cash component will be funded from Acast’s existing resources without external financing.
Backyard Ventures generated $16.1 million in revenue in 2025, according to unaudited company accounts. Revenue has grown at a compound annual growth rate of 65 per cent since 2023, while its adjusted EBITDA margin was 12 per cent.
The network represents more than 200 creators across audio, YouTube, newsletters and social. Its roster includes author Ryan Holiday and The Daily Stoic, broadcaster Piers Morgan and Uncensored, as well as A Little Bit Culty and SB Mowing.
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Authors Cal Newport and Mark Manson, behind Deep Questions and Solved respectively, are also part of the network.
A bigger play across video and social
Acast said Backyard Ventures’ roster delivers 11.5 million monthly podcast listens globally and 46 million simulcast views. Its creators also reach 230 million monthly YouTube views and 35.5 million newsletter subscribers.
The acquisition comes as podcast creators increasingly build audiences across several platforms rather than audio alone. Acast is positioning the deal as a way to sell campaigns across podcasting, video, social and newsletters through one business.
Greg Glenday, CEO of Acast, said: “Backyard Ventures has curated one of the strongest creator rosters in the US, alongside specialist teams with deep expertise in selling audio, video, social and newsletters.”
“That’s the perfect complement to what we’ve spent years developing - the technology, demand, and global scale to run omnichannel campaigns for creators: it’s an incredibly powerful combination. This is the future of podcast monetization, and we’re building it now.”
Backyard Ventures brand to disappear
Backyard Ventures’ team will remain with the business following the acquisition. Its Austin operation will become Acast’s base in the city, while the Backyard Ventures name will be phased out.
Matt Cisneros, founder and CEO of Backyard Ventures, said joining Acast would give its creators and sales teams access to infrastructure and international scale that would otherwise have taken years to develop.
“Acast is the ideal home for our business, sharing our people-centric, entrepreneurial culture and our belief that creators deserve a partner who can serve their entire audience, not just one channel,” Cisneros said.
“We have always been creator-first, and I’m excited to accelerate that success with our shared vision.”
Backyard Ventures is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Acast, with completion occurring at the same time as signing. Acast said the acquisition is not expected to materially affect its financial position or short-term results.
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