QCode, a podcast content studio and network startup, announced that it has raised $6.4 million in Series A funding, led by wireless and smart speaker maker Sonos with participation by venture-capital firm C Ventures.
With the financing round, Ryan Taylor, GM of Sonos Radio, will join the QCode board. QCode CEO Rob Herting, a former literary agent most recently with CAA, formed the company in 2018 in partnership with production company Automatik and management firm Grandview.
QCode shows that have been picked up for adaptation include scripted erotic drama “Dirty Diana” from Shana Feste starring Demi Moore (at Amazon Studios); “The Left Right Game” from Jack Anderson starring Tessa Thompson (also at Amazon); and “Carrier,” is an immersive first-person POV fiction thriller starring Cynthia Erivo, who is set star in and produce a feature film adaptation from Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Partners. In addition, Chernin Entertainment last year picked up rights to adapt QCode’s first show, “Blackout,” a scripted apocalyptic thriller starring Rami Malek produced with Endeavor Audio.
QCode said it will use the funding to scale up its production pipeline to more than 15 original podcast shows per year across multiple genres and through partnerships with other talent, production and media companies.
“We started QCode as a world class audio platform to give more autonomy to creators and artists in building new and original stories,” said Herting. “From the beginning, we’ve been committed to delivering a great listening experience which makes Sonos a perfect fit with QCODE. We cannot wait to build our next round of innovative, immersive audio-story experiences.”
Sonos’ Tayler commented that “we admire the uniqueness in which QCode has rethought the model to partner with artists and creators in a meaningful way and the benefit of creating exceptional content. We look forward to supporting and learning with QCode as they further their mission to deliver immersive storytelling in the podcast space.”
Other QCode originals include thriller “Borrasca,” produced by and starring Cole Sprouse (“Riverdale,” “Five Feet Apart”), and “Hank the Cowdog,” based on the popular children’s books, written and directed by Jeff Nichols and starring Matthew McConaughey.