Riverside, a podcast recording platform, has raised $30 million in Series C funding led by Zeev Ventures, with participation from Seven Seven Six and angel investor Sam Lessin. This latest round brings the company's total funding to $80 million, with Zeev and Seven Seven Six participating in multiple rounds. The startup plans to utilize this funding to grow its team and expand its solutions for the podcast and content creation space.

Founded in 2020, Riverside has made significant strides in the podcast recording industry, particularly with its innovative approach to remote recording. The platform's features, such as recording separate audio tracks with automatic backups, have resonated with creators and companies alike. Riverside's founder, Nadav Keyson, revealed that the company's valuation has increased with this Series C raise, although the exact figure remains undisclosed.

Seven Seven Six's founder and general partner, Alexis Ohanian, expressed his enthusiasm for Riverside's all-in-one approach, which he believes sets it apart from other AI-powered tools. Ohanian, an early investor and product designer, praised Riverside's understanding of creator pain points, citing its ridiculously easy-to-use interface. This sentiment is echoed by Riverside's mission to simplify the creative process, making it more accessible to a broader range of users.

Riverside's journey began during the pandemic, initially focusing on remote podcast recording. Since then, the company has expanded its offerings to include iOS and iPad apps, a redesigned platform, and AI-powered editing features. These tools have resulted in an 80% reduction in editing time for companies like Google, Microsoft, and Marvel, as well as individual creators. Keyson reported that creators have recorded over 100 million minutes on the platform in 2024 alone.

While Riverside started as a podcast recording tool, it has since branched out to support live-streaming, including multiple stream destinations and custom branding. The company's partnership with Spotify, which offers creators podcast recording and editing tools within the browser window, further solidifies its position in the industry.

Riverside faces competition from other remote podcast recording tools like Podcastle and Zencastr, as well as Camo, which initially focused on improving webcam quality before expanding into live-streaming tools. However, Keyson's vision for Riverside is to become a one-stop shop for all things video, transcending its podcast recording roots. This ambition is shared by Ohanian, who believes Riverside is well-positioned to capitalize on the growing demand for video content.

To achieve its goals, Riverside plans to invest heavily in AI features and hire AI and full-stack engineers. The company currently has around 160-170 employees and aims to reach profitability by the end of 2026. With this latest funding round, Riverside is poised to continue its rapid growth and innovation in the podcast and content creation space.