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VCs are Investing in Podcasting

Two podcasting startups have won venture capital funding, a sign that both the promise and the hype is building for a grassroots broadcasting phenomenon that started just about a year ago. Podshow, led by former MTV host Adam Curry, who helped invent podcasting in July 2004, received $8.85 million in funding from Kleiner Perkins and Sequoia Capital, Private Equity Week reported Wednesday. In another sign of podcasting�s growing stature, eminent Kleiner VCs John Doerr and Ray Lane are joining the company�s board, the publication said. Miami-based Podshow is a project of Mr. Curry and Ron Bloom�s Boku Communications. The second company to announce funding Wednesday was San Francisco-based Odeo, led by repeat entrepreneur Evan Williams, who created the Blogger service which is now owned by Google. Charles River Ventures led the round; the sum was not disclosed. The round also included Amicus Ventures, and individuals including Mitch Kapor, Joe Kraus, Tim O�Reilly, Ron Conway, and HotorNot�s James Hong. Both companies make tools for the creation, distribution, and discovery of podcasts, which are audio files delivered by subscription to RSS feeds.

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