Young Portuguese entrepreneurs shake-up digital content creation with AI
Two young Portuguese entrepreneurs, João Amaro and Tiago Ferreira, have developed Podsqueeze, an innovative artificial intelligence platform that helps content creators, agencies and media groups adapt and share their content on the internet, aligning with new styles of digital consumption.
João Amaro, an architect by training, has a trajectory marked by entrepreneurship. While still in college, he launched a vertical garden business, and later founded Donnie Dough, the first cookie dough store in Portugal, located in Príncipe Real, Lisbon.
Tiago Ferreira built a career as a programmer at Trivago in Germany before switching his stable, well-paid job to devote himself fully to his enterprising spirit and the world of podcasting.
Podsqueeze currently has more than 55,000 users worldwide. The project is entirely bootstrapped, that is, it was developed without any kind of external investment. Despite this, it manages to compete with large companies in the podcasting industry.
Why the platform and what is the context?
Consumption of digital formats has seen significant growth in Portugal, reflecting a change in consumer habits. Podcast consumption grew 33% in six months, with the Portuguese dedicating an average of 1h10 per day to this format. In addition, TikTok currently has 3.6 million monthly active users in the country. This transition to digital is most evident among younger generations, who consume content on multiple devices and platforms which need to be adapted to innovative technology and content.
Large media groups are creating podcast networks by adapting their content to this format and new programs such as Júlia Pinheiro’s “Menos Pausa” are designed specifically for social networks.
The problem?
Adapting audiovisual content to different formats for the internet requires long hours of manual labour and creativity.
The solution
With the Podsqueeze platform, any audio or video file, including television shows, podcasts, YouTube videos, among other formats, can be automatically transformed into: Reliable transcripts in more than 20 languages (including Portuguese from Portugal); Synopses Social media posts; Short videos for TikTok and Youtube; Newsletter Blog articles; and Images with quotes for social media, among others.
All in a few clicks and with customization options so that the content is generated with the criteria of the content creator.
In 2012, João Amaro, one of the company’s partners, created the Herb Pack, a system of vertical gardens that aroused the interest of several media outlets in the field of young entrepreneurship. Tiago Ferreira, the other partner and also an enthusiastic young entrepreneur, contacted João by email to exchange ideas on entrepreneurship.
This exchange of messages began a long friendship and partnership that culminated in the creation of Userquest, Lda., at the end of 2023. The company is responsible for Podsqueeze, among other innovative digital platforms developed by these entrepreneurs. Currently, in addition to the two partners, the company’s team has three more employees.