Draft:Poddster

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Poddster
Company typePrivate
IndustryPodcast production
Founded2022
FoundersVuk Zlatarov, Borko Kovacevic, Ivan Zeljkovic
Headquarters
Dubai
,
United Arab Emirates
Number of locations
16 podcast studios
Area served
Middle East, Singapore
Key people
  • Vuk Zlatarov (Co-Founder & CEO)
  • Borko Kovacevic (Co-Founder & Asia Pacific CEO)
  • Ivan Zeljkovic (Co-Founder)
ServicesPodcast studio rental, branded podcast production, editing, consulting

Poddster is a podcast production company headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Founded in 2022 by Vuk Zlatarov[1][2] and Ivan Zeljkovic,[3][4] the company operates multiple podcast studios in the Middle East and Asia, offering production, editing, and consulting services.[5][6]

History

[edit]

Poddster was founded in Dubai in 2022 by Zlatarov and Zeljkovic.[6] The company's first studio was located in Dubai Media City.[7] In a 2024 article for Entrepreneur Middle East, Zlatarov wrote that the company's model was designed to reduce service variability by implementing standard operating procedures, aiming to deliver customer satisfaction "by design, not by chance."[8]

In 2023, Poddster expanded with additional studios across Dubai, including a flagship location in Al Barsha that houses multiple studios and a community event space.[7] The company later partnered with GymNation to open the first podcast studio inside a fitness center in GymNation's Motor City branch.[9] A further studio was launched at the sports bar Players House, Palm Jumeirah, in 2024.[10]

In March 2024, Poddster opened its first international studio in Singapore, a 4,000 sq ft facility with six professional studios and a lounge area for workshops and events.[5][11][12] The expansion was overseen by co-founder Borko Kovacevic, who serves as Asia Pacific CEO.[7][13]

In 2025, the company opened a new studio in Abu Dhabi at Madar_39, a shared workspace for entrepreneurs.

Services

[edit]

According to its websites and one article in Arabian Gulf Business Insight, Poddster provides:

  • Podcast studio rental on an hourly basis, with prices ranging from AED400 to AED1,500 per session, a cost reported to be lower than producing from home, which can reach up to AED10,000.[14][15][16][6]
  • Branded podcast production for corporate clients, including end-to-end concept development, recording, editing, and distribution.
  • Editing and post-production, including episodes, highlights, and distribution assets.[17][18][19]
  • Consulting and strategy services for companies and creators.
  • Specialised formats such as team-building packages.[20]

Approach

[edit]

Poddster's business philosophy highlights the role of podcasts as tools for networking, personal branding, and scalable content creation. In an interview with SME10x, CEO Vuk Zlatarov claimed a single episode can yield over 100 content assets for distribution, underscoring the medium's marketing efficiency.[21] In 2024, this time writing for SME10x, Zlatarov described Poddster's expansion as underpinned by a "standardised service delivery model," designed to deliver consistent client experiences across studios while involving staff in refining operational processes to support employee engagement and retention.[22]

Locations

[edit]

As of 2025, Poddster operates:

  • One studio in Dubai Media City.[6]
  • Two studios in Al Barsha.[6]
  • One studio at GymNation's Motor City branch.[23]
  • One studio at Players House in Palm Jumeirah.[24][25]
  • One studio in Abu Dhabi.
  • A six-studio hub in Singapore.[11]

Scale and community

[edit]

As of 2023, Poddster had produced over 300 podcasts and counted more than 700 active creators in the UAE.[26] By 2024, prior to its international expansion, the company's community had grown to about 1,500 creators.[12]

Poddster also runs PodClub, a community initiative designed for podcasters to network, receive feedback, and collaborate on content together. As of 2025, PodClub has over 600 members.[27]

In 2024, the company was also reported to have corporate partners such as Anghami, Spotify, Podeo, Canon, and Shure.[6]

Recognition

[edit]

Poddster's studios in Dubai and Singapore have been recognised internationally for their design. Poddster Studio was the Regional Winner in the Public Space - Middle East category at the SBID International Design Awards in 2024.[28] Poddster Singapore was a finalist in the Public Space category at the same awards programme in 2025.[29]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Vuk Zlatarov - Author Biography | Entrepreneur". Entrepreneur. Archived from the original on 2025-07-18. Retrieved 2025-09-18.
  2. ^ "How to conduct powerful podcast interviews". My Startup World - Everything About the World of Startups!. 2023-09-26. Retrieved 2025-09-18.
  3. ^ "2023 NAB Show | Zeljkovic, Ivan". 2023 NAB Show. Retrieved 2025-09-18.
  4. ^ "Podheros - Ivan Zeljkovic - Co-Founder of Poddster". www.podheros.com. Retrieved 2025-09-18.
  5. ^ a b Writer, Staff (2024-03-05). "Dubai podcast company Poddster launches first international studio in Singapore - Arabian Business: Latest News on the Middle East, Real Estate, Finance, and More". Retrieved 2025-09-18.
  6. ^ a b c d e f Townsend, Sarah (2024-01-12). "Poddster builds on Mena's podcast popularity". AGBI. Retrieved 2025-09-18.
  7. ^ a b c Newswire, Media OutReach (March 12, 2024). "Poddster Opens First International Podcasting Studio in Singapore, Marking Stage One of its Global Expansion". www.zawya.com. Retrieved 2025-09-18.
  8. ^ Zlatarov, Vuk (2024-06-11). "Don't Leave Customer Satisfaction To Chance- Design It | Entrepreneur". Entrepreneur. Archived from the original on 2025-08-09. Retrieved 2025-09-17.
  9. ^ Hub, Abu Dhabi SME. "Poddster Inks Deal with GymNation to Launch the Middle East's First Podcast Studio within a Gym". www.adsmehub.ae. Retrieved 2025-09-18.
  10. ^ "Poddster launches a new state-of-the-art studio at Players House, The Palm – Bizpreneur Middle East". May 16, 2024. Retrieved 2025-09-18.
  11. ^ a b "Poddster Singapore". Point Concept Studio. Retrieved 2025-09-18.
  12. ^ a b Reporter, Staff (2024-03-06). "Poddster opens first international studio in Singapore". BroadcastPro ME. Retrieved 2025-09-18.
  13. ^ BRAVE Southeast Asia Tech Podcast with Jeremy Au (2024-10-01). Borko Kovacevic: 17 Years at Microsoft & Podcast Founder Poddster - E480. Retrieved 2025-09-18 – via YouTube.
  14. ^ "Podcast Studio Dubai. Rent now - Poddster". dubai.poddster.com. Retrieved 2025-09-18.
  15. ^ "Podcast Studio Abu Dhabi. Rent now - Poddster". abudhabi.poddster.com. Retrieved 2025-09-18.
  16. ^ "Podcast Studio Singapore. Rent now - Poddster". singapore.poddster.com. Retrieved 2025-09-18.
  17. ^ "Podcast Editing & Production in Dubai | Poddster". dubai.poddster.com. Retrieved 2025-09-18.
  18. ^ "Podcast Editing & Production in Abu Dhabi | Poddster". abudhabi.poddster.com. Retrieved 2025-09-18.
  19. ^ "Podcast Editing & Production in Singapore | Poddster". singapore.poddster.com. Retrieved 2025-09-18.
  20. ^ "Team building at Poddster Singapore". singapore.poddster.com. Retrieved 2025-09-18.
  21. ^ Srinivasan, Mita (7 Sep 2023). "Three Reasons to Unlock the Power of Podcasts". www.sme10x.com. Retrieved 2025-09-18.
  22. ^ Zlatarov, Vuk (18 Apr 2024). "Cultivating a Process-Driven Business that Champions Employee Innovation and Growth". www.sme10x.com. Retrieved 2025-09-18.
  23. ^ Release, Press (December 13, 2023). "Poddster inks deal with GymNation to launch the Middle East's first podcast studio within a gym". www.zawya.com. Retrieved 2025-09-18.
  24. ^ Poddster (2023-12-14). "Poddster inks deal with GymNation to launch the Middle East's first podcast studio within a gym". podnews.net. Retrieved 2025-09-18.
  25. ^ "Voice & Audio Recording Studio in Dubai | Player's House". Players House. Retrieved 2025-09-18.
  26. ^ Fernandez, Keith J. (October 13, 2023). "Money & Me: 'I am working towards achieving financial freedom'". The National. Retrieved 2025-09-18.
  27. ^ Nagarajan, Shantelle (2025-06-02). "Mic check, market shift: why podcasting isn't just a trend". Campaign Middle East. Retrieved 2025-09-18.
  28. ^ "Interior Design Awards". SBID Awards. Retrieved 2025-09-18.
  29. ^ "Poddster Singapore". SBID Awards. Retrieved 2025-09-18.