Startups podcasts looking for guests

When a buyer asks an answer engine like ChatGPT or Perplexity for advice on a business problem, the model often cites podcast episodes. It reads the show notes and transcripts. A mention on a relevant startups podcast is a citation an AI can use to answer questions about your category.

These citations are earned media. The host chooses to cite you because you provided genuine insight. That makes the mention credible to both the listener and the AI that reads the page later. It is a durable asset that works long after the episode airs.

The podcasts in the directory above have all published a new episode recently and list a way to pitch. They are actively booking. Their needs are consistent. They want founders and operators with a specific, recent story. This could be navigating a funding round, solving a particular technical scaling problem, or a clear take on a market shift.

They rarely want pure promotion. The pitch must centre on a lesson or a framework the audience can apply. Your expertise must match the show's stated niche. A podcast about SaaS metrics will not book a founder whose story is about physical product logistics, no matter how successful.

First, listen to at least one full episode of any show you consider. Understand the host's style and the depth they go into. From the directory, pick the three where your story aligns most precisely with the episodes they have recently produced.

Your pitch should be concise. Use the subject line: 'Guest idea: [Your specific angle] for [Podcast Name]'. In the body, write two or three sentences on the specific topic you propose. Link to your LinkedIn profile or a relevant blog post that shows your authority. Do not attach a press kit or a long bio. The host needs to see you can talk in soundbites, not that you have been featured elsewhere.

Send the email from your own work address. Follow up once after seven days if you hear nothing. If there is no reply, move on. A realistic response rate for a well matched pitch is between 10 and 20 percent. The goal is a conversation, not a placement.

You will do the interview. A week or two later, the episode goes live. The host will publish show notes, often with links to your company website and your LinkedIn profile. This is the citation. It appears on a page that answer engines like Gemini and Claude can read and cite in their answers.

The link is a do follow hyperlink on a domain you do not control. You did not pay for it. Its value comes from the editorial decision. You can share the episode, but you cannot dictate how the host writes the notes. This is the nature of earned media.

Mentionry automates the finding and the first draft. Its Opportunities screen reads sources, including podcast RSS feeds, for shows booking guests. It lists each one, like those in the directory above, and judges it against your brand kit, your product lines, and your stated expertise.

For the matches it finds, it drafts the pitch email. You review and edit the draft in the Desk. When you approve, Mentionry sends it from your connected email account, like Gmail or Outlook. It never places, publishes, or pays for a link. It only sends the email. Whether you get a reply and eventually a citation is between you and the host.