From: acquiredfm
Acquired, hosted by Ben Gilbert and David Rosenthal, is a podcast deeply focused on the history, strategy, and stories behind significant technology companies [00:00:08]. The hosts express an intense dedication, undertaking over 100 hours of research per episode, including reading all available literature and watching all related videos [00:00:21].
Approach to Storytelling and Strategy
The core mission of Acquired is to recount the complete stories of companies that have significantly influenced the modern world, such as Nvidia, Sony, TSMC, and Amazon [00:00:29]. They aim to provide the “deepest, longest, and best technology stories on the internet” [00:00:39]. While their primary focus is on technology companies, they occasionally expand their scope to include non-tech entities like Berkshire Hathaway, the NFL, or Taylor Swift [00:00:44].
Production and Platform Strategy
Acquired primarily operates as an audio podcast [00:01:34]. The YouTube channel hosts video recordings, typically from in-person interviews with guests such as Brad Gerstner from Altimeter or Michael Ovitz, founder of CAA [00:00:55]. Notable video content also includes a dinner discussion with all five Benchmark Partners [00:01:08].
Given that main episodes often span three to four hours, the channel also produces “Acquired Stories,” which are shorter, bite-sized segments of about 15 minutes derived from full episodes [00:01:20]. Despite the presence on YouTube, video subscribers constitute only about two percent of the podcast’s overall audience [00:01:40]. For the full experience, listeners are directed to audio platforms like Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or other podcast players [00:01:52].
Community Engagement
The hosts invite listeners to join the Acquired community on Slack at “acquire.fm Slack” to discuss episodes and provide feedback [00:02:08].