Akamai, the leading Web content delivery network, today announced that Kiptronic, an ad marketplace for the podcasting industry, will use the Akamai global EdgePlatform to accelerate its customer’s distribution of audio and video podcasts over the Internet.

Kiptronic’s multimedia ad insertion technology lets audio and video podcast publishers select targeted advertisements and sponsorships to run with their podcasts, while providing sponsors and advertisers with a marketplace to reach targeted, niche audiences through podcasts.

“Podcasting for fun and profit is only in the beginning phases,” said Dana Gardner, principal analyst of Interarbor Solutions and producer of BriefingsDirect podcasts. “Entrepreneurs and enterprises alike should view podcasting as a simple and efficient way to gather and distribute tacit knowledge, one which can also provide a platform for highly targeted advertising. I expect podcasting — and the services that support it — to grow at three times the annual pace of Internet advertising in general through 2008.”

“As podcasting migrates from hobby to new business model, podcasts will become an efficient and cost effective way to monetize existing content and communicate broadly to key audiences. When advertisers are involved, a reliable podcast download is even more critical,”¬ù said Brad Rinklin, Vice President of Marketing at Akamai. “That’s what Akamai ensures. By integrating Kiptronic’s services with Akamai’s global platform, sponsors, podcasters and podcatchers receive the key benefits of Akamai.”

Kiptronic has built a marketplace consisting of over 150 advertisers and nearly 600 podcasts representing 17 million monthly downloads. In particular, larger media companies and online publishers who deliver their content on the Akamai platform will benefit from a podcasting advertising solution built on the Akamai network and optimized to integrate with their delivery solutions.

“Content producers demand a network that delivers their programming with the speed and reliability end users require to maintain their interest,”¬ù said Jonathan Cobb, Founder and Chief Executive of Kiptronic. “By leveraging Akamai’s established global network, Kiptronic has solved one of the most significant problems facing multimedia publishers integrating new technologies with existing investments.”