Eleven Labs

Eleven Labs is a cutting-edge AI audio research and product company known for building hyper-realistic text-to-speech (TTS) and conversational AI technologies. Founded in 2022 by Piotr Dąbkowski (ex-Google) and Mati Staniszewski (ex-Palantir) , the company has swiftly evolved into one of the most innovative AI startups, reaching a $3.3 billion valuation in 2025 after a $180 million Series C round.

10/16/20252 min read

eleven labs
eleven labs

What is Eleven Labs?

Eleven Labs is a cutting-edge AI audio research and product company known for building hyper-realistic text-to-speech (TTS) and conversational AI technologies. Founded in 2022 by Piotr Dąbkowski (ex-Google) and Mati Staniszewski (ex-Palantir) , the company has swiftly evolved into one of the most innovative AI startups, reaching a $3.3 billion valuation in 2025 after a $180 million Series C round.​

At its core, Eleven Labs seeks to make human-computer interaction sound natural. Its AI voices can simulate real conversational tone, emotional expression, and multilingual fluency, making it a trusted platform for creators and global enterprises.

Eleven Labs’ Core Products

Eleven Labs leads in AI voice generation through a suite of advanced tools that empower creators, educators, and businesses to produce lifelike audio.

Text-to-Speech Engine

Eleven Labs’ Speech Synthesis platform transforms written text into realistic, human-like voiceovers. Unlike traditional robotic TTS systems, Eleven Labs’ models interpret context—adjusting pitch, pacing, and emotion dynamically.

This makes it ideal for audiobooks, podcasts, and marketing videos, where engaging narration drives listener retention.

Voice Cloning and VoiceLab

Using VoiceLab, users can train the AI to replicate their own or another licensed voice from short audio samples. This personalized voice cloning has use cases in accessibility, branding, and creative media localization.

The Voice Library, with over 1,000 user-generated voice profiles, allows quick access to an extensive range of tones, accents, and languages.

AI Dubbing and Localization

Through its Dubbing Studio and recent acquisitions like Omnivore, Eleven Labs powers efficient multilingual dubbing for media companies and content creators. This is crucial for cross-cultural communication and entertainment localization.

Conversational AI Platform

The Eleven Labs Agents Platform enables businesses to deploy intelligent voice assistants that talk, act, and adapt contextually. This technology supports virtual customer service, education, and interactive storytelling.

Industries Using Eleven Labs

Eleven Labs’ voice AI spans multiple industries—its flexible applications make it one of the most adopted technologies by Fortune 500 companies.

· Content Creation and Media: Used for creating engaging voiceovers for YouTube videos, audiobooks, and explainer videos.

· Education: Enables real-time tutoring and multilingual learning support. An example includes Cornell University’s AI-powered teaching assistant built with ElevenLabs.

· Healthcare: Helps patients who have lost their voices communicate using synthesized voices that carry emotional depth.

· Corporate Training: Businesses use Eleven Labs for e-learning content, internal communications, and global video translation.

· Accessibility: Supports inclusive design by creating natural-sounding voices for the visually impaired.

Technological Innovation Behind Eleven Labs

Eleven Labs’ superiority stems from its AI models that integrate NLP (Natural Language Processing), ASR (Automatic Speech Recognition), and TTS (Text-to-Speech).

This multi-modal approach helps its voices discern emotional intent from text and adjust accordingly — replicating expressions like empathy, excitement, or urgency. The result is speech that feels genuinely human.

Furthermore, the platform is cloud-based, scalable, and compatible with API integrations, allowing developers to embed voice solutions seamlessly into apps, videos, and service platforms.

Video Tutorials

New Developments and Innovations

Recent innovations highlight Eleven Labs’ aggressive R&D strategy and commitment to creators:

Iconic Voices (2024) – AI recreations of historic personalities for entertainment and education.

GenFM Reader – Turns written documents (PDFs, essays, articles) into accessible audio content.

Multilingual Voice Support – Their models now speak over 70 languages with near-native accuracy.

AI Audio Marketplace – A platform for creators to sell and license AI-generated voices safely.

In 2025, Eleven Labs also launched European HQ in London, further expanding its international presence