Transformative VC Invests $3 Billion in AI Giant ElevenLabs After One Inspiring Meeting with Its Visionary Founder!
Carles Reina, a prominent angel investor and GTM manager at Eleven Labs, made headlines when he decided to back the AI voice startup during its early days, investing after just a brief meeting with one of its founders. In 2022, while working as a venture partner at pre-seed fund Concept Ventures, Reina met Mati Staniszewski, co-founder of Eleven Labs, which specializes in cutting-edge text-to-speech and voice cloning technologies. Within 30 minutes of their conversation, Reina was eager to invest.
The decision to invest in Eleven Labs came at a time when the voice AI market was largely overlooked. As big tech companies like Google and Amazon focused on text-to-speech technologies, voice AI had yet to capture significant investor interest. “With Eleven Labs, no one was looking at voice AI; literally no one wanted to give them money,” Reina recounted in an interview with CNBC Make It. “Those are the type of industries that I really like, so that I can get in before everyone else.”
Since then, Eleven Labs has experienced remarkable growth, raising $180 million in its January Series C funding round, achieving a valuation of $3.3 billion. In September, the company further solidified its status by allowing employees to sell shares at a whopping $6.6 billion valuation. Despite this success, Reina’s investment came before the company had a concrete product ready for market.
Reina has an impressive track record of 74 angel investments over the past eight years, with notable contributions to companies like Revolut and Volumetric. His strategy centers on identifying industries and startups that other investors might overlook. “I’ve done mostly AI before it was sexy,” he explained, reflecting on his preference for emerging sectors like robotics and voice technology.
In his role at Eleven Labs, Reina focuses on investing in pre-seed companies-those that are often still in the conceptual phase. This approach requires a keen eye for the traits that can indicate a founder’s potential for success. “If there is a product, fantastic, but if there is no product, absolutely fine for me,” he stated, emphasizing his preference for technically savvy founders. This characteristic played a crucial role in his decision to back Staniszewski, who displayed a deep understanding of the voice AI ecosystem.
The conversation with Staniszewski revealed a promising vision for overcoming the industry’s challenges, particularly the issue of robotic-sounding AI voices. “When I spoke with Mati, he talked about both elements,” Reina recalled, noting that Staniszewski’s insights indicated a thorough consideration of the market’s complexities even before a functional product was available. With a first-class honors degree in mathematics from Imperial College London, Staniszewski’s combination of technical skills and innovative thinking convinced Reina to embrace the risk associated with early-stage investment.
Now, Eleven Labs is looking to capitalize on its momentum, with plans for global expansion that include establishing new hubs in Paris, Singapore, Brazil, and Mexico, and preparing for an IPO within the next five years. As they continue to redefine what’s possible in voice technology, Reina’s early investment demonstrates the potential impact of recognizing untapped markets. His approach champions the importance of vision and technical expertise in the fast-evolving world of AI startups.
Original Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2025/10/25/vc-bet-on-3-billion-ai-firm-elevenlabs-after-one-meeting-with-founder.html
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Publish Date: 2025-10-25 11:38:00
