ElevenLabs, the AI-powered audio language specialist is to set itself up in Soho’s Wardour Street, according to a report in the Standard today.
An existing twenty-strong UK-based team will move to the new office with plans to expand numbers to 40 within the next 6 months and 100 within the coming years, said the report.
London is developing a thriving AI community with ChatGPT maker Open AI setting up its first overseas office in the UK capital, C3.ai switching its HQ here from Paris.
ElevenLabs co-founder and CEO Mati Staniszewski said: “We’re very excited to be opening an office in London.
“Not only is it an effective beacon for both the US and Europe to recruit people from but we’re seeing some of the best talent is already here, as well as some of Europe’s most exciting AI businesses.”
US-based ElevenLabs attained unicorn status [a value of over US$1 billion] after securing $80 million in a Series B funding round led by influential venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz.
Though ElevenLabs did not disclose the exact valuation, an insider told Reuters that it amounted to $1.1 billion, marking a tenfold increase from its previous valuation in 2023.
Founded in January 2022 by chief executive Mateusz Staniszewski and chief technology officer Piotr Dąbkowski, ElevenLabs has gained a reputation for its AI-generated voice technology, utilising a range of very accurate languages, accents, and inflexions.
ElevenLabs’ clients range from individual content creators to large-scale enterprises including Storytel, Paradox Interactive, and The Washington Post.
That funding round saw GitHub chief Nat Friedman, former Apple exec Daniel Gross and tech venture capital firm Sequoia buy into the group.