ElevenLabs explores $22 billion valuation through employee stock sale, doubling its worth
3 Sources
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ElevenLabs explores employee stock sale at $22 billion valuation, Bloomberg News reports
July 2 (Reuters) - AI voice generation firm ElevenLabs is exploring a secondary share sale that would allow employees to sell stock, Bloomberg News reported on Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter. The proposed transaction could value the company at about $22 billion and is expected to occur by September, the report added. AI startups engaged in fierce competition for talent have been increasingly letting employees sell stock as they race to retain and attract top researchers and engineers. Founded by Piotr Dabkowski and CEO Mati Staniszewski in 2022, London-based ElevenLabs builds AI tools, including a platform that turns text into realistic speech. The company raised $500 million in a series D round in February that valued the company at $11 billion. ElevenLabs did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Reporting by Pragyan Kalita in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab
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ElevenLabs: ElevenLabs explores employee stock sale at $22 billion valuation: report
AI startups engaged in fierce competition for talent have been increasingly letting employees sell stock as they race to retain and attract top researchers and engineers. AI voice generation firm ElevenLabs is exploring a secondary share sale that would allow employees to sell stock, Bloomberg News reported on Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter. The proposed transaction could value the company at about $22 billion and is expected to occur by September, the report added. AI startups engaged in fierce competition for talent have been increasingly letting employees sell stock as they race to retain and attract top researchers and engineers. Founded by Piotr Dabkowski and CEO Mati Staniszewski in 2022, London-based ElevenLabs builds AI tools, including a platform that turns text into realistic speech. The company raised $500 million in a Series D round in February that valued the company at $11 billion. ElevenLabs declined to comment on the Bloomberg report.
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ElevenLabs explores $22 billion valuation in secondary sale - Bloomberg By Investing.com
Investing.com -- ElevenLabs has entered early discussions with investors about a secondary offering that would allow employees to sell shares at a valuation of approximately $22 billion, according to Bloomberg News, citing people familiar with the matter. The proposed valuation would represent double the artificial intelligence startup's worth from a funding round completed in February. The tender offering is expected to take place by September, two people said. The discussions remain in early stages and terms could change, said the people, who requested anonymity as the information is private. ElevenLabs declined to comment. The company develops AI software that generates realistic voices across multiple languages. This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.
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AI voice generation firm ElevenLabs is in early discussions for a secondary share sale that would value the company at $22 billion, according to Bloomberg News. The proposed valuation represents a 100% increase from its $11 billion Series D round just five months ago, as AI startups intensify efforts to retain top talent through employee stock sales.
ElevenLabs Pursues Secondary Share Sale at Doubled Valuation
ElevenLabs, a leading AI voice generation company, has entered early discussions with investors about a secondary share sale that could value the London-based startup at approximately $22 billion, according to Bloomberg News citing people familiar with the matter
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. The proposed transaction would allow employees to sell stock through a tender offering expected to occur by September2
. This AI startup valuation marks a significant milestone, representing double the company's worth from its Series D funding round completed just five months earlier in February, when ElevenLabs raised $500 million at an $11 billion valuation1
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Source: ET
Strategic Move Amid Fierce Competition for AI Talent
The employee stock sale reflects a broader trend among AI startups engaged in fierce competition for talent, as companies increasingly allow employees to sell stock to retain and attract top researchers and engineers
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. Talent retention has become critical in the AI technology sector, where demand for specialized expertise far outpaces supply. By providing liquidity opportunities through secondary offerings, ElevenLabs positions itself to maintain its competitive edge in recruiting and keeping skilled professionals who might otherwise be tempted by competing offers. The discussions remain in early stages and terms could change, according to sources who requested anonymity as the information is private3
.Building Realistic Voice Generation Software
Founded by Piotr Dabkowski and CEO Mati Staniszewski in 2022, ElevenLabs develops text-to-speech AI tools and realistic voice generation software that converts written text into lifelike speech across multiple languages
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. The company's voice synthesis technology has gained significant traction in the market, enabling applications ranging from content creation to accessibility solutions. This rapid growth trajectory—from founding to a potential $22 billion valuation in just over four years—underscores the explosive demand for advanced AI voice generation capabilities. ElevenLabs declined to comment on the Bloomberg News report2
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Source: Reuters
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Implications for AI Startup Landscape
The doubling of ElevenLabs' valuation in such a short timeframe signals strong investor confidence in the voice AI sector and suggests that realistic voice generation software may be entering a period of accelerated adoption. For the broader AI industry, this move could set a precedent for how fast-growing startups balance employee compensation with capital efficiency. Observers should watch whether other AI companies follow suit with similar secondary offerings, and how this affects the competitive dynamics for acquiring specialized talent. The September timeline for the proposed transaction will be crucial in determining whether investors maintain their enthusiasm amid evolving market conditions.
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