
Mati StaniszewskiCo-founder & CEO
Mati Staniszewski is the CEO and co-founder of ElevenLabs, a $6.6B voice AI company redefining how humans and machines communicate. With a background in technology and product innovation, Mati has built a voice ecosystem where anyone can clone their voice, create agents, and even earn passive income merging AI ethics, scalability, and creativity into a single frontier.
Founder Stats
- AI, Technology, Marketplace
- Started 2022
- $1M+/mo
- 50+ team
- USA
About Mati Staniszewski
From building the most realistic voice engine in the world to enabling a new creator economy, Mati Staniszewski has turned ElevenLabs into the heartbeat of voice AI. His approach is simple: build responsibly, move fast, and stay close to users. In this conversation, Mati discusses scaling a frontier company, monetizing creativity through AI voices, managing rapid innovation, and why learning to use AI is now as important as learning to code.
Interview
October 11, 2025
You’ve built one of the fastest-growing AI startups. What made ElevenLabs possible?

We started by solving a real problem. We wanted to make voices sound natural, emotional, and human. Once we understood how much better communication could be through voice, everything else built around that.
Why do you think voice will become the main interface for AI?

Voice carries emotion, tone, and meaning that text can’t. It’s the most natural way humans communicate. Now that AI understands accents and mistakes, talking to technology is becoming as easy as talking to a person.
How can AI voice technology transform businesses?

It makes customer experiences faster and more human. A voice agent can answer calls, book appointments, explain pricing, all 24/7, giving small teams the power of big ones.
Do you use AI voice agents at ElevenLabs internally?

Yes, we use them for inbound sales and support. They help explain our product, qualify leads, and sometimes close deals. It saves time and helps us serve more customers faster.
Can small businesses afford this technology?

Definitely. You can start with just a few hundred dollars a month. You don’t need engineers, just connect your business logic, like your FAQs or calendar, and go live.
You’ve paid millions to creators. How can people earn from their voices?

Anyone can record 30 minutes of their voice and upload it to our marketplace. If others use it, you earn royalties. Some people make hundreds of dollars monthly. It’s a new kind of passive income.
What makes a voice stand out and earn more?

Uniqueness. Voices with distinct tones, accents, or emotions perform best. The more character your voice has, the more people will want to use it.
What do you see as the biggest risk in voice AI?

Impersonation. It’s going to happen, so we design for safety from the start, watermarking, verification, and detection. We want people to trust that voices they hear are authentic.
How do you manage such a fast-growing company in a fast-moving field?

By staying close to the mission and hiring amazing people. We focus on clarity, trust, and discipline. Everyone knows what we’re building and why it matters.
What keeps you up at night as a founder?

The responsibility. We’re at the frontier of something powerful. We want to lead responsibly, keep innovating, and protect users while pushing technology forward.
How will AI change the future of jobs?

AI won’t replace people, people using AI will replace others. Learn the tools, adapt fast, and use them to make your work more valuable.
Which jobs are most at risk today?

Manual, repetitive ones like customer support or basic data work. But those who learn how to use AI tools can move up and manage the systems instead.
What AI tools do you personally recommend learning?

Claude for coding help, Black Forest Labs for image generation, and Lovable for fast app building. They’re amazing even for non-technical people.
Where do you see the next big business opportunities in AI?

Deploying voice agents for small businesses, doctors, salons, mechanics. Most don’t even know it’s possible. You can start today and make thousands per month without being a coder.
What advice would you give new founders starting out?

Understand the problem before building. Talk to users, validate demand, and start small. Move fast, but always with purpose. It’s better to build slow than to chase hype.
What personal habits help you manage pressure and growth?

Clarity and consistency. I try to stay calm, focus on the next milestone, and trust the process. Building a company is a marathon, not a sprint.
How do you see the relationship between AI and creativity?

AI expands creativity. It lets anyone express themselves, even without technical skills. That’s what excites me most: more voices, more ideas, more access.
Table Of Questions
Video Interviews with Mati Staniszewski
Mati Staniszewski - ElevenLabs CEO on Deepfakes, AI Agents, and the New Voice Economy
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