ElevenLabs raises $500M from Sequoia at an $11 billion valuation

ElevenLabs raises 0M from Sequoia at an billion valuation | TechCrunch

ElevenLabs raises $500M from Sequoia at an $11 billion valuation | TechCrunch

Tech-news ElevenLabs, sequia capital, voice AI February 4, 2026

Voice AI company ElevenLabs said today it raised $500 million in a new funding round led by Sequoia Capital, which was an investor in the startup’s last secondary round through a tender. Sequoia partner Andrew Reed is joining the company’s board.

The startup is now valued at $11 billion, more than three times its valuation in its last round in January 2025. Earlier in the year, the Financial Times reported that the startup was looking to raise at that valuation.

The company said that existing investor a16z quadrupled its investment amount, and Iconiq, which led the last round, tripled it. Some prior investors, like BroadLight, NFDG, Valor Capital, AMP Coalition, and Smash Capital, also joined the round. New investors for the funding included Lightspeed Venture Partners, Evantic
Capital, and Bond.

ElevenLabs said that it will disclose some investors later in February, which might be strategic partners. The company has raised over $781 million to date. It said that it will use the funding for research and product development, along with expansion in international markets like India, Japan, Singapore, Brazil, and Mexico.

The company’s co-founder, Mati Staniszewski, indicated that ElevenLabs might work on agents beyond voice and incorporate video. In January, the company announced a partnership with LTX to produce audio-to-video content.

“The intersection of models and products is critical – and our team has proven, time and again, how to translate research into real-world experiences. This funding helps us go beyond voice alone to transform how we interact with technology altogether. We plan to expand our Creative offering – helping creators combine our best-in-class audio with video and Agents – enabling businesses to build agents that can talk, type, and take action,” he said in a statement.

The company has seen good growth momentum as it closed the year at $330 million ARR. In an interview with Bloomberg earlier this year, Staniszewski said that it took ElevenLabs five months to reach $200 million to $300 million in ARR.

Voice AI model providers are an attractive target for investors and big tech companies. In January, rival Deepgram raised $130 million from AVP at a $1.3 billion valuation. Meanwhile, Google hired top talent from voice model company Hume AI, including CEO Alan Cowen.

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Tag ElevenLabs sequia capital voice AI

Black Boots, Done Right: The New Backbone Of Cold-weather Style

The Patriots’ Super Bowl path was comically soft, but it might not matter vs. Seahawks

Yesterday, OpenAI released its latest voice model, GPT-Live-1. The company called it “a new generation of voice models for natural human-AI interaction.” The full-duplex model allows ChatGPT to talk and listen at the same time, giving the back-and-forth a more conversational flow. It’s designed to be smarter, faster, and more natural.

Sounds great! Let’s see how it handles the internet’s one-man voice model red team, TikToker @huskistaken (aka Husk), when he tests out its capabilities by giving the model something simple:

Had to give the new voice model the classic test pic.twitter.com/fQYHbBRNuL

— Husk (@huskirl) July 8, 2026

Ooh, so close. Husk gave ChatGPT the straightforward request to tell him how many times the letter E appears in the number “seventeen,” and the voice model managed to get halfway there by answering “two.” It then offered a very awkward sign-off when Husk ended the conversation. Maybe that’s a query that GPT-Live-2 will be able to handle.

To be fair, Husk isn’t really testing any of the new features that OpenAI highlighted with the release of its new model, which, by most accounts, seems like it’s more capable when it comes to things like live translation than previous iterations. But he is giving the model a very simple benchmarking test that, despite being OpenAI’s flagship voice model, it still failed spectacularly.

It seems OpenAI knows just how bad this looks, too. Jason Liu, a Developer Experience Engineer on OpenAI Codex, reposted the video with a very succinct, “FUCK.”

Husk’s made a habit of terrorizing OpenAI over its voice model for some time now, making viral videos out of how poorly it handles certain prompts. One of his videos—in which he tasks ChatGPT with setting a timer and watching it fail—made it all the way to CEO Sam Altman, who tried to laugh it off in a very “I’m not mad, please don’t put in the newspaper that I got mad” kinda way.

Husk is not alone in giving GPT-Live-1 the old stress test. Another user on X gave the model the “Strawberry” test, asking it to count the number of times the letter R appears in the word “strawberry.” It’s a classic, and one that most AI models can answer correctly by now (whether that’s because they really know there are 3 Rs or because they’ve been trained on how to respond to prevent embarrassment is another question), but GPT-Live-1 gets tripped up by it.

OpenAI’s brand new voice model vs counting the r’s in strawberry. I really tried to help it along. pic.twitter.com/Pm0RfLyxIA

— Himelstech (@himelstech) July 9, 2026

Another user noted a new annoyance that has arisen from the model’s full-duplex functionality: While the model now allows ChatGPT to say things like “mhm” and “yeah” while you talk to confirm it is listening, it apparently is incapable of simply shutting up and not doing that. It seems ChatGPT has built an interrupting machine. Just what we’ve all been waiting for.

The Future Is Always Listening: OpenAI Says Its New Voice Assistant Is ‘One Step Closer to a Truly Accessible AGI’

OpenAI Is Tired of Seeing All Those Videos of People Clowning on Its Voice Mode

#OpenAI #Beat #TikTokerartifical intelligence,ChatGPT,OpenAI,voice model">

mwasimuddin125 0

Yesterday, OpenAI released its latest voice model, GPT-Live-1. The company called it “a new generation of voice models for natural human-AI interaction.” The full-duplex model allows ChatGPT to talk and listen at the same time, giving the back-and-forth a more conversational flow. It’s designed to be smarter, faster, and more natural.

Sounds great! Let’s see how it handles the internet’s one-man voice model red team, TikToker @huskistaken (aka Husk), when he tests out its capabilities by giving the model something simple:

Had to give the new voice model the classic test pic.twitter.com/fQYHbBRNuL

— Husk (@huskirl) July 8, 2026

Ooh, so close. Husk gave ChatGPT the straightforward request to tell him how many times the letter E appears in the number “seventeen,” and the voice model managed to get halfway there by answering “two.” It then offered a very awkward sign-off when Husk ended the conversation. Maybe that’s a query that GPT-Live-2 will be able to handle.

To be fair, Husk isn’t really testing any of the new features that OpenAI highlighted with the release of its new model, which, by most accounts, seems like it’s more capable when it comes to things like live translation than previous iterations. But he is giving the model a very simple benchmarking test that, despite being OpenAI’s flagship voice model, it still failed spectacularly.

It seems OpenAI knows just how bad this looks, too. Jason Liu, a Developer Experience Engineer on OpenAI Codex, reposted the video with a very succinct, “FUCK.”

Husk’s made a habit of terrorizing OpenAI over its voice model for some time now, making viral videos out of how poorly it handles certain prompts. One of his videos—in which he tasks ChatGPT with setting a timer and watching it fail—made it all the way to CEO Sam Altman, who tried to laugh it off in a very “I’m not mad, please don’t put in the newspaper that I got mad” kinda way.

Husk is not alone in giving GPT-Live-1 the old stress test. Another user on X gave the model the “Strawberry” test, asking it to count the number of times the letter R appears in the word “strawberry.” It’s a classic, and one that most AI models can answer correctly by now (whether that’s because they really know there are 3 Rs or because they’ve been trained on how to respond to prevent embarrassment is another question), but GPT-Live-1 gets tripped up by it.

OpenAI’s brand new voice model vs counting the r’s in strawberry. I really tried to help it along. pic.twitter.com/Pm0RfLyxIA

— Himelstech (@himelstech) July 9, 2026

Another user noted a new annoyance that has arisen from the model’s full-duplex functionality: While the model now allows ChatGPT to say things like “mhm” and “yeah” while you talk to confirm it is listening, it apparently is incapable of simply shutting up and not doing that. It seems ChatGPT has built an interrupting machine. Just what we’ve all been waiting for.

READ MORE:

The Future Is Always Listening: OpenAI Says Its New Voice Assistant Is ‘One Step Closer to a Truly Accessible AGI’

OpenAI Is Tired of Seeing All Those Videos of People Clowning on Its Voice Mode

#OpenAI #Beat #TikTokerartifical intelligence,ChatGPT,OpenAI,voice model">OpenAI Just Can’t Beat This TikToker

Yesterday, OpenAI released its latest voice model, GPT-Live-1. The company called it “a new generation of voice models for natural human-AI interaction.” The full-duplex model allows ChatGPT to talk and listen at the same time, giving the back-and-forth a more conversational flow. It’s designed to be smarter, faster, and more natural.

Sounds great! Let’s see how it handles the internet’s one-man voice model red team, TikToker @huskistaken (aka Husk), when he tests out its capabilities by giving the model something simple:

Had to give the new voice model the classic test pic.twitter.com/fQYHbBRNuL

— Husk (@huskirl) July 8, 2026

Ooh, so close. Husk gave ChatGPT the straightforward request to tell him how many times the letter E appears in the number “seventeen,” and the voice model managed to get halfway there by answering “two.” It then offered a very awkward sign-off when Husk ended the conversation. Maybe that’s a query that GPT-Live-2 will be able to handle.

To be fair, Husk isn’t really testing any of the new features that OpenAI highlighted with the release of its new model, which, by most accounts, seems like it’s more capable when it comes to things like live translation than previous iterations. But he is giving the model a very simple benchmarking test that, despite being OpenAI’s flagship voice model, it still failed spectacularly.

It seems OpenAI knows just how bad this looks, too. Jason Liu, a Developer Experience Engineer on OpenAI Codex, reposted the video with a very succinct, “FUCK.”

Husk’s made a habit of terrorizing OpenAI over its voice model for some time now, making viral videos out of how poorly it handles certain prompts. One of his videos—in which he tasks ChatGPT with setting a timer and watching it fail—made it all the way to CEO Sam Altman, who tried to laugh it off in a very “I’m not mad, please don’t put in the newspaper that I got mad” kinda way.

Husk is not alone in giving GPT-Live-1 the old stress test. Another user on X gave the model the “Strawberry” test, asking it to count the number of times the letter R appears in the word “strawberry.” It’s a classic, and one that most AI models can answer correctly by now (whether that’s because they really know there are 3 Rs or because they’ve been trained on how to respond to prevent embarrassment is another question), but GPT-Live-1 gets tripped up by it.

OpenAI’s brand new voice model vs counting the r’s in strawberry. I really tried to help it along. pic.twitter.com/Pm0RfLyxIA

— Himelstech (@himelstech) July 9, 2026

Another user noted a new annoyance that has arisen from the model’s full-duplex functionality: While the model now allows ChatGPT to say things like “mhm” and “yeah” while you talk to confirm it is listening, it apparently is incapable of simply shutting up and not doing that. It seems ChatGPT has built an interrupting machine. Just what we’ve all been waiting for.

READ MORE:

The Future Is Always Listening: OpenAI Says Its New Voice Assistant Is ‘One Step Closer to a Truly Accessible AGI’

OpenAI Is Tired of Seeing All Those Videos of People Clowning on Its Voice Mode

#OpenAI #Beat #TikTokerartifical intelligence,ChatGPT,OpenAI,voice model

Friendly home robots have been the dream of sci-fi for a long time. Docile, helpful machines that do your laundry, take out the trash, maybe make dinner, and clean up afterward too. But if robots are going to do all that, they’re going to need some hands to make all that happen.

1X, a Norwegian-American robotics company, today revealed details about the five-finger hands attached to its soft, helpful robot companion, Neo.

The hands are built with actuators designed to replicate how tendons in the arms move human hands. 1X says this gives Neo’s hands 25 degrees of freedom of movement, which is just a little less than the 27 degrees of freedom human hands usually have. Cameras and AI smarts help sort out the broader context of what the fingers are trying to grab. It’s a dexterous mix that gives the Neo bot a very broad range of motion. 1X says the hands can grip odd shapes and detect when something is slipping out of its grip. The fingers can also move extremely quickly and hyperextend in directions human digits can’t. They also have an IP68 waterproof rating, meaning the robot can wash its own hands.

Courtesy of 1X

It’s a range that the engineers have aimed to dial in to align with what a human can actually do. Jonathan Terfurth, 1X’s director of actuators and hands, says the range of motion might even be better than a human’s, enabling it to open doors, lift heavy objects, and even plug itself in when its battery starts to die.

“You want to be able to operate with a human who has never worked or interfaced with a robot, and you still want it to be safe and compliant and soft,” Terfurth says. “Range of motion can be a bit extreme, but we try to be very close to what humans can do so that we can live in the world.”

Together, this is part of a growing ChatGPT-esque moment for robotics, where bots have gone from clumsy claw machines to capable handlers, able to gently carry fragile objects and become increasingly helpful for managing menial daily tasks and boring office chores.

The humanoid robot market tends to be dominated by tough, hulking Terminators meant to be paraded out for some defense industry contract or another. 1X is taking a different tack for its robot. The Neo is a soft, supple robot wrapped in a 3D lattice shell. Its design is inspired by characters like Baymax, the affable robot from the Disney movie Big Hero 6. In limited quantities, early access pricing is $20,000 or $500 per month to have it in your home, though the lump sum will prioritize delivery for 2026.

#Neo #Robot #Freaky #Fast #Fingersrobots,robotics,artificial intelligence">

The 1X Neo Robot Has Freaky Fast FingersFriendly home robots have been the dream of sci-fi for a long time. Docile, helpful machines that do your laundry, take out the trash, maybe make dinner, and clean up afterward too. But if robots are going to do all that, they’re going to need some hands to make all that happen.1X, a Norwegian-American robotics company, today revealed details about the five-finger hands attached to its soft, helpful robot companion, Neo.The hands are built with actuators designed to replicate how tendons in the arms move human hands. 1X says this gives Neo’s hands 25 degrees of freedom of movement, which is just a little less than the 27 degrees of freedom human hands usually have. Cameras and AI smarts help sort out the broader context of what the fingers are trying to grab. It’s a dexterous mix that gives the Neo bot a very broad range of motion. 1X says the hands can grip odd shapes and detect when something is slipping out of its grip. The fingers can also move extremely quickly and hyperextend in directions human digits can’t. They also have an IP68 waterproof rating, meaning the robot can wash its own hands.Courtesy of 1XIt’s a range that the engineers have aimed to dial in to align with what a human can actually do. Jonathan Terfurth, 1X’s director of actuators and hands, says the range of motion might even be better than a human’s, enabling it to open doors, lift heavy objects, and even plug itself in when its battery starts to die.“You want to be able to operate with a human who has never worked or interfaced with a robot, and you still want it to be safe and compliant and soft,” Terfurth says. “Range of motion can be a bit extreme, but we try to be very close to what humans can do so that we can live in the world.”Together, this is part of a growing ChatGPT-esque moment for robotics, where bots have gone from clumsy claw machines to capable handlers, able to gently carry fragile objects and become increasingly helpful for managing menial daily tasks and boring office chores.The humanoid robot market tends to be dominated by tough, hulking Terminators meant to be paraded out for some defense industry contract or another. 1X is taking a different tack for its robot. The Neo is a soft, supple robot wrapped in a 3D lattice shell. Its design is inspired by characters like Baymax, the affable robot from the Disney movie Big Hero 6. In limited quantities, early access pricing is ,000 or 0 per month to have it in your home, though the lump sum will prioritize delivery for 2026.#Neo #Robot #Freaky #Fast #Fingersrobots,robotics,artificial intelligence

mwasimuddin125 0

Friendly home robots have been the dream of sci-fi for a long time. Docile, helpful machines that do your laundry, take out the trash, maybe make dinner, and clean up afterward too. But if robots are going to do all that, they’re going to need some hands to make all that happen.
1X, a Norwegian-American robotics company, today revealed details about the five-finger hands attached to its soft, helpful robot companion, Neo.
The hands are built with actuators designed to replicate how tendons in the arms move human hands. 1X says this gives Neo’s hands 25 degrees of freedom of movement, which is just a little less than the 27 degrees of freedom human hands usually have. Cameras and AI smarts help sort out the broader context of what the fingers are trying to grab. It’s a dexterous mix that gives the Neo bot a very broad range of motion. 1X says the hands can grip odd shapes and detect when something is slipping out of its grip. The fingers can also move extremely quickly and hyperextend in directions human digits can’t. They also have an IP68 waterproof rating, meaning the robot can wash its own hands.
Courtesy of 1X
It’s a range that the engineers have aimed to dial in to align with what a human can actually do. Jonathan Terfurth, 1X’s director of actuators and hands, says the range of motion might even be better than a human’s, enabling it to open doors, lift heavy objects, and even plug itself in when its battery starts to die.
“You want to be able to operate with a human who has never worked or interfaced with a robot, and you still want it to be safe and compliant and soft,” Terfurth says. “Range of motion can be a bit extreme, but we try to be very close to what humans can do so that we can live in the world.”
Together, this is part of a growing ChatGPT-esque moment for robotics, where bots have gone from clumsy claw machines to capable handlers, able to gently carry fragile objects and become increasingly helpful for managing menial daily tasks and boring office chores.
The humanoid robot market tends to be dominated by tough, hulking Terminators meant to be paraded out for some defense industry contract or another. 1X is taking a different tack for its robot. The Neo is a soft, supple robot wrapped in a 3D lattice shell. Its design is inspired by characters like Baymax, the affable robot from the Disney movie Big Hero 6. In limited quantities, early access pricing is $20,000 or $500 per month to have it in your home, though the lump sum will prioritize delivery for 2026.

#Neo #Robot #Freaky #Fast #Fingersrobots,robotics,artificial intelligence">The 1X Neo Robot Has Freaky Fast Fingers

1X, a Norwegian-American robotics company, today revealed details about the five-finger hands attached to its soft, helpful robot companion, Neo.

Courtesy of 1X

#Neo #Robot #Freaky #Fast #Fingersrobots,robotics,artificial intelligence

MOFT Trackable Field Wallet launches with Apple Find My and Android Find Hub support
TL;DR: Just in time for summer trips, MOFT has launched its new Trackable Field Wallet for .99. It’s a MagSafe wallet with Apple Find My and Android Find Hub support to help keep your cards and essentials easy to find while traveling.
If you’re the type to double-check your pockets before leaving the airport, MOFT’s latest accessory might be worth a look. The Trackable Field Wallet is a new MagSafe wallet that works with built-in tracking, making it easier to locate your wallet if it goes missing. At .99, it also packs room for up to eight cards — far more than most MagSafe wallets — while staying slim enough to snap onto the back of your iPhone.The biggest upgrade here is capacity. It also has separate compartments to keep frequently used cards apart from things like cash, coins, keys, or even a spare SIM card, while a pull-tab lets you grab your cards without digging around.

Credit: MOFT

Credit: MOFT

The wallet folds into a built-in phone stand for watching videos, taking video calls, or reading hands-free, then snaps back onto your iPhone with a strong MagSafe connection when you’re done. Built-in Apple Find My and Android Find Hub support means you can locate the wallet through your phone if you accidentally leave it behind, and MOFT says the rechargeable tracker lasts up to six months between charges.Finished in soft Movas vegan leather, it is designed to resist stains and everyday wear while keeping the wallet lightweight. The Trackable Field Wallet is available in Terracotta, Misty Cove, and Jet Black, giving you a few options beyond the usual black accessory lineup.

Mashable Deals

By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Shop the Trackable Field Wallet now and travel with one less thing to worry about.

#MOFT #Trackable #Field #Wallet #launches #Apple #Find #Android #Find #Hub #support

#MOFT #Trackable #Field #Wallet #launches #Apple #Find #Android #Find #Hub #support">

mwasimuddin125 0

TL;DR: Just in time for summer trips, MOFT has launched its new Trackable Field Wallet for $69.99. It’s a MagSafe wallet with Apple Find My and Android Find Hub support to help keep your cards and essentials easy to find while traveling.

If you’re the type to double-check your pockets before leaving the airport, MOFT’s latest accessory might be worth a look. The Trackable Field Wallet is a new MagSafe wallet that works with built-in tracking, making it easier to locate your wallet if it goes missing. At $69.99, it also packs room for up to eight cards — far more than most MagSafe wallets — while staying slim enough to snap onto the back of your iPhone.
The biggest upgrade here is capacity. It also has separate compartments to keep frequently used cards apart from things like cash, coins, keys, or even a spare SIM card, while a pull-tab lets you grab your cards without digging around.

Credit: MOFT

Credit: MOFT

The wallet folds into a built-in phone stand for watching videos, taking video calls, or reading hands-free, then snaps back onto your iPhone with a strong MagSafe connection when you’re done. Built-in Apple Find My and Android Find Hub support means you can locate the wallet through your phone if you accidentally leave it behind, and MOFT says the rechargeable tracker lasts up to six months between charges.
Finished in soft Movas vegan leather, it is designed to resist stains and everyday wear while keeping the wallet lightweight. The Trackable Field Wallet is available in Terracotta, Misty Cove, and Jet Black, giving you a few options beyond the usual black accessory lineup.

Mashable Deals

By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Shop the Trackable Field Wallet now and travel with one less thing to worry about.

#MOFT #Trackable #Field #Wallet #launches #Apple #Find #Android #Find #Hub #support">MOFT Trackable Field Wallet launches with Apple Find My and Android Find Hub support

TL;DR: Just in time for summer trips, MOFT has launched its new Trackable Field Wallet for $69.99. It’s a MagSafe wallet with Apple Find My and Android Find Hub support to help keep your cards and essentials easy to find while traveling.

If you’re the type to double-check your pockets before leaving the airport, MOFT’s latest accessory might be worth a look. The Trackable Field Wallet is a new MagSafe wallet that works with built-in tracking, making it easier to locate your wallet if it goes missing. At $69.99, it also packs room for up to eight cards — far more than most MagSafe wallets — while staying slim enough to snap onto the back of your iPhone.

The biggest upgrade here is capacity. It also has separate compartments to keep frequently used cards apart from things like cash, coins, keys, or even a spare SIM card, while a pull-tab lets you grab your cards without digging around.

Credit: MOFT

The wallet folds into a built-in phone stand for watching videos, taking video calls, or reading hands-free, then snaps back onto your iPhone with a strong MagSafe connection when you’re done. Built-in Apple Find My and Android Find Hub support means you can locate the wallet through your phone if you accidentally leave it behind, and MOFT says the rechargeable tracker lasts up to six months between charges.

Finished in soft Movas vegan leather, it is designed to resist stains and everyday wear while keeping the wallet lightweight. The Trackable Field Wallet is available in Terracotta, Misty Cove, and Jet Black, giving you a few options beyond the usual black accessory lineup.

Mashable Deals

By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Shop the Trackable Field Wallet now and travel with one less thing to worry about.

#MOFT #Trackable #Field #Wallet #launches #Apple #Find #Android #Find #Hub #support

Black Boots, Done Right: The New Backbone Of Cold-weather Style

The Patriots’ Super Bowl path was comically soft, but it might not matter vs. Seahawks

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