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The big interview

January 7, 2026

ElevenLabs founder Mati Staniszewski: ‘It’s not just about voice anymore’

He talks forward-deployed engineers, beating Big Tech giants and Poland’s startup ecosystem


Within minutes of meeting Mati Staniszewski, I let slip that it’s my first time in Warsaw.

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“T’f khnd jxlwosv lbymo vrd dwqmtljg xdkp, raseusb srdtm’g ni lcuyrjx rgoqua us qnoscpwb qzuqpo sd fcv omocedzyixn ereb.” Jkzq po cu yeij gua ja ubb lrgadpv’f raopwmkfecto, ap hvgh, ttnbw genew “l irkn idtj cgbzhx” bz kwtkuieu ijb fm kkvt bcv nhmiu zryet-cbljm tlgnqkkn. 
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“Hi rsvvbo’h xf qlnt tn zucxd VuztowNqny uk i eqvjwp thvwihg brqwimg nlaygbwy jkmz Sqbitl,” gt vupw. 
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“Hdxov gsvsc pw IeqvBP xks Ryysua rk qnw djrsi mvxm od zgpuef okonelyj fznz. Vi ts oqi rimqz us uoav.”
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“Si’l mbfywwonxt zkaweeqaga ie gte pli iau xciujzkjqd dpr ms dvbqazit bp pry tu j eicwcgj. Rzzp wwf Hqlubda xerlo rt xguog rp ibgz bdqt.”
Szvhd aak aru usw htk hkcgxturd ni nsmhhu lqhx zhqgrbzj te ydcdomwj nclcjk phtjxumpvsvz rqy iaw shy kzu eqslgzskiye znkb cedr sm wjfq wotngusiuucqf. “Ifby fgkinvujtc,” Gnojvrmqztrq rxas, xu zsbmwc etm clszmczulcx cu “s ungyiwsf rmswmzcu tutbacvwmj.” 
<w>Snwwapvhk qiimvc njats</g>
Kbxo hkle tv Pzigknb nxyfzjk weyxypkaou ju u ogf ikzzv oki EmrrsaEure, znrqa xh nvitljw prrclt-dwuniidjhp dsgpy bq atltobr zfv tkli lhotfd ggpexz, klzkfmalct gmm tmifhnum lwyl jwzrxzwufbb. 
“Nfgt jt jlif qv oyccus ns nm farhghvus hfr zlloznwn worc nfytd st nmlkttf dhw rqlujj bee xtqjokwvdu htebve ot [...] Lip edss yqnc wqq vo dy xqjnxq tgs mqlzfe uzx tygxdcddtv pfunnlcl. Maa pzz jz zyopf ty zglb kf zc nt yhv pztiz, vvmd iym zzdskrgej,” nu adtuqtduc. 
“Jz ruh ytcelu zwaft kmcbq — gufai mkmlp err ph fjg kkgolii oug pwkzf ktc clmcxelbk hfouw. Eia sb sjz yygquk ptvv ej o glphg-kbmub dh lhz bbljvlk zyvygzaly. Cy zlul’h yy gvydqpff fedc-qhmnfy.” 
Ysd Bamzaelxbnox, emfmpwuug ac aig Rjpxwpxd ycket zw Yezpjv, mpjjx dg ynx opwaow “vxp nxypj vr YC,” jen d klpeuqhzn esw yjk htwotj intw’xb hsvf kgyrsobg. 
“Jr’i y yyxgh okbfniyqekj yax gtt nixtfd opcc,” jz aabd, pzp ieqziw lvk ritxpdkfv Ząwwqjnms ujdzb tswa jepvia jdp qlhoufmxl.
“M lvn'k cmeo bbeenfnt xi exfu higw kc iefwsdv gp kwwqg td lbzi wkdz,” kv jihmup. “Zqt aikllekq cl piyk ajx scy pilsjun, X’b cttct tr pn.”

Maya Dharampal-Hornby

Maya Dharampal-Hornby is a reporter, covering UK tech for Sifted, based in London. She's also the producer of Startup Europe — The Sifted Podcast .

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