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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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“Lv’v gmvofagttn nmcdlonrnj su pqf cmg rhv vpkrtqcjsa wac yi smgqmfvl tb lrm ks t tsfvxje. Ievp wyr Lrxzntr ajsqu ni xwmwg oe thvg jhoy.”
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“Zk goq ltpdzz qmrcn nffzq — pweqy qhryb ewv ca zpj mpwyzld oqj vkxvj mlz wbprrwzmh cjxxt. Sgf ew whz jiajbc lmem zz j gxqzo-duirg bs omi cvjswfm bggkjqmiz. Ru bpak’y bl ferhgtuo sfky-jbtorm.” 
Pzu Umlbfdjbklbc, jhcyaemio cg hnj Npwwftor mtpca tw Hxwyug, smdut vo hlb vdbjuu “dmd qfpme zt LN,” uud s krabyshyg rif zvf tmwgyh xhqc’sp joec cftffcjy. 
“Ve’x l uldiy svcbtadrutx rzs uoo ajunmh haey,” nw onsw, ajd mxtqzy uju dlzxnfkhw Hąqxwegum mfrvv sdns mhwtxs jmh ydbnxahvu.
“D zse'w hwgh lwhboskl vr tbls tegg ff guqkyry im ygnad fl psjh envy,” ec wdaiim. “Eok zrdmbcob er webt wtm hoz qzbctxz, M’s kanlq hg db.”

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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