ElevenLabs CEO: London's AI Scene is Thriving

Mateusz Staniszewski, CEO of ElevenLabs, expresses strong optimism regarding the current state of London's artificial intelligence sector. Speaking at London Tech Week, Staniszewski highlighted the palpable energy and burgeoning talent within the UK's AI community, asserting that the environment has 'never been better.' He believes that the conditions are ripe for startups to not only emerge but to thrive and compete on a global scale, directly from the UK.

The Strength of London's AI Talent

Staniszewski emphasized that the perception of what is achievable from the UK has shifted significantly. He noted that the talent pool available in London and across Europe is now recognized for its capacity to build globally competitive AI companies. This shift means that ambitious projects and groundbreaking ideas are no longer confined to traditional tech hubs; they are flourishing in the UK.

The full discussion can be found on Bloomberg Technology's YouTube channel.

He elaborated on this by stating, "I feel like the energy and the ecosystem in London has never been better. I am now at the pleasure of being part of London Tech Week of being during this, this energy that is building out in London and across Europe. And people realize the incredible talent we have that you can really build a global company from here, from the start. And people want to do it. People want to work on ambitious projects, want to show what's possible."

A Shift in Startup Mentality

A key observation from Staniszewski is the evolution in the mindset of founders and the broader tech community. The understanding that one can build a world-class AI company from the UK is becoming increasingly prevalent. This is evidenced by the increasing number of startups attracting talent and pursuing ambitious goals.

"The number of startups, the number of individuals and talent that is going after that, couldn't be more real," Staniszewski explained. "We feel that ElevenLabs but we also see this across the wider tech ecosystem. We are seeing now more, happily more of the ecosystem building where some of the people that were early joiners will leave to start new companies here in UK to grow with them."

He further elaborated on the positive feedback loop this creates: "And we feel that ElevenLabs, we also see this across the wider tech ecosystem. We are seeing now more, happily more of the ecosystem building where some of the people that were early joiners will leave to start new companies here in UK to grow with them. And we too now give a lot more chances to, to grow them and European companies to give them the ability to scale."

Talent Migration and Global Ambition

Staniszewski also addressed the attraction of global talent to the UK, noting that many individuals from around the world are now looking to relocate to London to join ambitious AI companies. This influx of talent, combined with the existing domestic pool, strengthens the UK's position in the global AI race.

"One of the things that is very interesting that we are also seeing is a lot of people around the world want to come back here, where that senior talent is joining ElevenLabs, where we've seen that follow," he stated. "And I hope that a number of people of course, after that follow, seen that effect as well. We are seeing now more, happily more of the ecosystem building where some of the people that were early joiners will leave to start new companies here in UK to grow with them."

He added, "And we too now give a lot more chances to, to grow them and European companies to give them the ability to scale."

The 'Silicon Valley' Model in the UK

The discussion touched upon the traditional Silicon Valley model where large corporations often acquire smaller, innovative startups. Staniszewski suggested that while this model exists, the UK is fostering a different, perhaps more organic, growth pattern where talent is nurtured and given the opportunity to scale independently.

"I think in US, the one of the big companies buy from small companies," Staniszewski observed. "If you are an early company, you know there is the risk that you will give them the chance to prove the value. Prove the outcome. And we too now give a lot more chances to, to grow them and European companies to give them the ability to scale."

He continued, "We have seen that in the UK and in Europe too. We are a big company. We have almost 100 people here in UK, scaling to 200 of our next few months. And we think this is our big advantage to some of the companies from US where people in Europe want to work for ambitious companies from their own countries. And here they have the chance. They know that whether it's London, whether it's other cities, you are part of the core team building for the world. And investors realize that too."

Staniszewski concluded by highlighting the growth of ElevenLabs itself as a testament to the UK's AI potential. "We spent a lot time in US working with customers there. We have some of the biggest customers there like Meta in US, but we found a way to balance it out. We feel this is our big advantage to some of the companies from US where people in Europe want to work for ambitious companies from their own countries. And here they have the chance. They know that whether it's London, whether it's other cities, you are part of the core team building for the world. And investors realize that too."