AI voice technology leader ElevenLabs has announced a significant expansion of its investor base, securing backing from giants like BlackRock, NVIDIA, and celebrities including Jamie Foxx. This development marks the third close of its Series D funding round, coinciding with the company surpassing $500 million in annual recurring revenue. The influx of capital and strategic partnerships highlights the growing enterprise demand for advanced conversational AI solutions.
Rapid Growth and Financial Strength
The company's financial trajectory shows remarkable acceleration, with its annual recurring revenue climbing from $350 million at the end of 2025 to over $500 million in the first four months of 2026. This surge is attributed to the widespread deployment of its voice agents by enterprises for functions ranging from customer support to marketing. The rapid adoption underscores the tangible business value of human-like AI interactions.
This latest investment brings the total raised in its Series D round to more than $550 million, reinforcing the $11 billion valuation established earlier this year. The continued financial support from top-tier investors solidifies ElevenLabs' position as a dominant force in the generative AI landscape. This funding provides substantial resources for the company to pursue its ambitious product and expansion goals.
Strategic Backing from Industry Giants
The new roster of institutional investors includes BlackRock, Wellington, D.E. Shaw, and Schroders, signaling strong market conviction in the future of conversational AI. Corporate investors such as NVIDIA, through its NVentures arm, and Santander are also participating, reflecting a trend of enterprises investing in the technology they use. This strategic backing provides both capital and deep industry expertise for the company's next phase.
Key clients are also becoming key investors, as demonstrated by Deutsche Telekom's participation through its T.Capital arm. The telecommunications giant utilizes the ElevenLabs platform extensively to enhance its customer experience with AI agents for support and in-network assistance. This deep integration showcases the technology's capacity to become a foundational enabler for large-scale industrial AI.
Entertainment Industry Endorsement
The investment round also attracted significant interest from the creative community, with figures like Jamie Foxx, Eva Longoria, and "Squid Game" creator Hwang Dong-hyuk joining. They follow existing celebrity investors such as Matthew McConaughey, signaling a growing acceptance of AI tools within Hollywood. This trend reflects a strategic move by creatives to engage with technologies shaping their industry.
Actress and producer Eva Longoria noted that AI is transforming how stories are told and who they can reach, positioning ElevenLabs at the forefront of this shift. Her investment underscores the belief that the platform empowers creatives by offering new ways to control and extend their voice. This opens up novel revenue streams and expands fan engagement across different languages and media.
Future Ambitions and Team Commitment
Looking ahead, ElevenLabs plans to use the new capital to further its research and expand its platform's capabilities. The company aims to create an integrated suite for marketing teams by combining its audio technology with image and video generation. It will also focus on building sophisticated agents that can operate across voice, chat, and email.
Alongside its fundraising success, ElevenLabs demonstrated a strong commitment to its team by completing a $100 million tender offer for employees. This is the second such share sale in less than a year, allowing its 530 team members to share in the company's growth. This initiative helps retain top talent as the company continues its rapid global expansion.
The successful third close of its Series D round firmly establishes ElevenLabs' dominance in the AI voice sector, supported by a unique coalition of financial, corporate, and creative investors. With its impressive revenue growth and a clear vision for the future, the company is strategically positioned to lead the next wave of human-computer interaction. This latest milestone is a testament to the market's confidence in its technology and long-term potential.