In the fast-paced world of artificial intelligence, where talent is the ultimate currency, ElevenLabs CEO Mati Staniszewski is rewriting the rules of recruitment. As the co-founder of Europe’s fastest-growing AI company, Staniszewski insists on personally interviewing every single hire, a practice he maintains even as the startup scales to 400 employees and surpasses $200 million in annual revenue. This hands-on approach, detailed in a recent appearance on the “20VC with Harry Stebbings” podcast, has propelled ElevenLabs to outperform giants like OpenAI in voice AI benchmarks, according to Yahoo Finance.

Staniszewski, who co-founded ElevenLabs in 2022 with Piotr Dąbkowski, draws inspiration from his Polish roots and experiences with poorly dubbed films. The company, specializing in AI voice intelligence, secured $2 million in pre-seed funding in January 2023, led by Credo Ventures, as reported by Wikipedia. By organizing into micro-teams of five to 10 people, ElevenLabs fosters agility, allowing it to secure multimillion-dollar contracts while maintaining a flat organizational structure without traditional titles.

A Wide Net for Global Talent

Rejecting Silicon Valley norms, Staniszewski casts a wide net beyond platforms like LinkedIn, emphasizing non-traditional hiring to uncover hidden gems. In a recent interview, he revealed discovering a ‘brilliant’ researcher working at a call center, a testament to his belief that top talent often lies outside conventional channels. “ElevenLabs could only have been created in Europe,” Staniszewski told Business Insider, highlighting how this approach has built a diverse, global team.

This strategy aligns with ElevenLabs’ remote-first model, with bases in the US, UK, and Poland. Posts on X from users like a16z echo this sentiment, noting Staniszewski’s use of small teams and flat structures to accelerate innovation, though such social media insights should be viewed as anecdotal. The company’s valuation has soared to $6.6 billion, fueled by exponential enterprise adoption, as per Benzinga.

Personal Touch in Scaling Up

Even at scale, Staniszewski and Dąbkowski interview every candidate, a ritual that ensures cultural fit and high performance. “We removed titles a year ago, and it’s going well,” Staniszewski shared in a podcast highlighted by a16z on X, emphasizing micro-teams for speed. This defies industry orthodoxy, where CEOs often delegate hiring as companies grow.

ElevenLabs’ culture prioritizes intuition and desire in candidates, beyond technical skills, as noted in X posts from entrepreneurs like SB, who stress impact-driven hiring. The company’s success is evident in its $200 million ARR milestone, celebrated in a blog post by Staniszewski on ElevenLabs’ site, where he discussed rewarding teams amid growth.

European Roots Fuel Innovation

Staniszewski attributes ElevenLabs’ edge to its European origins, where AI voice tech was nascent. “The most expressive Text to Speech model” is among their achievements, as per the company’s blog. In a TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 appearance, he predicted AI audio models would become commoditized, urging focus on applications, according to TechCrunch.

This vision extends to voice agents for everyday tasks, with customizable accents and tones, as Staniszewski forecasted in X posts amplified by a16z. ElevenLabs’ journey from a $19 million Series A in 2023 to dominating the sector underscores how unconventional hiring sustains innovation.

Navigating Challenges in AI Talent Wars

Amid fierce competition, ElevenLabs’ method uncovers overlooked talent, like the call center researcher who became a key contributor. Staniszewski’s wide-net philosophy, detailed in Yahoo Finance, contrasts with LinkedIn-centric recruiting, fostering diversity.

Recent news from The Economic Times podcast features Staniszewski discussing global voice interaction changes, aligning with his hiring ethos. X posts from Podmark highlight his views on untraditional hiring for talent acquisition.

Flat Structures and Micro-Teams

By eliminating titles, ElevenLabs promotes meritocracy, echoing sentiments in an old X post from Dmitry Grozoubinski critiquing ‘culture fit’ interviews. Staniszewski’s approach, however, integrates personal oversight to ensure alignment.

In a Benzinga report, he explained maintaining hands-on hiring amid scaling to 250 employees for $200 million revenue. This structure, with 20 micro-teams, enables rapid iteration in voice AI.

Investor Backing and Future Visions

Support from Andreessen Horowitz, as Staniszewski noted on X, has been pivotal, including ‘sleepless nights’ of collaboration. The firm’s X posts praise ElevenLabs’ predictions on AI voice agents.

Looking ahead, Staniszewski envisions commoditized AI models, per Kukarella, positioning ElevenLabs at the forefront of audio interfaces.

Empowering Creators Globally

ElevenLabs engages creators through marketplaces, as Staniszewski discussed in Podmark X clips. This inclusive strategy extends to hiring, drawing from diverse pools.

With enterprise growth, the company’s culture remains rooted in European innovation, as Staniszewski affirmed in Business Insider, ensuring sustained leadership in AI voice tech.