ElevenLabs: Von polnischen Gymnasialfreunden zu $1B+ KI-Voice-Plattform

Posted a demo blog post with audio samples directly into Discord and Reddit communities ahead of the public beta.

Community audiences picked the demo up and spread it faster than any paid or press channel.

The same voice demo reached the top of Hacker News; both co-founders answered technical and pricing questions directly in the comments under their own accounts.

“Hey - developers behind ElevenLabs here. Thank you so much for the constructive and positive feedback - we're taking it onboard!”

Sent audio samples to AI-focused newsletters around the public beta launch.

Newsletter audiences of AI early-adopters converted into waitlist signups faster than general or traditional press coverage.

Prepared extensively for a feature in a major publication around the beta launch.

The feature ran but produced no measurable effect on signups or attention, unlike the community channels used at the same time.

An early audiobook author used the beta's size-limited text box to generate an entire book by pasting the manuscript in repeatedly and stitching the audio together; other book authors followed within days after seeing the result.

Output quality was good enough that satisfied users evangelized directly to peer creators without any deliberate referral program.

Pitched the technology in person on the conference floor at Web Summit Lisbon and closed the first agreement during the event, targeting other early-stage startups that could move quickly.

“Our inaugural deal was closed almost live during the conference”

Aiming at other early-stage startups meant meeting buyers who were willing to bet on unproven technology and decide fast, and offering the product free until the value was obvious removed the risk of saying yes.

“they were keen to move quicker and also take the bet on us”