Schroders

ElevenLabs Adds BlackRock, Jamie Foxx, Eva Longoria Investors

Voice AI company ElevenLabs disclosed new institutional, enterprise and individual investors as part of its previously announced $500 million Series D. New backers include BlackRock, Wellington, D.E. Shaw, Schroders, Nvidia, Salesforce Ventures, Santander, KPN and Deutsche Telekom, alongside individual investors Jamie Foxx, Eva Longoria and Hwang Dong-hyuk. The startup said it has surpassed $500 million in ARR after growing rapidly (valuation rose from $6.6B to $11B earlier in the year), signed enterprise contracts with Deutsche Telekom, Revolut and Klarna, closed a $100 million tender, and plans a retail investor opportunity via Robinhood Ventures. ElevenLabs also acquired the team from Polish voice AI startup Papla to expand research capabilities.

Wayve Secures $1.8B for Self-Driving Tech Expansion

Wayve, a U.K. self-driving technology startup founded in 2017, announced a large new funding round and expanded strategic relationships with major technology and automotive companies. The article reports Wayve’s latest round as $1.2 billion in the body (the headline states $1.8 billion) and values the company at $8.6 billion. Investors and participants include Nvidia, Uber, Microsoft, Eclipse, Balderton, SoftBank Vision Fund 2, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Stellantis, and several institutional investors. Wayve sells an end-to-end, data-driven neural-network autonomy stack that does not require HD maps or specific sensors and can run on partners’ existing vehicle compute (including Nvidia Drive AGX Thor). Nissan plans to integrate Wayve software into ADAS starting in 2027; Uber plans commercial trials this year and expects deployments in more than 10 markets.

Wayve Secures $1.2B for Revolutionary Self-Driving Tech

Wayve raised $1.2 billion in a funding round that includes returning backers Microsoft, Nvidia, and Uber, plus three automakers and a mix of venture and institutional investors, valuing the U.K. startup at $8.6 billion. Founded in 2017, Wayve develops end-to-end, data-driven autonomous driving software that does not require high-definition maps and is sensor- and chip-agnostic. The company offers two products: an “eyes on” assisted-driving system and an “eyes off” fully automated system intended for robotaxis and consumer vehicles. Wayve’s Gen 3 platform uses Nvidia Drive AGX Thor to enable eyes-off advanced driver-assistance and Level 4 capabilities. Nissan plans to integrate Wayve’s software into cars starting in 2027; Uber is running commercial trials this year and says it plans deployments in more than 10 markets. The round was led by Eclipse, Balderton, and SoftBank Vision Fund 2, with other institutional investors participating.