Gradium, a Paris-based startup that builds voice-focused AI models, has reopened its seed round to new investors and now says the round totals $100 million. The company announced on Thursday that Nvidia participated in the expanded round.
Use of funds: Bay Area office and talent recruitment
Gradium plans to use the capital to open an office in the Bay Area and to compete for engineering and research talent there, which the company described as "strengthening its position at the heart of the world’s leading AI ecosystem." While Paris remains a major European AI hub, the move signals the perceived advantages for startups of having a presence close to companies such as Anthropic, Google, Meta, and OpenAI.
Earlier funding and founding background
The startup emerged from stealth in December with $70 million from a notable roster of investors that included FirstMark Capital, Eurazeo, DST Global Partners, Eric Schmidt, and French telecom billionaire Xavier Niel.
Gradium was spun out of the French AI lab Kyutai (a lab supported by Xavier Niel). Both Kyutai and Gradium were co-founded by Neil Zeghidour, a researcher who previously worked at Google Brain, DeepMind, and Facebook.
Technology and competition
Gradium develops audio models designed to deliver voice at scale with ultra-low latency, aiming for AI voices that respond almost instantly to avoid the awkward pauses common in AI agent conversations.
The market includes several competitors, from voice-focused startups such as ElevenLabs — which was valued at $11 billion in February — to major model makers known for voice capabilities like Google’s Gemini. Despite the competition, Gradium reports having won significant customers since its December launch.
Customers and market traction
Among the customers Gradium has cited is French automaker Renault. The funding extension and planned Bay Area presence indicate the company is pursuing international growth while maintaining its European roots.
