Gradium, the Paris-based startup specializing in AI-powered voice, has reopened its seed round and raised a total of $100 million, with Nvidia joining the list of new investors. The company says it will use the fresh capital to open a Bay Area office and get closer to major AI research labs.
Expanded seed round reaches $100M
The initial raise announced in December totaled $70 million, backed by investors including FirstMark Capital, Eurazeo, DST Global Partners, Eric Schmidt, and Xavier Niel. By reopening the seed round, Gradium attracted additional commitments that bring the overall sum to $100 million, with Nvidia among the newcomers. The funding is earmarked in part to support the company’s U.S. expansion.
Origins and founding team
Gradium emerged from the French research lab Kyutai, which is also backed by Xavier Niel. It was co-founded by Neil Zeghidour, a researcher with prior experience at Google Brain, DeepMind, and Facebook. The team’s academic roots and the founders’ track record help explain the interest from major funds and tech players.
A technical promise: ultra-low-latency voice
Gradium’s technology focuses on delivering AI voice with extremely low latency—an essential requirement for making voice interactions with AI agents feel natural and fluid. The company says its goal is to eliminate the delays that currently disrupt real-time conversations with voice assistants.
Competition and early customers
The AI voice market is already crowded: specialized players like ElevenLabs—valued at $11 billion earlier this year—sit alongside large model developers such as Google with Gemini. Despite the competition, Gradium reports it has already signed notable customers since its December launch, including French automaker Renault.
By combining technical excellence with geographic proximity to innovation centers, Gradium aims to accelerate commercial adoption. Establishing a Bay Area presence and strengthening its balance sheet should help the company balance product development with access to leading AI research ecosystems, while maintaining its Parisian roots.
