In a remarkable success story that has captured global attention, Karan Goel, an IIT Delhi alumnus, has raised a staggering $100 million (Rs882 crore) for his Silicon Valley-based AI startup, Cartesia. The funding round, led by Kleiner Perkins, Index Ventures, Lightspeed, and NVIDIA, positions Cartesia among the most promising new players in the global artificial intelligence ecosystem.
At just 30, Karan Goel represents a new generation of Indian innovators rewriting the global tech narrative — not as employees of big tech, but as founders leading the AI revolution.
From DPS RK Puram to Stanford: A Journey of Relentless Pursuit
Born and raised in Delhi, Karan Goel completed his schooling at DPS RK Puram, followed by a dual degree in Electrical Engineering from IIT Delhi (2016). His quest for deeper learning took him to the Carnegie Mellon University for a Master’s in Machine Learning and later to Stanford University, where he earned a PhD in Computer Science.
Before venturing into entrepreneurship, Karan worked with leading AI research organizations, including Salesforce AI Research and Snorkel AI, and was selected for the prestigious Greylock X Fellowship, where he honed his entrepreneurial and venture capital skills.
The Birth of Cartesia: India’s Mind, Silicon Valley’s Innovation
In 2023, Karan founded Cartesia, an AI startup focused on real-time voice intelligence — an area transforming digital communication and virtual assistance. Within two years, the company has gained recognition as a serious challenger to AI giants like Google, OpenAI, and Amazon.
Cartesia’s breakthrough product, Sonic-3, is now being hailed as one of the fastest and most natural voice AI models in the world. Supporting 42 languages and achieving 190ms latency, it delivers near-instant voice responses with emotional realism — a leap forward for conversational AI.
“If you’re qualified and we can’t make your voice AI better than what you’re using now, I’ll donate $5K to your chosen charity,” Goel boldly wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
The World Before Sonic-3 — and After
Sonic-3 has already won over the AI community. Michelle Lim, co-founder of Flint, wrote —
“From this day on there are two eras. The world before Sonic-3. And the world after Sonic-3.”
Tech enthusiasts on social media echoed the excitement, praising Sonic-3’s natural tone, emotional range, and multilingual brilliance.
A New Era for Indian Innovators
Karan Goel’s journey—from a DPS student to a Silicon Valley founder—symbolizes the growing global influence of Indian technologists. His success story serves as inspiration for thousands of young engineers who aspire to innovate beyond boundaries.
With $100 million in funding, cutting-edge AI research, and an ambitious vision, Karan Goel’s Cartesia is not just another startup — it’s a bold step toward redefining how the world interacts with machines.
