LiveKit, a company that creates infrastructure software for real-time AI voice and video applications, has secured $100 million in funding, achieving a valuation of $1 billion. This investment round arrives just ten months after the company's last funding event and was spearheaded by Index Ventures. Existing investors such as Altimeter Capital Management, Hanabi Capital, and Redpoint Ventures also participated.

The startup's technology is integral to OpenAI's ChatGPT voice mode. Beyond that, LiveKit serves a diverse clientele including xAI, Salesforce, Tesla, 911 emergency service operators, and mental health providers.

Founded in 2021 by Russ d’Sa and David Zhao, the company originated as an open-source project aimed at enabling developers to build applications capable of seamless real-time audio and video transmission. This initiative gained relevance during the pandemic when platforms like Zoom became ubiquitous for global communication.

Initially offered as a free tool for developers, LiveKit's trajectory shifted when the founders recognized a significant demand from large corporations for a managed cloud solution. Capitalizing on the burgeoning voice AI market, the company began providing these enterprise services, which catalyzed its substantial growth.