Founders of Google’s NotebookLM Venture Out to Build Their Own Startup

Three prominent members of Google’s NotebookLM team—team lead Raiza Martin, designer Jason Spielman, and engineer Stephen Hughes—have officially announced their departure from Google to co-found a new stealth startup. Their decision marks a significant shift, as all three were instrumental in shaping the AI-driven features that helped NotebookLM gain traction. However, according to Martin’s recent LinkedIn post, the team felt compelled to pursue a larger, untapped opportunity in the evolving AI landscape. “We couldn’t shake the feeling that there’s a massive opportunity to build something transformative in this space,” Martin wrote, signaling their ambition to create something innovative beyond the boundaries of their work at Google.

The new startup remains shrouded in secrecy, operating in full stealth mode with only a bare-bones website that offers no details about its mission, name, or product focus. Speculation remains about whether the startup will build on concepts that made NotebookLM go viral—such as AI-generated podcasts or AI-assisted note-taking—or pivot to something entirely different. Despite the lack of specifics, Martin provided a few hints during an interview with TechCrunch, emphasizing that the new venture would focus on developing a consumer-facing product aimed at making advanced AI technology more accessible and useful to everyday users.

As frontier AI models and their capabilities continue to advance, thoughtful product development becomes essential to ensure these powerful technologies are accessible, useful, and intuitive for everyday users,” Martin emphasized. “Our team is focused on building a user-first AI product.” This statement underscores the team’s dedication to creating technology that addresses practical, real-world needs. It suggests a deliberate focus on usability, ensuring that complex AI tools are not only cutting-edge but also easy to understand and seamlessly integrated into users’ daily lives. By prioritizing user experience, the team aims to deliver solutions that empower individuals, making advanced AI an approachable and valuable resource for all.

Although still in the early stages, the startup has yet to announce any funding rounds. However, Martin noted that they have already received widespread support from a broad network, including fellow founders, investors, academics, and potential team members. “Support outside of Google has been tremendous and really encouraging for our small team,” Martin shared, hinting at strong interest and confidence from the broader tech community.

The departure of Martin, Spielman, and Hughes from Google underscores a broader trend in the AI industry, where top talent is increasingly leaving established tech giants to pursue independent ventures. It also highlights the dynamic nature of the AI space, where the rapid evolution of AI models opens up new opportunities for innovation. 

This move positions the new startup as a compelling contender in the AI space, especially considering the team’s deep expertise in creating cutting-edge AI products and their unwavering commitment to delivering meaningful, user-centered solutions. With a proven track record of innovation at Google and a vision focused on harnessing the latest advancements in AI, the founders are poised to develop a transformative product that could significantly enhance the way consumers interact with technology. Their dedication to accessibility and practical usability suggests that the startup aims to bridge the gap between complex AI models and everyday applications, making it a venture that could reshape consumer AI experiences in profound ways.