Code Story: Insights from Startup Tech Leaders S12 E4: Arto Minasyan, Krisp.ai
Feb 3, 2026
Arto Minasyan, a serial entrepreneur and machine learning PhD who co-founded Krisp.ai, tells the creation story of AI noise cancellation. He recounts building the first prototype over breakfast and rapid COVID-driven adoption. He discusses technical challenges training on-device models, hiring PhDs in Armenia, and focusing roadmap and distribution to scale.
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Breakfast Idea Became A COVID-Era Breakout
- Arto and his co-founder prototyped AI noise cancellation after breakfast conversations in Armenia and spent a year building a working model.
- The desktop app demo led them to pivot from licensing to selling the app when COVID increased demand.
Solve One Big Use Case First
- Focus on solving one big use case completely before adding features to build strong product-market fit.
- Make the core feature reliable across platforms and devices before expanding the roadmap.
Local Talent Fueled Early Breakthroughs
- Krisp hired top talent from Armenia's academic community, giving them an unfair hiring advantage outside the US.
- Early local hiring enabled breakthrough tech with a small, world-class team.