In an era where back-to-back meetings dominate professional calendars, Granola emerges as a transformative AI-powered notepad designed to enhance, rather than replace, human note-taking. Founded in March 2023 by Chris Pedregal and Sam Stephenson in London, Granola offers a unique approach to meeting documentation by combining user input with AI-generated insights.
A Collaborative Approach to AI Note-Taking
Unlike traditional AI transcription tools that passively record and summarize meetings, Granola adopts a collaborative methodology. Users can jot down key points during meetings, and Granola's AI augments these notes by referencing the meeting transcript, ensuring a comprehensive and personalized summary. This approach allows users to guide the AI, emphasizing what they deem important, while the AI fills in contextual details.
Granola's interface distinguishes between user-generated content and AI additions by displaying personal notes in black and AI-generated text in gray. This clear demarcation ensures transparency and trust in the augmented notes.
Seamless Integration and User Experience
Granola integrates directly with users' calendars and transcribes audio from meetings held on platforms like Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, Slack, and WebEx. Notably, it operates without intrusive meeting bots, capturing audio directly from the user's device.
The application supports various formatting options, allowing users to structure their notes with headers, bullet points, and emphasis markers. This structured input aids the AI in generating organized and readable summaries.
Empowering Users with AI
Granola's philosophy centers on empowering users rather than automating the entire note-taking process. By allowing users to highlight significant moments during meetings, Granola ensures that the AI focuses on what matters most to the user. This approach not only enhances the quality of the notes but also enables users to remain more engaged during meetings, knowing that the AI will support them in capturing essential information.
Rapid Growth and Industry Recognition
Granola's innovative approach has garnered significant attention and investment. In October 2024, the company secured a $20 million Series A funding round led by Spark Capital, with participation from notable investors such as Nat Friedman, Daniel Gross, Lightspeed, Betaworks, and Firstminute Capital.
Further cementing its position in the market, Granola raised an additional $43 million in May 2025, achieving a valuation of $250 million. This funding round facilitated the launch of collaborative features, enabling users to share notes with teammates and allowing non-users to interact with the AI for insights.
How to Get Started with Granola
- Download and Install: Granola is currently available for macOS. Users can download the application from the official website.
- Calendar Integration: Upon installation, Granola prompts users to connect their calendar, allowing the app to identify and prepare for upcoming meetings.
- During Meetings: As meetings commence, Granola transcribes the audio in real-time. Users can input notes, highlight key points, and structure their thoughts using the note editor.
- Post-Meeting Summaries: After the meeting, Granola combines the transcript with user notes to generate a comprehensive summary, differentiating between user input and AI-generated content.
- Collaboration and Sharing: Users can share notes with team members or external stakeholders, even if they don't use Granola. The AI can also assist in drafting follow-up emails, creating bug reports, or listing action items based on the meeting content.
The Future of AI-Enhanced Productivity
Granola represents a shift towards AI tools that augment human capabilities without overshadowing them. By focusing on user empowerment and collaborative intelligence, Granola sets a precedent for future productivity tools aiming to harmonize human judgment with AI efficiency.
As the landscape of AI-driven applications continues to evolve, Granola's success underscores the demand for tools that prioritize user control, transparency, and meaningful augmentation over full automation.
For more information and to experience Granola firsthand, visit their official website: Granola AI.
