According to GeekWire, Seattle-based AI roleplay startup Yoodli announced a $40 million Series B funding round on Tuesday, led by WestBridge Capital. This comes less than a year after its $13.7 million Series A in May 2023. The company, co-founded by Varun Puri and Esha Joshi in 2021, sells software that lets users practice real-world conversations like sales calls with AI personas. Yoodli reports its revenue has grown by about 900% in the past year, its headcount has tripled to over 40, and its customer list now includes SAP, Google, and Snowflake. The new capital will be used to expand into what Yoodli calls “experiential learning.”
The Flight Simulator For Talk
Here’s the thing about most corporate training: it’s passive. You watch a video. You click through a slide deck. Yoodli’s whole pitch is to replace that with what CEO Varun Puri calls a “batting cage” or a flight simulator for communication. The idea is to build conversational muscle memory through interactive practice. That’s a compelling vision, especially for high-stakes situations like a big sales pitch or delivering tough feedback. You can see the demo of how it works right here. It makes sense. If pilots train in simulators, why shouldn’t managers?
A Crowded And Noisy Market
Now, Yoodli isn’t alone. The market for AI-powered workforce coaching is getting packed. You’ve got everything from leadership coaches in your ear to full-scale VR meeting trainers. The common thread? Companies are desperate for tools that actually move the needle on “soft skills” like communication and leadership, areas where old-school Learning Management Systems (LMS) totally fail. So the money is flowing. But this also means Yoodli’s “experiential learning” push is entering a red ocean. They’re not just competing with other AI coaches; they’re competing with every corporate training budget and consultant out there. Their bet is that interactive, AI-driven roleplay is fundamentally better and can prove a clearer ROI.
The Bigger Picture For AI At Work
I think the most interesting quote from the CEO is about AI replacing jobs. Puri said they’re “doubling down on a different belief: that AI should help people become the best version of themselves.” That’s a powerful narrative, especially when so much AI news is about displacement. This is the augmentation story. It’s AI as a personal coach, not just a productivity automator. But let’s be skeptical for a second. Can an AI truly simulate the unpredictable nuance of a human conversation? Probably not perfectly. But maybe it doesn’t need to. Maybe “good enough” practice, available anytime, is the real breakthrough. If it builds confidence and identifies your worst verbal tics, that’s a win. The 900% revenue growth suggests a lot of big companies are willing to find out.
