Varun Puri left Google to tackle a problem he had lived with since childhood. Growing up in India, he saw how common it was for capable people to struggle to speak with confidence. Two out of three people, he says, face that barrier. His response is Yoodli: an AI role-play simulator designed to help people show up at their best in the conversations that matter most.
Founded four years ago, Yoodli began as an AI-powered public speaking coach. It has since expanded into a broader platform used by enterprises to prepare employees for sales pitches, manager conversations, interview certifications, salary negotiations, and more. Organizations including Google, SAP, Snowflake, Databricks, and Sandler Sales use the product. The system allows teams to customize role plays around their own methodology, customer persona, and evaluation rubric. What once required live practice and hours of manager time can now happen on demand, in what Puri describes as a “private, judgment-free batting cage.”
Before starting Yoodli, Puri ran special projects for Sergey Brin and later joined Google X as an early employee and product manager on Project Taara, which used invisible lasers to deliver high-speed internet to underconnected regions. His career has centered on access—first to connectivity, now to communication confidence.
Yoodli is built on generative AI, which Puri argues has made hyper-realistic, customizable conversations possible in a way they were not just a few years ago. The company has focused first on go-to-market enablement and sales coaching within enterprises, though the use cases extend to manager training, media preparation, partner enablement, and other high-stakes conversations.
The leadership team is impressive. Co-Founder Esha Joshi previously ran parts of Apple TV at Apple. Chief Revenue Officer Josh Vitello led large sales and customer success organizations at Tableau and Salesforce. CFO Andy Larson was formerly CFO of Remitly. CTO Derek Sessions ran engineering teams at Panopto and Microsoft.
Backed by Madrona, Neotribe, and Westbridge Capital, Yoodli is valued at over $300 million. For Puri, the company’s long-term ambition is clear: to become a conversational coach that is “always by your side, any time you’re speaking.”
The mission traces back to his parents, who supported his move to the United States at 17 and encouraged him to leave Google to build something of his own. At its core, Yoodli is about making sure opportunity hinges on what someone has to say—not on whether they are confident enough to say it.