Pune (Maharashtra) [India], December 18, 2025– Living with stuttering firsthand, Viraj Kulkarni understands the challenges and frustrations of wanting to speak freely but feeling held back. Drawing from this personal experience and his expertise in AI and healthcare, he founded Iyaso in 2023 with a simple yet powerful mission: to make speech therapy accessible, effective, and empowering for everyone who stutters. Today, Iyaso is proud to launch Eloquent, the first AI-powered speech therapy app designed to help users practice fluency, build confidence, and overcome real-world speaking challenges.
Eloquent combines the latest AI technology with proven stuttering therapy techniques, including gentle onsets, rhythmic speech exercises, breathing regulation, and strategies to reduce avoidance. What sets it apart is its focus on real-life application: the app allows users to practice speaking in everyday scenarios, helping them transfer skills from practice to real conversations. Early pilot results are promising, showing users experienced an average 53% reduction in stuttering severity and a 34% boost in communication confidence, giving them tangible reasons to feel more self-assured in their daily lives.
Since its launch in July 2024, Eloquent has reached over 30,000 users across 200 countries, serving individuals who want to practice daily, professionals aiming to speak more confidently in meetings, parents supporting children at home, and speech-language pathologists looking for tools to complement their therapy sessions. The app’s approach is designed to be practical, engaging, and supportive, offering micro-practice sessions, real-life simulations, AI-powered feedback, and encouragement to tackle not just speech, but the anxiety and self-doubt that often accompany it. Iyaso has also gamified their app to increase the engagement of the users.
Looking ahead, Iyaso plans to expand the app into regional languages, broaden its platform to address other communication disorders, and continue refining its AI-driven, gamified approach to therapy. At its heart, Iyaso envisions a world where stuttering no longer limits confidence, communication, or opportunity—and where technology becomes a trusted partner in helping people find their voice.
