SEATTLE: Public speaking and leadership nonprofit Toastmasters International is partnering with Yoodli to help people become more confident in their speaking abilities.
Yoodli, a technology-driven public-speaking platform, gives users access to personalized feedback about their communication skills, providing notes on filler words and body language. With this partnership, Toastmasters’ more than 200,000 members will have free access to a new, co-branded version of Yoodli.
“Toastmasters is synonymous with public-speaking excellence around the world,” said Varun Puri, cofounder of Yoodli, in an email. “Members can practice speeches on their own, play fun, impromptu speaking games and easily collaborate with friends to improve their public speaking.”
The platform’s capabilities include the ability to practice, record and store up to an hour of speeches. Users can record a speech, share it, view a transcript and get access to analysis of things such as filler and hedging words, pacing and word choice.
Yoodli also includes games that help users improve communications skills and confidence.
The partnership will also help Yoodli to scale globally. The platform has secured more than $7 million in funding from investors including Microsoft cofounder Paul Allen’s Allen Institute for AI, Cercano Management and Madrona Venture Group.