Viraj Kulkarni
For most people, speech is effortless-a transparent bridge between thought and expression. But for millions living with stuttering and other communication disorders, every sentence is an obstacle course. Viraj Kulkarni, Founder and CEO of Iyaso, has made it his mission to change that through advanced artificial intelligence. His journey spans three startups, 20+ research publications, and a sabbatical from a PhD in quantum computing and machine learning-all converging on one question: How can technology help people speak with more confidence, clarity, and control?
Iyaso is the culmination of a decade spent building AI systems for healthcare. The company develops AI-powered speech therapy applications that support people with stuttering and a range of communication challenges. These tools analyze speech patterns in real time, provide tailored exercises, and can integrate with professional therapy, offering a level of accessibility and consistency that the current system struggles to provide. "Speech is deeply human," he says. "If we can use AI to help people express themselves without fear, that's one of the most meaningful applications of technology I can imagine."
While Iyaso is his latest venture, it is far from his first. A three-time founder, he has previously built AI healthcare products that traveled the full path from raw prototypes to US FDA clearance-a milestone few startups reach-and ultimately into clinical practice. His track record of bridging complex science, regulatory rigor, and real-world patient needs has earned him a reputation as a builder who can take ideas not just to market, but to medically validated impact.
Before turning fully toward entrepreneurship, he pursued research at the cutting edge of quantum computing and machine learning, publishing more than 20 peer-reviewed papers. But he eventually stepped away from his PhD program, taking a sabbatical to focus on building technologies with more immediate human impact. "I loved the math, the theory, the beauty of it all," he reflects. "But I realized that what I really wanted was to see technology helping people directly. Healthcare felt like the place where I could make that difference."
A passionate programmer since childhood, he is comfortable working across the entire technology stack-from writing device drivers and embedded software to designing full-scale web applications. That technical breadth shapes his leadership style as a founder; he moves easily between high-level vision and low-level engineering details.
Ultimately, his story is one of convergence: research, engineering, healthcare, and lived human experience coming together to address a challenge that affects millions. With Iyaso, he hopes to reshape the landscape of speech therapy and-more importantly-the lives of the people who depend on it.
"If technology can help someone speak even one sentence without stuttering with a little more confidence," he says, "then it's worth everything."
