The Center for Data Innovation spoke with Kush Mohan, founder of Eloqueny, a Barcelona-based startup that offers a platform for using AI to design more engaging professional training programs. Mohan discussed how a past internship inspired him to found Eloqueny, how the platform is helping organizations move towards digital-first thinking when it comes to training programs, and how AI advances will boost the company’s future.
Martin Makaryan: What does Eloqueny offer?
Kush Mohan: Eloqueny is a conversational learning platform that uses AI to transform traditional workplace and educational training programs, such as employee onboarding or sales training, into more interactive and personalized experiences. These training programs can often be mundane, rigid, and based on one-size-fits-all approaches. Conventional training methods frequently use generic approaches or dense materials, requiring significant time and resources from an organization’s staff, but rarely adapting to an individual’s needs. I experienced this firsthand during an internship where I had to complete onboarding training, which was a linear, uninspiring program that made it hard to stay focused and actually learn. I also observed how some employees transitioning into customer-facing roles struggled with the absence of necessary skills, which eventually led me to found Eloqueny. Eloqueny seeks to transform training programs by leveraging what we call digital humans—chatbots that have human-like interfaces— and multimodal AI technology to deliver personalized, real-world scenarios, and natural conversational learning experiences where learners can independently develop their skills.
This approach makes a training program more engaging, effective, and fun while removing the need for constant instructor involvement. Eloqueny challenges the notion that impactful learning must depend on human intervention, instead using AI to deliver training that is adaptable, accessible, and capable of meeting the demands of an increasingly digital world.
Makaryan: How does Eloqueny use AI?
Mohan: Eloqueny uses AI to transform static content into engaging, conversational learning experiences. With Anthropic’s Claude 3.5 Sonnet model, our platform converts lesson materials into dynamic conversational scripts, making the content interactive and easier to retain. We have developed digital trainers using the Unith platform from an Amsterdam-based company specializing in personalized AI avatars modeled on real humans. These avatars deliver our engagement-optimized content through adaptable responses powered by OpenAI’s GPT-4. Eloqueny also uses retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), a technique that allows large language models to pull information from external sources for better answers, to ensure accurate, context-aware interactions. Voice simulations from ElevenLabs and PlayHT handle natural speech input and output, while emotional AI adjusts responses based on user tone. AI-driven facial animation synchronizes speech with expressions, enhancing the realistic feeling of the learning interactions. We also integrate tools like Voiceflow for adaptive conversation design and LearnDash for progress tracking.
Makaryan: How are organizations using Eloqueny to enhance their training programs?
Mohan: Eloqueny is already in use in a variety of contexts to explore its potential for personalized, conversational learning. High school soccer athletes are using the platform to navigate the college recruitment process, while university tutors are leveraging it to better understand and navigate cultural nuances when interacting with a multicultural student body. In the corporate space, Eloqueny is being used to shift teams toward digital-first thinking, alongside pilots focused on sales enablement, including onboarding and client communication. There is also significant interest for operational onboarding programs, where scalable, “humanized” training can address complex challenges effectively.
Makaryan: What is the best advice you have received as a young innovator?
Mohan: The best advice I’ve received is to focus on doing one thing well before trying to do everything. As a young innovator, I often felt pulled in multiple directions, wanting to chase every opportunity or idea that came my way. But I learned that progress comes from narrowing your focus to what truly matters now, even if it means saying no to things that seem exciting. This shift has helped me build Eloqueny step by step, trusting that a strong foundation today will open doors to bigger ambitions in the future.
Makaryan: What is your vision for Eloqueny’s future?
Mohan: My vision for Eloqueny is to make learning truly personalized and accessible, addressing challenges that traditional methods often leave unsolved. Digital humans that use AI have the potential to scale human-like interactions across diverse fields—helping underserved communities build essential skills, guiding professionals through career transitions, and even supporting mental health through empathetic, conversational engagement. For example, a teacher in a remote area could practice classroom management scenarios, or immigrants could better understand the etiquettes and cultural norms of their host country through conversational learning. Right now, I am focused on building credibility through short-reach solutions that solve immediate, practical challenges while proving Eloqueny’s value. As AI technologies advance and become more widely accepted, Eloqueny will grow alongside them, delivering impactful, scalable solutions across industries.
