introduce

Helping the World Speak English with Confidence

ELSA, which stands for English Language Speech Assistant, was founded with a mission to empower individuals to communicate effectively in English. Our goal is to provide innovative tools that enhance language skills and boost confidence in speaking.

We Are Backed By

Mission

Transforming lives and organizations through effective spoken English.

Vision

Become the best and most accessible English speaking & communication training tool for more than 1.5 billion language learners around the world, enabling everybody to speak English confidently and fluently and unlock new opportunities in their lives.

Our Story

It all started when Vu Van, CEO and co-founder of ELSA Speak, left Vietnam to pursue an MBA and Masters in Education at Stanford University.

Vu was confident in her English vocabulary but knew she had a strong Vietnamese accent.

Her professors and classmates could not always understand what she was saying, which led her to feel that her opinions in class were often dismissed.

Searching for a co-founder, Vu asked Dr. Xavier Anguera, a respected speech technologist, to help form the new company.

Ever since, ELSA Speak has been recognized by Forbes as one of the 4 best companies utilizing Artificial Intelligence to change the world, and was ranked in the Top 5 AI Apps, along with Microsoft’s Cortana and Google’s Google Allo.

ELSA Speak is currently used by millions of learners around the globe.

ELSA ’s Origin and Journey

Discover the inspiring journey of our company through the years. Join us as we reflect on our path and the moments that have shaped our product and mission.

2016

2017

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2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

2025

Global Impact

Discover ELSA's worldwide influence, connecting millions of learners across diverse cultures. Our mission is to make language learning accessible to all, breaking down barriers and fostering communication.

90M+

learners throughout the world

100+

countries widespreaded

31+

languages supported

93.4%

positive feedback from users

Recognized as a Leader in AI-Powered English Learning

ELSA has been featured in top publications and won multiple industry awards.

SXSW EDU

2024 Best English Speaking App

Edtech Digest

The EdTech Awards 2021

FastCompany

World Changing Ideas 2020

Reimagine Education

Best Digital Content

Forbes

Top 4 Best AI Companies

Product Hunt

#1 Education App

Get To Know The Minds Behind

Meet the passionate individuals behind our company, featuring the founders and leaders who drive our mission forward!

Vu Van

Co-founder & CEO
Vu Van has served as Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of ELSA since 2016. She has led ELSA’s transformation into a global leader in AI-powered English communication training. Under her leadership, ELSA has scaled to millions of users and thousands of enterprises worldwide, pioneering human-like AI speech recognition and generative AI tutoring that enable learners, enterprises, and schools to achieve English fluency and confidence at scale.

Akshaya Aradhya

CTO
Akshaya Aradhya has served as ELSA's Chief Technology Officer since 2025. She brings extensive experience leading AI and engineering organizations across GitHub, Netflix, LiveRamp, Intuit, and Oscila. Throughout her career, Ara has built and shipped products used by hundreds of millions of people, including GitHub Copilot, Netflix’s machine learning platforms, and LiveRamp’s petabyte-scale data systems. She joins ELSA committed to advancing its mission and strengthening the AI technologies that empower learners and organizations worldwide.

Will Polese

Global VP of Revenue
Will Polese has served as Vice President of Revenue at ELSA since 2023, leading the company’s global B2B business, including sales, customer success, marketing, and revenue operations. With over three decades of experience in strategy and innovation, he has accelerated ELSA’s enterprise expansion and strengthened its position as a leader in AI-powered English communication solutions for organizations worldwide.

Matan Cohen

VP Finance
Matan Cohen serves as Vice President of Finance at ELSA, overseeing the company’s global finance, legal, and compliance functions. Since joining in 2022, he has led initiatives to strengthen ELSA’s financial discipline, operational efficiency, and investor engagement as the company scales its AI-powered English communication platform worldwide.

Mansi Sharma

VP, Growth & Marketing
Mansi Sharma is a growth and marketing leader with experience across global technology companies and startups. She is the VP of Growth and Marketing at ELSA, responsible for B2C business. Previous experience includes leading organizations like Google, Uber, MyFitnessPal, and Rakuten.

Charles Wong

Global Human Resources Director
Charles Wong serves as Global Head of Human Resources at ELSA, overseeing the company’s people, culture, and organizational development across Asia, Europe, and North America.

Our Principles

Discover the dedicated team at ELSA, including our founders and leaders, who embody our core values.

Inclusion

We believe great ideas come from diverse voices. Everyone is empowered to speak up and be heard, helping us build a culture where differences are valued and drive meaningful innovation.

Innovation

We don’t settle, we build what’s next. Our team constantly experiments, iterates, and leverages cutting-edge AI to create impactful solutions that redefine how people learn English globally.

Learning

Growth is at the core of everything we do. Through continuous feedback and real-world challenges, we empower every team member to learn, improve, and unlock their full potential.

Accessibility

We make learning possible for everyone. By combining technology with thoughtful design, we ensure our products are inclusive, user-friendly, and accessible across cultures.