Poised

Poised is driven by a bold vision to transform human communication through intelligent, adaptive technology. We believe that clear, confident communication is foundational to personal and professional success, and we are building an AI-powered coaching platform that delivers real-time, personalized guidance to everyone engaging in virtual dialogues.

By deeply understanding tone, pace, and intent, our AI creates a new dimension of communication feedback—immediate, private, and actionable—empowering users to grow their skills continuously and authentically. We are crafting a future where every conversation is an opportunity for meaningful connection and confident expression.

We'll be honest — when we first heard about an AI that watches your Zoom calls and gives you communication tips, we were a bit skeptical. But after digging into Poised, we're genuinely impressed by what this San Francisco startup has built. This isn't just another productivity tool trying to solve a problem that doesn't exist.

The Real-Time Magic

What caught our attention immediately is how Poised works in real-time during your actual meetings. While you're presenting to your team or pitching to clients, the AI quietly analyzes your speech patterns, pace, and tone without anyone else knowing. It's like having a communication coach sitting next to you, but one that never gets tired or judges you for saying "um" seventeen times in five minutes.

The tool integrates seamlessly with Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet — the platforms where most of us spend way too much of our day anyway. No awkward setup or complicated installations required.

Why This Actually Matters

Here's the thing about communication feedback: it's usually terrible or non-existent. Your boss might tell you to "speak with more confidence" after a quarterly review, but what does that actually mean? Poised breaks it down into actionable insights — it'll tell you if you're speaking too fast, using too many filler words, or not pausing enough for emphasis.

We love that it focuses on professionals who live in virtual meetings: product managers, sales teams, designers, and anyone doing remote interviews. These are people who need to communicate clearly but rarely get specific feedback on how they're actually coming across.

The Privacy Angle

One concern we had was privacy — nobody wants their company knowing that an AI is analyzing their speech patterns. Poised seems to have thought this through carefully. The feedback is private to you, and they emphasize data encryption and user control over their information.

The fact that Deepgram acquired them in 2024 (after they raised $4.5 million in seed funding) tells us the voice AI industry sees real potential here. That's a solid validation for a company that's only been around since 2020.