Get Smart with Conversational AI

How Noodle Factory is Pioneering AI-Powered Education 

I caught up with Yvonne Soh, co-founder and CEO of Noodle Factory, a Singapore-based startup on a mission to revolutionise learning with conversational AI.

In this interview, Yvonne shares how she started, her collaboration with AI Singapore, and her vision for the future of AI-driven education.

Watch the Interview 🎥

From Philosophy to AI Entrepreneurship 

Basil: Yvonne, you describe yourself as a dreamer, dog lover, tech junkie, and lifelong learner. Tell us more about your background.

Yvonne: Sure! What surprises most people is that I didn’t start in IT or business—I majored in philosophy. But somehow, I found my way into tech, starting in sales and marketing before transitioning into technical roles at NCS (National Computer Systems).

Unlike many young tech entrepreneurs, I took a different path. I co-founded Noodle Factory only a few years ago, after spending more than a decade in corporate training.

The Birth of Noodle Factory 

Basil: What inspired you to start Noodle Factory?

Yvonne: It began with our first company, Jam Factory, which focused on corporate training and workshops. We realised that traditional training wasn’t effective—people would attend workshops, feel inspired, and then forget what they learned days later.

To improve retention, we experimented with e-learning, mobile apps, and eventually chatbots as virtual mentors to extend learning beyond the classroom.

That’s when we faced a problem—most chatbots were hard to set up. They required manual input of every question and answer, which was tedious.

The Breakthrough 

We thought:

 “Why not use AI to read and understand content?” 

Most training materials already exist in documents, presentations, or manuals. If AI could process these materials, chatbots could automatically generate responses, making setup effortless.

We explored existing NLP (Natural Language Processing) models, refined them, and built Noodle Factory—a chatbot that isn’t just a basic FAQ tool but a true AI-powered teaching assistant.

How Noodle Factory Works 

Basil: How easy is it for organisations to set up their own AI chatbot?

Yvonne: Super easy. Instead of manually programming responses, admins just upload their content—slides, manuals, or FAQs—and the AI does the rest.

The chatbot reads, understands, and answers questions based on that content. It’s designed for corporate training, education, and customer service—making AI more accessible than ever.

Partnering with AI Singapore 

Basil: You collaborated with AI Singapore’s 100 Experiments (100E) programme. How did that happen?

Yvonne: We first learned about AI Singapore through an AI for Everyone event. I reconnected with Laurence Liew, whom I had worked with 20 years ago.

After discussing our chatbot challenges, he suggested we apply for the 100E programme, which connects AI apprentices with real-world projects. Through this, we worked with AI Singapore’s AI Apprenticeship Programme (AIAP) to refine our NLP models.

The AI Singapore Collaboration Experience 

Basil: How was the experience working with AI Singapore?

Yvonne: Fantastic! The team was structured, professional, and responsive. We had regular sprint reviews and constant engagement to ensure that our solution met real-world business needs.

Two apprentices, Meraldo (now a Data Scientist at Aliz Technologies) and Cheng Heng (now working at Wärtsilä), made significant contributions. They didn’t just learn AI concepts—they applied them to real-world deployments.

 “Yvonne was very kind and encouraging throughout the engagement. I enjoyed working with her team and learned a lot about modern NLP concepts thanks to the project.” 

— Meraldo, AI Apprentice

AI-Powered Chatbots in Government & Education 

Basil: Noodle Factory recently won a proof-of-concept with HDB. Can you tell us more?

Yvonne: Yes! HDB was already using chatbots for customer service but wanted an AI-driven internal training tool.

With our AI, employees can quickly access finance policies without searching through long documents.

We’ve also deployed our chatbot at Singapore Institute of Management (SIM), where it functions as a virtual teaching assistant for economics students—answering questions, providing examples, and running quizzes.

The Future of Noodle Factory 

Basil: What’s next for Noodle Factory?

Yvonne: Our focus is on enhancing user experience. We’re developing an intuitive setup process—our goal is for users to launch a chatbot in the time it takes to make instant noodles! (laughs)

We’ve also launched a freemium model. Organisations can sign up for a free version on our website and explore AI-powered learning before upgrading.

AI: The Future of Learning, Not a Job Killer 

Basil: AI is often seen as a threat to jobs, but you position it as an assistant. What’s your take?

Yvonne: Exactly. AI won’t take jobs, but it will take repetitive tasks off people’s plates.

Whether you’re a lecturer, HR officer, or trainer, AI can automate tedious work so you can focus on what truly matters.

Our mission at Noodle Factory is to make AI accessible, intuitive, and impactful for education and corporate learning.

Try AI-Powered Learning for Free 

Want to see Noodle Factory’s AI chatbot in action?

➡️ Sign up for free and explore how AI can enhance your learning and training experience.

[This interview was transcribed using Speech Lab and edited for clarity.] 

📅 Originally published: 5 June 2020 | Updated for 2025