New Delhi: Zoho, the Chennai-based software company, is once again making news in India’s technology circle. After creating buzz with its messaging app Arattai, the firm has now introduced a new platform called Vani. This AI-powered tool is aimed at teams that want to work together visually and in real time, without jumping between too many different apps.
The launch of Vani also comes at a time when the Indian government is encouraging the use of local software platforms. Just last week, the Ministry of Education asked officials to adopt Zoho Office Suite for official work. The ministry described this as a “bold step in the Swadeshi movement,” highlighting India’s push for self-reliance in technology.
In other news, we have launched Vani, which does fresh thinking on team collaboration. We call Vani the all-in-one, visual-first intelligent platform. Vani sparks creativity!
It represents many years of R&D and we already have customers using it and loving it. Please try it with… pic.twitter.com/2mIhMrDBeQ
— Sridhar Vembu (@svembu) October 2, 2025
What is Zoho Vani?
Vani is a workplace collaboration platform built around three ideas: visualize, collaborate, and execute. At its heart is an infinite whiteboard that lets people brainstorm, draw diagrams, and map ideas. Instead of flipping between slides or spreadsheets, teams can pin notes, sketch flows, and keep everything on one canvas.
Zoho describes Vani as a way to reduce “cognitive overload” and keep discussions clear. Sridhar Vembu, Zoho’s co-founder and chief scientist, posted on X, “We call Vani the all-in-one, visual-first intelligent platform. Vani sparks creativity! It represents many years of R&D and we already have customers using it and loving it.”
Key features of Vani
The platform has a long list of tools. Some of the most noticeable include:
- Infinite whiteboard for building strategies or mapping customer journeys without page limits.
- Mind maps to break down complex projects into smaller tasks.
- Built-in video meetings so teams can start a call without leaving the board.
- Comments and reactions with voice notes and emoji options.
- Frames that allow content to be organized into slides, device formats, or social media layouts.
- DB tables and workflows to manage projects, tasks, and campaign data within the same space.
What sets it apart is the use of generative AI. The system can automatically summarise meetings or discussions inside a Space, generate instant flowcharts, and even create new mind maps with a simple prompt.
Spaces and zones
Vani also introduces a new structure for collaboration. A Space works like a folder, while Zones are canvases within that folder. Each Space can hold multiple Zones, allowing both free and paid users to collaborate in real time. Work done in these Spaces can be exported and shared via secure links, and users can also bring in documents from third-party apps.
Pricing and availability
According to Zoho’s official website, Vani is part of the Zoho Workplace package starting at Rs 399 per month. The package comes with 1 TB of pooled storage, 100 GB per additional user, and allows up to 1000 participants in online meetings. For now, Vani is available on desktop and through a browser. Vembu confirmed that a mobile version will be launched “in due course.”
Why it matters
The launch of Vani signals Zoho’s continued push into areas dominated by Google, Microsoft, and Zoom. At the same time, the government’s call to adopt local tools gives these homegrown products more visibility. For small and mid-sized businesses, Vani could become a single space to brainstorm, manage projects, and communicate without switching between too many apps.