University of Birmingham’s Student Entrepreneurs Launch AI Platform to Combat Exam Stress
Two student entrepreneurs at the University of Birmingham have developed StudyStash, an innovative learning platform that combines AI and cutting-edge neuroscience to personalise study content and adapt the learning process to each individual’s unique needs.
Founders Ben Ward and Jonathan Graham created StudyStash while revising for their second-year Computer Science exams, based on their own study experiences. They designed the platform to reduce exam stress, boost confidence and improve overall academic performance.
Supported by the University’s student start-up programme, UoB Elevate, the pair have now moved the fledgling business to the next level. University of Birmingham education experts have worked with Ben and Jonathan to design and roll out a year-long, University-wide pilot of the platform, as part of a next stage of the start-up programme UoB Elevate PLUS.
The pilot will involve over 5,000 students in taught modules across a diverse range of subjects including Computer Science, Medicine, Law, Sports Science, Chemical Engineering and Politics.
We created StudyStash for ourselves – building the entire platform from scratch – and it helped us get great exam results. The platform has evolved to provide everything students need to smash their exams. It’s like having a personal tutor on hand 24/7, learning from how you study and helping you to revise like a pro.
Ben Ward – StudyStash Chief Executive Officer
The multilingual StudyStash platform uses AI to analyse lecture notes and course materials to generate a range of bespoke learning and revision aids, including flashcards, tests, games, revision schedules and peer interactions. AI is also used to adapt the learning process to the unique needs and style of each user, with students able to access their personal learning schedule and content 24/7 with mobile devices such as smartphones.
Lecturers can use the platform to identify how well students are engaging with their course and where they may need extra support – helping staff to adapt teaching to improve student attainment and course satisfaction.
Alongside the pilot, researchers will formally analyse the platform’s impact on the study experience and academic results – examining how students and staff benefit from the technology and how StudyStash can maximise its impact.
Ben Ward, StudyStash Chief Executive Officer, commented: “We created StudyStash for ourselves – building the entire platform from scratch – and it helped us get great exam results. The platform has evolved to provide everything students need to smash their exams. It’s like having a personal tutor on hand 24/7, learning from how you study and helping you to revise like a pro. The real-world stories from the many thousands of users we’ve helped to date give us great confidence we can deliver brilliant learning outcomes for students of all abilities and backgrounds.”
Jonathan Graham, StudyStash Chief Technical Officer, added: “There’s a potentially huge benefit for lecturers – giving them more time to focus on students who need one-to-one support. They also have the option of integrating StudyStash into their teaching programme and tracking students’ progress – allowing them to adjust teaching according to their students’ needs. This is a real game-changer for the academic teaching community.”
The pilot is hugely exciting and offers us an excellent opportunity to explore how we can use education technologies to further enhance student support and the student experience at the University of Birmingham. StudyStash is a great example of how our UoB Elevate programme can help enterprising student start-ups find their feet in the business world and establish a platform for commercial success.
Professor Deborah Longworth – Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education), University of Birmingham
The platform already has several thousand active users, including an informal network of University of Birmingham undergraduates. StudyStash is also used in several West Midlands secondary schools, including Wolverhampton Grammar School and King Edward VI High School for Girls, Birmingham, with the team now working on plans to offer it at an affordable level to schools across the region.
High-profile supporters who have joined the young entrepreneurs’ business advisory board include US-based alumnus and tech expert Gareth Noyes, Tech WM chair Jason Sahota and University of Birmingham Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education) Professor Deborah Longworth.
“The pilot is hugely exciting and offers us an excellent opportunity to explore how we can use education technologies to further enhance student support and the student experience at the University of Birmingham,” said Professor Longworth.
“StudyStash is a great example of how our UoB Elevate programme can help enterprising student start-ups find their feet in the business world and establish a platform for commercial success.
“In this new, co-collaborative phase of the project, students and faculty are using the platform at scale, with evaluation of the platform as a pedagogical tool being conducted by leading education researchers. This will allow StudyStash to better understand the platform’s usage across and within different disciplines, and to extend and enhance the learning support provided.”
Ben and Jonathan received a Start-up Scholarship – made possible by alumni philanthropy – and support from UoB Elevate in developing their business to become a viable, commercial venture.
Gareth Noyes commented: “Ben and Jonathan have the skills and passion to build their business, while studying full-time for their degrees. As an alumnus, I’m delighted to guide and support them with a career’s worth of experience in the software industry, and hopefully see their business flourish.”
UoB Elevate is an incubator and business growth programme for University of Birmingham students and graduates, helping them to develop their own ventures by providing mentoring as well as business support. The programme supports regional economic development in the West Midlands with investment, as well as mentoring and business support, and is located at The Exchange, the University of Birmingham’s city centre community hub.