Sainaptic Raises £1 Mn to Expand AI-Powered Assessment Marking Technology

The funding round was co-led by Cornerstone VC and Ufi Ventures. Elm Venture Partners and Brighteye Ventures also took part in the round.

Alongside the funding announcement, Sainaptic has formed a new partnership with Skilltech Solutions, a provider of assessment management software. Through this partnership, Sainaptic’s technology will become available to some of the UK’s largest apprenticeship assessment organisations.

Sainaptic will use the new funding to develop more features beyond marking and feedback. These will include tools for quality checks, data analysis, and personalised assessments. The company also plans to expand its engineering, product, and sales teams.

Sainaptic was founded by Cambridge-trained educators and data scientists Kavitha Ravindran and Rajeshwari Iyer. The company develops AI-powered tools that help exam boards and training providers assess vocational and professional qualifications.

These qualifications often require students to write short answers, essays, and reports or take part in presentations and professional discussions. Unlike multiple-choice tests, these assessments need trained professionals to review each response, which can take up to 90 minutes.

The lengthy marking process can delay feedback for learners, slow down certification, and make it harder for people to enter the workforce. It also increases costs for organisations that provide assessments.

Sainaptic uses AI to make marking faster while maintaining accuracy and consistency. According to the company, its AI models have reduced marking time for some qualifications from 45 minutes to just eight seconds. This could help assessment providers save up to £150,000 a year.