Teachscribe is a voice-first AI observation system for early years education, combining wearable classroom hardware with intelligent software to help teachers capture observations in the moment, contextualise child development data and plan more targeted support.
At the centre of Teachscribe is Ewan Dobres. We sat down with him to learn about his founder story, why early years education matters so much and what keeps him pushing Teachscribe forward.
"For early years teachers, every minute taken out of admin is time that can be returned to the children in front of them. The good news is that Teachscribe is already helping with that, giving hundreds of hours back. But yes, the deeper value is what better observation makes possible. These are the formative years, shaping confidence, communication, social development, independence and readiness for the next stage of learning.
When observation data is thin, delayed or based on isolated moments, planning can become less precise. A child can end up being understood through a narrow lens - a playground incident, a passing comment, or the few moments someone had time to record. Teachscribe helps change that by capturing richer context in the moment, so teachers can build a fuller picture, plan more targeted support and help each child move forward with confidence."
"You hear so many stories from people who lived for many years without understanding why they were struggling. Whether it was ADHD, another developmental need, or simply being a child who learned or communicated differently, the theme is often the same: “If only we had known earlier.” That is a powerful thing to sit with.
Teachscribe is not about replacing professional judgement. It is about helping teachers capture what they are already seeing, without putting barriers between them and the children in front of them.
If early years settings can build a clearer picture of each child sooner, support can be more targeted, resources can be directed where they are needed, and parents can be brought into the conversation with better information. Children can then be helped earlier, at the stage where the right support can make a lasting difference. That is a big motivator for us."
"What stood out was that Gryff Mason really seemed to care about founder-led businesses. As an early-stage company, cash flow matters. They did not apply a minimum fee, and the terms were aligned with when we were actually able to receive the benefit.
They also helped us understand the Enhanced R&D Intensive Support available for SMEs like ours. Max kept us informed on the R&D expenditure ratio, what it meant and where we stood. It was brilliant to qualify, but also to understand why we qualified.
I have worked with professional services firms before where the follow-through is not always there. Gryff Mason were different. They dovetailed with our accountant and HMRC, kept the process moving so we could receive our R&D benefit quickly. That meant a lot to us."
Before Teachscribe, Ewan was already solving for practical problems. His background spans software engineering, product development and social enterprise. At American Express, he developed his technical grounding in back-end engineering, working with technologies including Java and Kotlin. Alongside that, he explored his own product ideas, including Padlock App, further developing the product instinct that would later shape Teachscribe.
Ewan’s time with Enactus Birmingham adds an important layer to his story. During university, he played a senior role in the organisation, which is known for student-led social enterprise projects designed to address real community and environmental challenges.
That combination of technical grounding, product instinct and purpose-led thinking is what makes Teachscribe feel like a natural next step. It is AI applied with purpose: a practical, high-impact response to a challenge that really matters in early years education.
Food waste is a significant global challenge. Around one third of all food produced is lost or wasted, contributing to nearly 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions. The economic cost exceeds $1 trillion each year, while more than 700 million people worldwide face hunger.
In the UK, around 12 million tonnes of food are wasted annually, with households responsible for the majority. Much of this food is still edible. For the average household, this equates to roughly £1,000 worth of food thrown away each year.
Reducing food waste starts with better awareness, planning, and everyday habits. Meaningful change depends on consistent action at both an individual and community level.
At Gryff Mason, we are committed to reducing food waste and supporting the communities around us.
We have chosen FoodCycle as our charity of focus, recognising their work to address food poverty and loneliness by bringing people together over shared meals.
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