Mid-Week Tech News Roundup – August 11th to August 15th 2025
12 Aug, 20256 minutesTwinkl Strengthens Leadership with Dual Executive AppointmentsEducational resources provider...
Twinkl Strengthens Leadership with Dual Executive Appointments
Educational resources provider, and long-standing MRJ Recruitment client, Twinkl has expanded its senior leadership team with the appointment of Remo Gettini as Chief Technology Officer and Stuart Parker-Tyreman as Chief Education Officer, effective 1 September.
Gettini, who has more than three decades’ experience scaling digital platforms for organisations including Depop, DreamWorks, Electronic Arts, and World of Books, will oversee technological growth, innovation, and security. “I’m not here just to build EdTech experiences,” he said. “This is about delivering solutions that truly understand and support learners and educators. This work matters to me on every level.”
Parker-Tyreman, a specialist in education strategy and classroom innovation, brings over 20 years’ experience in UK secondary schools and Multi-Academy Trusts. He has held senior leadership roles including deputy head and headteacher, and most recently served as a MAT director in Hampshire alongside his role as principal within Liberty Academy Trust, which focuses on SEND and Autism provision. “The potential to combine Twinkl’s innovative platform with evidence-based educational practice is incredibly exciting,” he said. “I’m looking forward to helping shape resources that have a real, measurable impact in classrooms worldwide.”
CEO and founder Jon Seaton said the appointments were “an investment in both the future of the company and the sector itself,” adding: “Our mission has always been to help those who teach. Strengthening our leadership team with deep expertise in both technology and education means we can deliver trusted, transformative experiences at scale.”
With more than 147 million unique visitors in 2024, Twinkl is positioning itself for its next stage of growth — from product diversification to enhanced market credibility — under the guidance of its expanded leadership team. MRJ has worked closely with Twinkl through multiple growth phases, a collaboration explored in detail in our latest case study.
Edumentors Raises $2M to Launch World’s First Fully Interactive Human-Like AI Tutor
UK-based online tutoring platform Edumentors has secured $2 million (£1.5m) in seed funding to develop Edu AI, a fully interactive AI tutor designed to deliver personalised, human-like one-to-one learning experiences at scale. The round was led by Magna Investments (Abu Dhabi) with participation from angels across more than 10 countries, including exited founders, AI executives, and education specialists.
Founded in 2022, Edumentors connects school pupils with high-achieving student-tutors from top UK universities such as Oxford and Cambridge. The platform has delivered over 100,000 lessons in 35 countries, with 98% of parents reporting improved academic performance. To date, the company has generated over $3m in sales.
Edu AI aims to replicate the benefits of human tutoring with adaptive teaching across all subjects, realistic facial expressions, body language recognition, and real-time lesson customisation. The platform breaks learning into digestible “maps,” integrates interactive whiteboards and exercises, and responds to non-verbal cues like an experienced teacher. Edumentors says this approach will make high-quality tutoring accessible to students regardless of geography or household income.
CEO and founder Tornike Asatiani said the funding will accelerate both AI product development and the company’s existing human tutoring services: “Every student deserves world-class education, regardless of where they live or their family’s circumstances. Edu AI opens those opportunities at a global scale.”
The launch of Edu AI builds on Edumentors’ recent AI initiatives, which include an exam-marking tool, AI tutor training module, and an AI avatar parent influencer. A larger Series A round is planned in 18 months to fund entry into the US market.
TILKI Raises $2.2M to Democratise Game Development With AI-First Platform
UK startup TILKI has secured $2.2 million in pre-seed funding to launch an AI-powered game creation platform designed to let anyone build high-quality interactive experiences - no coding required. The round was led by Twin Path Ventures, with participation from Atlas AI^VB Fund I (Atlas sgr), XTX Ventures, and SFC Capital.
Unlike traditional development processes that require months of programming and large specialist teams, TILKI’s platform allows creators to describe their vision in natural language and see it brought to life instantly. Worlds evolve dynamically based on player choices, and non-player characters make autonomous decisions with persistent consequences — from everyday interactions to story-altering events.
The 17-person team includes industry veterans from Atari, Sony, Microsoft, NVIDIA, and Warner Bros Discovery, alongside AI specialists with backgrounds in quantum computing, machine learning, and narrative design. CEO Barn Cleave said the goal is to “empower creatives and storytellers to embrace the potential of AI-supported narrative game creation,” positioning the company at what it sees as the next frontier of game design.
With Kasper Hunt as CTO, TILKI is being built from the ground up as an AI-first platform, with plans to launch a closed beta in six months and an open beta within a year. The company is also developing a creator marketplace to enable asset sharing, collaboration, and community-driven development.
With the $176 billion global games market continuing to grow, TILKI sees its technology as a way to lower the barrier to entry for creators worldwide, opening the door for new voices and ideas to shape the future of interactive entertainment.
Awaze Celebrates Triple Shortlisting at Women in Tech Employer Awards 2025
Awaze has been recognised as a finalist in three categories at the upcoming Women in Tech Employer Awards 2025:
- Best Employer Network
- Best Initiative of the Year
- Outstanding Woman in Tech – Lucy Auckland
Lucy Auckland, Product Director for Awaze Platform & Services, has been nominated for her outstanding contributions to the tech industry and her pivotal role in driving Awaze’s women-in-tech initiatives.
Speaking about her nomination, Lucy said:
"I’m overjoyed to be shortlisted for the Outstanding Woman in Tech award. This recognition is a reflection of the incredible Awaze team and the wider Women in Tech community. The support, encouragement, and commitment to inclusion I’ve experienced make this especially meaningful."
In recent years, Awaze has made building its Women in Tech network a strategic priority — from school visits and public speaking to charity partnerships, internships, and lunch & learns. The aim is simple: empower the next generation of women in technology and strengthen the network within the company and beyond.
Europe’s leading managed vacation rentals and holiday resort business, Awaze is home to specialist self-catering brands cottages.com, Hoseasons, and Novasol. The company provides everyday amazing holiday experiences to more than eight million guests each year, offering over 110,000 places to stay across 36 countries.
We’re proud to work closely with Awaze, and our case study offers more insight into how we continually deliver recruitment results that help them attract and retain top talent in a competitive market.
The Women in Tech Employer Awards celebrate organisations and individuals working to close the gender gap in tech. This year’s ceremony will take place on Tuesday 11 November 2025 at the Hilton Hotel, Park Lane, London.
RiskSmart Hires Brand Designer to Lead Visual Identity Push
UK-based risk management platform RiskSmart has appointed Manchester-based creative Freya Phillips as Brand Designer, signalling a renewed focus on elevating the company’s visual presence across digital and offline channels.
Phillips joins from Orka Technology Group, where she delivered a full brand refresh, creating a cohesive identity, visual language, and suite of creative assets to support growth. She also brings experience from luxury homeware and wedding stationery brand norma&dorothy, where she specialised in digital design, print production, and maintaining brand consistency.
At RiskSmart, Phillips will be responsible for refining the company’s design direction across its platform, pitch materials, website, and social channels, as the business continues to push for innovation in the risk, compliance, and legal sectors.
Marketing manager Laila Tjensvoll described Phillips as “an absolute design and branding weapon 💪 … we’re thrilled you’re here!” Chief revenue officer Saul Bello added: “Welcome and looking forward to working with you.”
RiskSmart says the appointment supports its mission to replace outdated, manual processes with a centralised, tech-led platform that streamlines workflows, delivers richer insights, and enables teams to focus on higher-value work.
Build Tomorrow’s Tech Team, Today — With MRJ by Your Side
In the fast-moving world of software engineering, the right hire isn’t just about filling a seat, it’s about securing the future of your business. At MRJ Recruitment, we don’t just match CVs to job specs; we connect ambition with opportunity.
For companies, that means access to a curated network of elite software engineers, developers, and product leaders across the SaaS, HealthTech, and eCommerce sectors, professionals who can hit the ground running in JavaScript, .NET, or Python. For jobseekers, it means guidance from recruiters who know your industry inside out and can open doors you didn’t even know existed.
Our work goes beyond recruitment. Explore our Talent-as-a-Service solutions for flexible, on-demand hiring, or learn how our Executive Search process uncovers the leaders who will shape your long-term strategy.
Whether you’re scaling a startup, powering a digital transformation, or ready to make your next big career move, MRJ Recruitment is the partner you want in your corner.
Let’s not just keep up with the future , let’s create it together.
