EduMark AI

The EduMark project was funded by the Drapers' Fund for Innovation in Learning and Teaching 2024/25. It aims to leverage AI to provide faster, more consistent grades, personalised student feedback and time-saving for educators.

Project approach

1. Conducted comparative analysis of multiple AI systems (ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Graide, Timely Grader)
2. Ran student surveys to capture qualitative feedback (200+ students engaged)
3. Collected paired educator vs. AI grading samples for benchmarking
4. Developed and launched a beta EduMark AI web app with an intuitive interface

Project deliverables

1. EduMark AI beta web app (edumark-ai.com)
2. Statistical analysis showing 50–60% reduction in grading time compared to manual marking
3. Evidence of higher consistency in grade distributions and rubric alignment
4. Student survey results: overwhelmingly positive, praising specific, actionable feedback
5. Educator workflows including “AI + educator oversight” hybrid model to maintain academic integrity

The project has been disseminated through blogs (JISC, Advance HE, Queen Mary Centre for Excellence in Artificial Intelligence in Education) and poster presentations  (Queen Mary Festival of Education and Royal Society of Chemistry Poster Presentation).

It was also selected by OpenAI Academy for their international "Professors Teaching with AI" series.

Project team

Deepshikha Deepshikha (School of Engineering and Materials Science; Conrad Bessant (School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences); Darryn Mitussis (School of Business and Management); Li Wang (School of Engineering and Materials Science);  Xinru Deng (School of Engineering and Materials Science); Giuseppe Viola (School of Engineering and Materials Science) and Mouna Chetehouna (School of Engineering and Materials Science).

Funding, technical development and commercialisation

Microsoft for Startups Azure support

EduGrade AI secured $100,000 in Microsoft Azure credits through the Microsoft for Startups programme. This support will accelerate the platform’s technical development by strengthening its secure cloud infrastructure, enhancing its AI capabilities and improving scalability. It will also support further pilots with higher education institutions, helping the project expand responsible, educator-controlled and human-in-the-loop AI assessment and feedback across diverse educational settings.

Innovate UK ICURe Explore Award
EduMark AI secured support valued at up to £35,000 through the highly competitive Innovate UK ICURe Explore Programme, recognising the project’s strong educational impact and commercial potential. The programme supports structured engagement with universities and education leaders to validate market demand, refine the commercial model and identify effective routes to wider institutional adoption. This award marks an important step in EduMark AI’s progression from a successful university-led innovation to a scalable, educator-controlled assessment and feedback platform.

Google for Startups Cloud support
EduGrade AI was accepted into the Google for Startups Cloud Program and awarded $25,000 in Google Cloud credits over two years. The support will provide access to cloud computing, data-processing and AI-development tools to strengthen the platform’s grading and feedback engine, improve scalability and support integration with institutional learning management systems. The programme also provides technical training, startup guidance and access to the Google Cloud Startup Community, helping prepare EduGrade AI for wider adoption across higher education while maintaining educator control and responsible AI at its core.

MassChallenge UK 2026 Accelerator finalist
EduGrade AI was selected as a finalist for the MassChallenge UK 2026 Accelerator Programme following a highly competitive international selection process. The recognition validates the venture’s potential to transform higher education assessment and feedback through responsible, educator-led AI. Through the programme, EduGrade AI will gain access to expert mentoring, corporate and industry partners, investors and a global innovation community, supporting the continued development of the platform and its progression towards wider adoption in the UK and internationally.

Queen Mary Impact Fund
EduMark AI secured a £9,000 Queen Mary Impact Fund award to support its progression towards wider institutional and sector adoption. The funding will strengthen the platform’s pilot readiness, support integration with university assessment workflows and build further evidence of its effectiveness. It will also help identify early-adopter institutions, advancing EduMark AI as a scalable, responsible and educator-led approach to improving the efficiency, consistency and quality of assessment and feedback while keeping academic judgement at the centre.

ALDinHE Research Funding 2025–26
EduMark AI received 2025–26 research funding from the Association for Learning Development in Higher Education for a study evaluating how continuous AI-enhanced feedback can strengthen students’ assessment literacy, self-regulated learning and academic progression. The project combines AI-supported feedback with educator oversight to develop evidence-based and inclusive approaches that improve student engagement and help learners take greater ownership of their learning. The proposal was highly rated and accepted without conditions, recognising its alignment with ethical practice, collaboration and scholarship in higher education.

Innovate UK ICURe Exploit Business and Spinout Readiness

Following the successful completion of the Innovate UK ICURe Explore programme, EduGrade AI has been selected for the Innovate UK ICURe Exploit Business and Spinout Readiness programme, marking an important next stage in the project’s commercialisation journey.

The programme will support EduGrade AI as it progresses towards potential spinout formation through Queen Mary Innovation, strengthening its business model, commercial strategy and readiness for wider adoption across higher education.