Present Pal - the innovative presentation support app

by Startacus Admin

Hate doing presentations? This app from innovative edtech startup Present Pal will help - whether you're at work, university or school...

Stage fright is something most of us will experience at some point, whether it is literally taking to the stage, standing in front of your class to talk about that book you definitely read, or even simply taking the spotlight for a Zoom presentation to colleagues. 

It’s one of those things that no amount of thinking it through logically and telling yourself there’s nothing to be afraid of will actually help with, so anything that will help ensure that the presentation, talk, or whatever else goes smoothly will help alleviate a little of the anxiety could make all the difference when the fight or flight kicks in.

Glasgow-based edtech startup Estendio has built such an anything: Present Pal. Chris Hughes, Founder and CEO of Estendio, has dyslexia, which presented him with unique struggles when presenting as part of his university course. As it goes with so many startups, he found that there were no accessible solutions for him and the many others like him, and so decided to create his own. 

Present Pal, already supporting over 5,000 students in more than 100 UK universities through Disabled Students’ Allowances, is an app that provides a more accessible method of consulting your notes in an interactive flashcard-esque display, designed to be personalised in a way that will make it easiest for the individual user.

Add your notes in whatever way helps you most, change colours and fonts for best readability, and have each line of notes magnified and focused on as you scroll, ensuring that you focus on what you need to focus on. You can add images and additional information to the bullet points as a safety net or additional prompt, and audio cues give an additional level of reassurance that you won’t get lost in your notes. To help with timing and memory, the app has a rehearsal mode to record audio and practice as much as you need.

In May, Estendio announced that it had received £450,000 in funding in a long-term Convertible Loan Note from Scottish Enterprise and private investors. This funding will go towards the startup’s push to enter the North American higher education and school markets, and to expand their reach to support more students with disabilities.

 

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Published on: 29th June 2021