This AI Tutor Startup Just Raised $8M to Make Private Tutoring Affordable for Every Student

Jan de Vries · 2026-08-19

Private tutoring has long been a luxury reserved for families who can afford it. But a London-based startup, Medly AI, is out to change that with an AI-powered tutor that promises exam prep support at a fraction of the cost. The company just closed an $8 million Seed round, and the implications for students—and the education industry—are significant. Founded by two UCL medicine graduates who met at age 11, Dr. Paul Jung and Dr. Kavi Samra left their NHS careers to tackle educational inequality. Their mission? To give every student access to a personalized AI tutor that adapts to their learning style, tracks progress, and provides instant feedback—all without the premium price tag of in-person tutoring. ### The Funding Round The round was led by Felix Capital, with participation from existing investors Eka Ventures and Ada Ventures. Angel investors include Andrey Dobrynin (CEO at InvestEngine), Al Giles (Venture Partner at Creator Fund), Jean Hammond (General Partner at LearnLaunch Accelerator), and Hector Mason (General Partner at Episode 1 Ventures). The capital will fuel Medly's expansion in the UK and internationally, with a particular focus on the U.S. market. ### Why This Matters Dr. Jung points out that nearly a third of 11–16-year-olds in the UK receive some form of private tutoring. For those who can afford it, it's a powerful advantage. For those who can't, it's an equally powerful reinforcer of the status quo. Medly aims to disrupt that dynamic. "We've built something to disrupt that," says Dr. Jung. "Our custom AI gives every child access to a 24/7 personal tutor that adapts to how they learn and responds to their unique needs. In just one exam season, the majority of students using Medly were able to improve by at least an entire grade—that's a game-changer for young people." ### How Medly Works Medly's AI tutor is built on a proprietary combination of seven large language models (LLMs), grounded in neuroscience and teaching theory. It delivers a tailored experience for each student, tracking progress and intuiting learning styles. The platform includes: - Instant feedback on practice questions and personalized advice on where to gain more marks. - A conversational user interface that feels natural and engaging. - Handwriting recognition, allowing students to write directly on tablets or styluses—especially useful for subjects like Math and Chemistry. Medly supports students preparing for GCSE, IGCSE, A-Level, and International Baccalaureate exams, plus a curriculum-agnostic product called Medly Open for university students. ### Impressive Early Results According to the company, among students who used Medly to prepare for their GCSE exams last summer, 74% improved by at least one grade, and 41% improved by two or more grades. The biggest gains were seen in Physics (46% improvement) and English Literature (43%). These results suggest that AI-driven tutoring can deliver measurable outcomes. ### Looking Ahead Medly is already making inroads in the U.S., having recently launched SAT prep with promising early traction. Plans are in place to expand to APs and ACTs by the end of this year. The funding will also support the expansion of Medly's evidence base, including a recently published research paper on the platform's marking performance compared to human examiners, and a randomized controlled trial. As generative AI tools like ChatGPT become more common in education, Medly distinguishes itself by offering purpose-built, accuracy-tested support rather than relying on the questionable insights of general-purpose AI. It's an approach that could redefine how students prepare for exams—and level the playing field in education. For anyone watching the intersection of AI and education, Medly is a startup worth keeping an eye on.