Glasgow agency This is Milk seeks £1m for neurodiversity-friendly online learning platform

A Glasgow-based agency is seeking £1 million for an online learning platform suitable for neurodiverse people, saying it aims to improve “where, when, what, and how” people study.

This is Milk has designed Neve Learning, a cloud-based “edtech” (educational technology) platform looking to help training providers and organisations manage and deliver courses “in a more inclusive way”. Investors will receive a share in the agency, which was founded eight years ago and says it has doubled its annual turnover for each of the last three years and has a network of global clients.

It says Neve is building a hybrid learning platform with a view to meeting the needs of learners with conditions such as dyslexia, dyspraxia, attention deficit disorder, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Founder Angela Prentner-Smith explains that she is dyspraxic and identifies with many gendered ADHD and autism traits. She said: “In today's e-learning market, learners and educators encounter drawbacks with many products. These range from limited face-to-face communication during training sessions and learning activities that can feel socially disconnected or lonely for some students. This can lead to less focus on skills practice and an over-reliance on theory.

Neve Learning aims to help training providers and organisations manage and deliver learning in a more inclusive way. Picture: contributed.

“With Neve, we will strive to resolve these challenges and others by providing ways to improve where, when, what, and how people learn. [It] will become the ideal alternative to traditional training and learning. It's not magic, and it’s possible to build an educational journey that works well for everyone. With Neve, we’re just getting started. Not only are we building the learning platform for the future, but we’re also doing so by shaping it around the nuances of our shared humanity.”