Francis
Jones

Forensic Science alum Francis Jones, now CEO and Founder of award winning ed-tech company STEM@Home, spoke to us about his inspiring career journey from secondary school teacher to entrepreneur.

His groundbreaking AI assessment platform is revolutionising the way teachers grade student work, dramatically reducing marking time and improving educational outcomes for students.

Where did your career journey begin?

During my placement year at NTU, I realised I was not a fan of the claustrophobic nature of laboratory work so when the option of doing a science education module came up in my final year, I took it on a whim and discovered I really enjoyed being in the classroom.

After graduation, I worked abroad as an English teacher for a few years before returning to the UK to do my PGCE in Secondary Education (Chemistry).

After that I ended up working in an Inner-London school as a Science Teacher and progressed into management. I then obtained a scholarship for a masters degree in STEM education which I took to develop my pedagogy. Following this, I undertook my PhD in knowledge spillover and entrepreneur education.

What led you from teaching into entrepreneurship?

While teaching, I experienced firsthand the overwhelming workload teachers face, particularly with assessment and marking. This frustration sparked my entrepreneurial journey.

I initially developed STEM@Home, which provided curated boxes of sciences equipment for students to complete practical outside the classroom. This venture gave me valuable experience in the startup world  and eventually led me to identify an even bigger pain point in education:  the excessive time teachers spend marking.

Tell us more about SnapGrade

SnapGrade was born from my experience with the teacher marking burden. I saw how many colleagues were leaving the profession due to unmanagable workloads, with marking taking up 20% of their time.

Our AI-powered assessment software dramatically reduces marking time from 3 minutes to just 9 seconds - a 95% time savings. Teachers create a marking rubric, students scan their work, and SnapGrade's AI provides immediate feedback while preserving the value of handwritten work.

Currently in beta testing across UK schools, SnapGrade is already showing tremendous potential to save schools up to £660,000 annually in productivity and reduce the £5 billion spent on teacher recruitment and training costs due to poor retention.

What does a typical day look like for you as an entrepreneur?

As a founder of  a growing EdTech company, my days are incredibly diverse. I might be meeting with potential investors, coordinating with our development team, presenting to school trusts, analysing user feedback, or refining our product roadmap.

We're currently preparing for our full commercial launch, conducting pilot programs with some of the UK's largest school trusts, and working on our patent-pending technology that will provide a strong competitive advantage in the £3 billion UK EdTech market.

What challenges have you faced with running your own business?

The biggest challenge has been navigating the rapidly evolving AI landscape. With large language models becoming increasingly accessible, we've had to focus on creating a seamless, trusted assessment tool that integrates with existing school systems rather than just offering raw AI capabilities.

We've also had to carefully balance the development of our technology with the practical needs of teachers and schools. This means constantly gathering feedback, refining our approach, and ensuring our product genuinely saves time rather than creating new workflows.

Looking back to your time at NTU, what still makes you smile when you look back?

One of my old housemates once said; “University is not where you learn about your subject, it’s where you learn about yourself”. This is one of the most accurate statements about undergrad life I have ever heard.

The support I received at NTU was amazing. Whether it was the academic support and banter from Andrew O’Hagan during my degree in Forensics Science, the emotional support Karen Ivey gave me in the international office or the financial support NTU gave me in signposting me to grants, NTU provided great all-around support.

Connect with Francis on Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/francisjohnjones/

Find out more about STEM@Home STEM@Home | Curated Boxes of Science Equipment for GCSE Students (stemathome.me)