The problem it highlights is simple - admissions teams are inundated with administrative tasks, and the traditional methods of communication like phone calls and letters don’t get through to young people as well as they did decades ago. Purlos provides an automated chatbot, nicknamed ‘Jenni’, who connects with students through WhatsApp to remind them of appointments, tasks, events, etc. It also analyses conversation data to flag those it deems at risk of dropping out to the relevant admissions bodies.

It’s early days for Purlos, but its platform doesn’t yet see any direct competitors who focus so clearly on this issue. It's working with UK educational institutions for now, and focussing its fundraising on growing its team and expanding its product capabilities.