ivvi Notes named best SEND Resource at the Bett awards 2026

Scottish AI Startup Wins Bett Award. First Scottish Winner and first AI-Native software in Category History

EDINBURGH. ivvi Notes, an AI-powered mind mapping app for dyslexic learners, has won the 2026 Bett Award for SEND & Inclusion Resources and Services 

ivvi Notes was recognised at an awards ceremony in London on January 21st. Judges praised it as "a problem-driven technology designed to support dyslexic learners at all stages of learning."

The British Education Training and Technology Awards are the gold standard of recognition in Educational Technology and are a celebration of the inspiring creativity and innovation that can be found throughout technology for education.

The win makes ivvi Notes one of only two products on the official UK government DSA-approved software list (out of approximately 95) to have ever won a Bett Award. Ivvi Notes is also the first AI-native product and the first Scottish company to win in the SEND category's 15-year history.

How ivvi Works

ivvi turns spoken lectures into visual mind maps in real-time. Instead of struggling to take written notes, students with dyslexia can watch their lectures become organised visual maps as they happen, then review, edit, and export them later.

Unlike AI tools that summarise content and decide what's important for students, ivvi presents information visually and lets students do the filtering and organising themselves.

"There's a difference between AI that does the work and AI that clears the path," said Darius Namdaran, CEO and Co-founder of ivvi. "ivvi removes the anxiety of note-taking so students can focus on understanding visually what is being said. Students can now leave their lectures with useful visual notes enabling them to succeed in their studies."

From First Sale to Bett Winner

ivvi was founded by husband-and-wife team Darius Namdaran and Jo Lee. After seven years of teaching thousands of dyslexic students to mind map, they realised they needed to train an AI to do what Darius had been doing in the room. Jo, as COO, has driven the company from first sale to BETT winner in under twelve months.

"We set our mission nine years ago to help a million students with dyslexia learn to mind map by 2030," said Darius Namdaran. "We believe in ivvi and it is so rewarding to see the Bett judges believe in it too. 

"Last January we were fighting to get our first sale over the line," added Jo Lee. "Now students at universities across the UK are being recommended ivvi Notes every day through their Disabled Students' Allowance. That's quite a transformation." 

ivvi is part of the University of Edinburgh's AI accelerator and is available through DSA funding via distribution partner Aventido.

"In 25 years in assistive technology, we've had three BETT finalists. ivvi is our first winner," said Antony Ruck, CEO of Aventido.

Kerry Pace, ivvi's Neurodiversity Advisor said: "To have this recognition so early in the product's journey is remarkable."

Website: www.ivvi.app Demo requests: [email protected]

Media Contact

Jo Lee COO & Co-founder, ivvi Assistant Ltd

[email protected] 

07971920560