LANGUAGE COACHING APP DESIGNED IN DUNDEE UP FOR AWARD

An AI-powered language coaching app designed in Dundee has been shortlisted for a prestigious award.

Leximos helps users build confidence and improved speaking skills through personalised, scenario-based mock interviews and real-life conversational practice.

Unlike traditional language learning tools that focus on grammar, Leximos tackles the challenges of real-world communication.

The platform, which has been designed by three University of Dundee students specifically for international students, took home at a prize at the recent Venture enterprise competition, part funded by charity EIBF.

The team comprises Sayed Murad, 29, Parisa Pourmohammad, 25, and Danyl Kecha, 20.

Now, the trio have been shortlisted in EIBF’s Champion of Champions Competition, which will see them compete against nine other talented groups of students from across the UK.

Sayed said: “By simulating professional and social interactions, Leximos enables users to practice in relevant, real-life scenarios, empowering them to express themselves confidently in interviews, networking events, and daily conversations. This innovation offers international students the practical skills needed to succeed in both personal and professional settings.”

The Champion of Champions grand final will take place at the Royal Academy of Engineering on Friday 8 November, where the Leximos team will compete for a share of the £16,500 prize pot, providing vital seed money to help winners develop their innovation.

Winners will also receive mentoring from business leaders who are members of the Sainsbury Management Fellows network, plus CV packages from PurpleCV and entrepreneurial books from Cambridge University Press and Double your Price, an award-winning book by David Falzani MBE, which covers how pricing works with practical insights, tools and actionable guidance.

The event, hosted by TV presenter and engineer Rob Bell, is the culmination of a year of EIBF-sponsored enterprise competitions held across UK universities, with thousands of undergraduate and graduates taking part.

Each year, EIBF champions business education for engineers and supports universities by giving them grants to award prizes to engineering students who develop ideas that can make a positive impact on society.

Brian McNicoll, Head of Entrepreneurship at University of Dundee, said: “Leximos is addressing a validated market with real customer need, and which has true social worth, something we try to install into all our budding entrepreneurs. We believe there is a ‘David and Goliath’ opportunity here in terms of the larger competitors Leximos will be up against.

“The key differentiator will be their tailored and structured approach of delivering language learning to targeted groups. Having just been named most entrepreneurial university in Europe in the ACEEU Triple E Awards, we are delighted to see Leximos progress to the EIBF grand final as another example of the innovative and business focussed graduates that are emanating from the University of Dundee.”