Irish educational technology Examfly is to rebrand as Acuru, as the company focuses on expansion in the US and UK, and broadens its scope from an exam preparation tool into a technology-first learning platform.
The learning platform, which was founded by former Davy executive Dee Lyons as an exam preparation platform in 2020, works with three of the six largest professional services firms in the UK, including PwC, EY and Deloitte.
The expanded platform offers short, applied technical exercises and scenario-based learning that is designed for companies operating in regulated environments such as law and accounting, helping to develop professional judgment and critical thinking. The platform is aiming to help close the gap between staff reaching client-facing roles at a faster rate and building technical expertise.
“Because AI might be doing a lot more of the early drafting work, younger trainees aren’t getting the on-the-job training they might once have got.”
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Lyons said the rebrand was needed to reflect the company’s shift towards AI-ready training in professional services, to help companies train, upskill and future-proof their staff’s skills. It has been used by 5,000 learners across Ireland and the UK.
“We initially started off with a real exam focus, on professional learning qualifications,” said Lyons. “But the demand has grown beyond that. The rebrand is a way of reflecting this evolution into broader professional learning and how firms can future-proof their workforces for the age of AI.”
Acuru has been expanding in the UK market, following a €1.4 million seed funding round in 2024. In total, it has raised €2.1 million in seed funding from a number of angel investors, including Ray Nolan, Brian Caulfield and Marc McCabe, and Enterprise Ireland. That funding has been used for product development, to support AI capabilities and to fund its international growth.
The company is now looking towards the US for further expansion, and plans to add more staff.
“I backed this company early because they saw something others missed: AI changes how professionals learn, but it doesn’t replace the need for strong foundations and sound judgment,” said Caulfield. “What the team has built with Acuru is critical infrastructure for the next generation of professional services firms.”
