Published: October 9, 2025 at 10:45 am
In a world where it seems that software developers build educational platforms, you rarely see that flipped on its head.
However, that is exactly what Helen and Steve Edwards did when they launched Tapestry in 2012.
The duo were looking for a way to make life a little easier for nursery staff and for parents desperate to see what their children got up to each day.
Back then, Helen was running a nursery attached to the couple’s home. “We used to make special books for every child – photos, cut-outs, notes – lovely, but time-consuming and expensive,” she recalled.
“One night, Steve said, ‘Surely we can do this online now with iPads and cameras.’ And that’s when Tapestry was born.”
Today, the platform – created under the umbrella of Steve’s company, The Foundation Stage Forum – is used in around 15,000 schools and nurseries across the world, with roughly 95% in the UK.