Beaming in the AI Era: the next chapter

‍Back where it started

When I started Beam almost 10 years ago, the most impactful conversation I had was with a man named Tony. He was living in a homeless hostel in London after hitting rock bottom.

I told him I was building a tech platform to help people find work and regain their independence. He was quiet - then finally spoke up:

"I don’t understand. Why would anyone want to help me?" — Tony

Perhaps he was right to question it. The sad reality is that people like Tony have been overlooked both by society and the technology sector for far too long. 

I remember visiting San Francisco while running a previous company, JustPark, and seeing the scale of the homelessness crisis there. It was Christmas Day when I stumbled into the Tenderloin: the poorest part of downtown. 

The sight of people huddled for warmth, some almost in rags with no shoes, will never leave me. This - in one of the wealthiest, most innovative cities in the world - a city where about one in 10,000 people is a billionaire.

That feeling stayed with me. I didn't know how or when, but I knew I wanted to use technology to bridge this gap. 

Seb, crowdfunding, and new access to services

Partnering with Seb - who brought a decade of frontline experience in homelessness, addiction and healthcare - we started Beam, determined to bring tech to the most critical social issues.

We began with crowdfunding - an online technology that almost seems quaint in 2026. Tony was the first of over 7,000 unhoused people, refugees and prison leavers who we supported into stable jobs and homes. 

We then began improving access to services. With smartphone penetration rising, we let people access services from their phone for the first time. We saw the biggest impact on single unhoused mums with kids. With often chaotic lives and little money for travel, these women had previously struggled to meet in-person.

Reducing pressure on the frontline

Two years on, the pandemic was at its height and we had thousands of referrals every month for our digital services. And we had a new problem to solve: our caseworkers were overwhelmed with work but their impact was lagging their incredible ambition to support people. When I'd ask teammates how we could help, the same theme kept coming up:

“I love supporting people. But I'm spending half my time on paperwork. This isn't what I signed up for.” 

We realised our team had typed over half a million case notes and documents.

So, we began building tools that would let them spend more time talking and less time tapping. The first was Magic Notes: an AI transcription and summarisation tool designed to cut the administrative burden.

Within weeks, our team of caseworkers was supporting more people and, crucially, enjoying their jobs more. 

Our first partners

We realised there was an opportunity to put this tool in the hands of other hard-working, frontline teams. Swindon was one of the first councils to trial Magic Notes. An internal evaluation found the technology reduced admin for frontline workers by 63%.

Then the BBC reported on a social worker calling the technology a “game changer.” I wasn’t surprised. I’d heard a colleague at Beam describe it in those exact words. 

That was an important moment. We realised that to deliver our mission, we didn’t just need more caseworkers: we needed to empower every caseworker in the world to do the most impactful work of their careers.

Time for change

Today, Magic Notes is much more than just a note-taker. It has developed into a full workflow tool with a built-in knowledge base and complex report-building capabilities.

With all this change, the name "Magic Notes" has started to feel limited. It no longer reflects the scale of Beam's ambitions or the breadth of our work.

We’re excited to share that Magic Notes is rebranding to Beam Notes, a name which takes us back to our roots. Beam Notes sits alongside our suite of tools designed specifically for frontline services:

• Beam Interpret: Real-time translation to deliver services in any language, instantly.‍
• Beam Talk: Our automated agent that can prioritize inbound calls and handle high-volume, low-risk conversations.

Alongside these changes, our visual identity now reflects our philosophy: that technology should enhance connection and create space for humanity. You’ll see warm, human tones alongside a digital aesthetic.

What hasn’t changed

While the brand has evolved, our heart hasn't. A beam suggests brightness, optimism and support. Those values remain central to us.

We remain deeply connected to the frontline. We deliver caseworker services, notably in housing and homelessness, for dozens for government bodies. Many teammates throughout the company bring direct experience delivering services, and we build products in close partnership with practitioners and frontline organisations.

We remain focused, and always will, on the people behind the work and those they serve.

Looking ahead

This rebrand marks the next chapter for Beam. Almost 100,000 frontline workers in five countries - across social care, health, employability, housing, and justice - rely on it. 

It also means doing this work responsibly, with a deep understanding of the realities that frontline teams face every day.

The opportunity ahead is enormous - and we’re only just getting started.

If you want to join us on this mission, check out our open roles on the careers page.