James Tweed

James Tweed is an innovator and advocate for education and digital inclusion, with over 25 years of experience in the maritime, financial, and educational sectors. He is the founder and Managing Director of Coracle, a digital learning company established in 2006. Initially focused on eLearning solutions for the maritime industry, Coracle shifted its focus to prison education. Its Osprey-VLE platform provides skills gap analysis, online assessments, and personalised learning plans to help prisoners improve their employability and reintegrate into society.

Coracle now operates in 91 prisons across England and Wales, offering 2,500 secure laptops to inmates. These devices enable access to courses from organisations like The Open University, Prison Education Trust, and Shannon Trust, helping prisoners develop digital literacy and life skills. Coracle has been honoured with the King's Award for Enterprise. In 2024, James founded Rebooted, a charity focused on creating innovative solutions to address social and technological challenges. Before his work in education, James held roles as a tanker broker and freight manager at companies like Seascope Shipping, Global Freight Forwards, Tradition Energy, and Azimuth Marine Management. He also served as Chairman of the London Branch of the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers.

James is a TEDx speaker who advocates for digital literacy in prison education, emphasising its importance in reducing reoffending rates, which cost £17.6 billion annually. He holds an MPhil in Psychology and Education from the University of Cambridge, a BSc (Hons) in Maritime Business and Marine Law from the University of Plymouth, and completed the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Growth Programme at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford. He also attended Wellington College for his secondary education. James has secured patents for Coracle Inside Hub and earned certifications in areas like G Suite Administration and maritime-specific education.

James Tweed was born and raised in the United Kingdom. He attended Wellington College, completing his education there in 1991. Afterwards, he pursued higher education at the University of Plymouth, where he pursued a Bachelor of Science (Hons) degree in Maritime Business and Marine Law, graduating in 1995.

James started his professional career in 1995 as a tanker broker at Seascope Shipping. He was responsible for broking crude oil tankers for oil companies and traders, primarily in regions such as the Middle East, India, and Asia.

In 2001, he served as the Senior broker of Global Freight Forwards (GFF), the first company dedicated to broking tanker freight derivatives. This company was a joint venture between several established maritime businesses, including PVM Oil and Braemar Tankers.

In 2003, James moved to Tradition Energy, where he set up a new freight derivatives broking desk.

He worked there for a year before becoming Director at Azimuth Marine Management Ltd in 2004. Azimuth was the world’s first hedge fund specifically dedicated to the shipping industry, focusing on long/short positions in the tanker freight derivatives market.

In 2006, James shifted his career focus and founded Coracle, a digital learning company based in Cambridge. Initially, Coracle provided eLearning solutions for the maritime sector, but over time, the company expanded into providing educational tools for prisons. James’ vision was to create a world where no one is isolated from learning, and Coracle now operates in 91 prisons across England and Wales, providing 2,500 secure laptops to inmates. These devices allow prisoners to access educational content without needing the internet, offering courses from providers like The Open University and Prison Education Trust.

He served as the Chairman of the London Branch of the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers from 2007 to 2008. He is also a Fellow of the Institute of Directors (IOD) and continues to be an active advocate for education and digital inclusion.

James furthered his education by earning a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) degree in Psychology and Education from the University of Cambridge in 2017. His academic research, combined with his commercial experience, informs Coracle’s approach to delivering impactful learning solutions.

In April 2023, under his leadership, Coracle received the prestigious King's Award for Enterprise in recognition of its role in improving opportunities for prisoners.

In September 2024, James co-founded a new charity, Rebooted, aiming to address digital exclusion and provide technology solutions to underserved communities. As Chair of the Board of Trustees, he leads the organisation in its mission to ensure equitable access to technology and skills training.

As of 2024, James continues to lead Coracle as its Managing Director, focusing on expanding its reach in prison education. The company’s Osprey-VLE platform supports skills gap analysis, online assessments, and individual learning plans for prisoners, aiming to reduce reoffending rates, which cost the UK £18.5 billion annually (approximately USD 22.38 billion).

He is also frequently invited to speak at events, including TEDx, where he advocates for the transformative power of education in challenging environments. In 2024, James and Coracle Online were shortlisted for the Established Business of the Year award.
 

James Tweed’s vision is to make learning accessible to everyone, no matter their circumstances. He believes education should not be limited by barriers like isolation or lack of internet access. Through his leadership at Coracle, James is focused on reducing digital exclusion, especially in prisons, where he helps inmates gain valuable skills for their future. James envisions a world where education plays a key role in reducing reoffending rates and creating safer communities. By using technology to bring learning opportunities to some of the most challenging environments, he aims to give individuals a chance to build better lives.

As the founder of Coracle and Rebooted, James’s mission is to empower people through education and innovation. He believes that by helping individuals learn and grow, society as a whole benefits, fostering a more inclusive and hopeful future.

James Tweed has been widely recognised for his efforts in education and digital inclusion. In 2023, under his leadership, Coracle was honoured with the prestigious King’s Award for Enterprise for its innovative approach to providing secure digital learning tools for prisoners. 

James is also a respected TEDx speaker, where he shares his ideas on the importance of digital inclusion and the power of education in prisons. In addition, Coracle Online was shortlisted for the Established Business of the Year award in 2024, recognising its continued impact and success in making learning accessible to isolated communities.