On the Longest Day, We Remember Why We Build

On the 21st of June—the longest day of the year—we pause.

We don’t pause to rest. We pause to remember why we build.

We chose this day as our Company Day because it embodies everything we believe in: light, growth, direction, and momentum. The Summer Solstice is a turning point—where the days begin to shorten, but the light at its peak casts clarity over all things. It reminds us that progress doesn’t always look like speed. Sometimes it looks like stillness and intention.

At STAR21, we’re not building technology for its own sake. We’re building to serve something deeper: the belief that insight can transform lives. That when we illuminate the right moments—through Specific, Timely, Actionable, Regular feedback—we unlock the best in people.

Our journey started in education. We saw teachers doing some of the hardest and most important work in society with too little support, too little clarity. So we built Starlight, not to judge or score, but to reflect—to shine a soft light on practice, habits, and growth.

But this isn’t just about teaching. It’s about a wider philosophy: data that serves the human, not the other way around.

In a world obsessed with performance, we believe in purpose. In a sector flooded with dashboards, we chose reflection. In a culture driven by noise, we build for clarity.

And while others chase the next shiny product, we come back, again and again, to the core question:

What are we really trying to change?

We’re not here to optimise minutes.

We’re here to amplify meaning.

So on this longest day, we recommit to our core:

• That technology should empower—not overwhelm.

• That feedback, done well, is an engine of human potential.

• That light and data, when combined with care, don’t just inform. They ignite.

We are STAR21.

We forge insight.

We engineer progress.

We work in light.

And we’re only just getting started.

On the brightest day of the year, we remember why.

Happy Summer Solstice from all of us at STAR21!

The Insight Engine is written by Adam Sturdee, co-founder of Starlight—the UK’s first AI-powered coaching platform—and Assistant Headteacher at St Augustine’s Catholic College. This blog is part of a wider mission to support educators through meaningful reflection, not performance metrics. It documents the journey of building Starlight from the ground up, and explores how AI, when shaped with care, can reduce workload, surface insight, and help teachers think more deeply about their practice. Rooted in the belief that growth should be private, professional, and purposeful, The Insight Engine offers ideas and stories that put insight—not judgment—at the centre of development.