Novastart

AI tool summary for DPOs and governors. Marketplace Distributors LLC (Manhattan Beach, California, US) · Facts last checked 2026-11-01 · Printed 8 November 2026

AI Prefect

For teachers. Illustration, not a measured result. Not part of the rating. Novastart could save around 10–20 minutes on a first draft of an email or a short explanation, which you still rewrite in your own words. You still check it before a pupil or a colleague relies on it.

Staff: Amber · Use with caution

Doesn’t say whether it trains on what you type
Doesn’t say if it is a processor or controller
Data may leave the UK/EU; safeguards stated but no school DPA found

Pupils: Amber · Use with caution

Doesn’t say whether it trains on what you type
Doesn’t say if it is a processor or controller
Data may leave the UK/EU; safeguards stated but no school DPA found

Supplier	Marketplace Distributors LLC (Manhattan Beach, California, US)
Category	AI agent / assistant
Pupil-facing	student- and teacher-facing; offered free to students and teachers at partner universities with a .edu email; site and software not directed at children under 16
Processor or controller	not stated
Where data is stored	canvas contents stay on the user's own machine and shared canvases stream peer to peer; AI agent screenshots and instructions are sent to OpenAI; other personal data may be processed in the US under safeguards such as standard contractual clauses
Trains AI models on inputs	not stated
How long inputs are kept	AI agent run logs (steps, clicks, screenshots) kept on the user's machine; account and billing records kept while the account is open and as tax rules require; support correspondence kept for a reasonable period
Data processing agreement (DPA)	not stated
Signs individual DPAs with schools	not stated
UK GDPR representative / DPO	not stated (contact support@novastart.com)
Minimum age	16+ (not directed at children under 16)
Key safety note	replaces the computer desktop with an operating system; AI agents get their own mouse and keyboard and send screenshots of the window they work in to OpenAI; privacy policy allows analytics, advertising and retargeting cookies and email tracking pixels; no certification or audit claimed
Main use	General AI assistant / chatbot

Better-rated alternatives for the same use: ChatGPT Edu (Green), Gemini app (Workspace for Education) (Green), Microsoft 365 Copilot (Green)

Before using it: check the minimum age fits your pupils, confirm a data processing agreement is in place, switch off AI training where possible, and record the decision in your DPIA.

Sources: https://novastart.com/privacy/ · https://novastart.com/security/ · https://novastart.com/education/
Full entry: aiprefect.co.uk/tools/novastart. Rating is a rules-based summary of the supplier’s published terms. “Not stated” means we could not find it in their documents. This is not legal advice and does not replace your DPIA.