Martin McKay, CEO and Founder of Everway (formerly Texthelp), has spent nearly three decades focused on one core belief: when people are supported to understand and be understood, their potential changes. Since founding the company in 1996, Martin has guided Everway with a clear, people-first purpose – to remove barriers created by systems that were never designed for different ways of thinking.
Martin’s motivation is deeply personal. After witnessing his father struggle to communicate following a severe stroke, he saw first-hand how limited access to supportive technology can restrict independence, confidence, and opportunity. At the time, assistive technology was scarce, fragmented, and often treated as a niche add-on. Martin believed it should be practical, accessible, and built into everyday learning and working environments. That belief became the foundation of Everway.
What began as a small company supporting speech and dexterity challenges has grown into a global leader in neuroinclusive technology, supporting millions of people across education, the workplace, and life beyond. Under Martin’s leadership, Everway has consistently challenged one-size-fits-all approaches, advocating instead for personalised tools that adapt to people, not the other way around.
Beyond technology, Martin is a long-standing advocate for neuroinclusion. He has helped shift conversations away from deficits and labels, toward strengths, dignity, and lifelong support. His work reflects a conviction that neuroinclusion is not just a social good, but a driver of better outcomes for individuals, organisations, and society as a whole.
Today, Martin continues to shape Everway’s long-term vision: building a neuroinclusive world where difference is expected, valued, and supported: so every kind of mind has the chance to thrive.
Under Martin McKay’s leadership, innovation at Everway has continued to push forward. In the last year alone, he has personally helped shape new AI-enabled tools designed to extend support for neurodivergent people at work. These innovations focus on practical outcomes: reducing cognitive load, improving clarity, and enabling people to work and learn with confidence. The impact of Everway’s work is both deeply human and globally measurable. Under Martin McKay’s leadership, Everway technology has supported more than 250 million people across 150 countries and six continents, helping individuals access education, succeed at work, and participate more fully in everyday life.
Martin’s contribution to this impact has been recognised internationally, including the International Dyslexia Association Presidential Award for lifetime contribution to dyslexia and literacy, and EY Entrepreneur of the Year (Ireland). Together, Martin and Everway continue to prove that technology, when designed with purpose, can materially improve life opportunities and help build a more neuroinclusive world.
