Project Nemo and Fintech Fringe Launch Innovation Challenge to Tackle Financial Exclusion for People with Learning Disabilities 

Project Nemo, in collaboration with Fintech Fringe and The Payments Association, is launching its first challenge to address financial exclusion for adults with learning disabilities. This initiative marks the first challenge in Fintech Fringe’s new Innovation Challenge Series, designed to connect financial institutions with innovative startups to develop solutions for pressing industry challenges. Winners will be showcased at Pay360, Europe’s largest payments show, on March 26.This pioneering initiative seeks to drive real change by exploring how fintech products and services can improve the payments experience for adults with learning disabilities, ensuring accessibility and independence in financial management.In the UK, 1.5 million people live with learning disabilities and face significant barriers when making, receiving, and managing payments. The rise of digital payments, reduction of attended terminals, and increasingly sophisticated fraud tactics make financial transactions riskier and more challenging for this underserved group. While many individuals are eager to participate in society and manage their finances, they often lack accessible solutions beyond restrictive measures such as Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA).The urgency for change was highlighted at the recent ‘Tackling Financial Exclusion of People with Learning Disabilities’ event, hosted by Project Nemo and Kathryn Townsend, Government Disability & Access Ambassador for the Banking Sector. The event brought together fintechs, banks, trade bodies, disability charities, advocacy groups, and individuals with lived experience to identify challenges and explore potential solutions.Fintechs – Don’t Miss This Opportunity!Project Nemo invites fintechs with customer-facing or B2B solutions to participate in this transformative challenge. Fintechs will have the opportunity to pitch their solutions to a judging panel comprising end-users and financial institutions.Five winners will be selected to present their solutions on the Innovation Stage at PAY360 2025, held at London’s Excel on 26th March 2025. This high-profile opportunity provides exposure to over 6,000 industry professionals, offering fintechs a platform to showcase their innovations and forge valuable partnerships within the banking sector.“We’re calling on fintechs to showcase impactful solutions that remove barriers and empower adults with learning disabilities to achieve financial independence. Whether through customer-facing tools or B2B innovations, this is an opportunity to drive meaningful change in an underserved market,” says Joanne Dewar, founder of Project Nemo.To support fintechs in their participation, a live online launch event on 10th February will provide an overview of the challenge, judging criteria, and guidance on how to get involved.Driving Industry-Wide ChangeSince launching at the Innovate Finance Global Summit in April 2024, Project Nemo has championed accessibility within finte