Managing money is tough for anyone, but it hits especially hard for adults with learning disabilities. Just opening a banking app or trying to make sense of monthly statements can feel like solving a puzzle. And with banks pushing aggressively toward digital-only services, many people find themselves struggling to keep up.
This isn’t just about inconvenience. When someone can’t handle their own money, they lose their independence bit by bit. Having to hand over control to someone else often feels like a step backward instead of forward.
The scale of this problem in the UK is significant – 1.5 million people with learning disabilities face these barriers daily. As bank branches close and digital payments become the norm, many find themselves excluded from basic financial services. The rise in sophisticated scams adds another layer of risk, making financial independence feel increasingly out of reach.
Project Nemo, a grassroots, not-for-profit campaign, is joining forces with Fintech Fringe and The Payments Association on a new initiative aimed at dismantling financial barriers for adults with learning disabilities.
Launched in 2023, Fintech Fringe connects innovative fintech startups with established financial institutions, sparking breakthroughs in the sector. The Payments Association, at the heart of the UK’s payments industry, promotes innovation and collaboration.
Their collaborative effort is geared towards crafting more user-friendly financial services that empower those with learning disabilities to handle their finances independently.
The challenge
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, one of Europe’s largest payments show, on 26 March at London’s Excel.
Fintechs with customer-facing or B2B solutions can 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, which is expected to see more than 6,000 industry professionals in attendance.
“We’re calling on fintechs to showcase impactful solutions that remove barriers and empower adults with learning disabilities to achieve financial independence,” explains Joanne Dewar, founder of Project Nemo. “Whether through customer-facing tools or B2B innovations, this is an opportunity to drive meaningful change in an underserved market.
“Our collaboration with PAY360 and Fintech Fringe allows us to drive a lasting legacy of inclusion in financial services. By amplifying the voices of underserved communities, we’re ensuring that accessibility is a priority for fintech innovation.”
Calypso Harland, founder of the Fintech Fringe Innovation Challenge Series, also added: “We are thrilled to partner with Project Nemo on this Innovation Challenge. This is the first challenge in our series, and it highlights exactly why we launched this initiative – to drive tangible impact and foster collaboration between fintechs and financial institutions. By tackling real-world issues, we aim to accelerate innovation that delivers meaningful and lasting change.”
A live online launch event on 10 February will provide an overview of the challenge, judging criteria as well as guidance on how to get involved.
