Innovation Challenge Showcase: Accessibility in Action

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Hosted by Fintech Fringe in collaboration with Project Nemo, this showcase marked the culmination of the first Fintech Fringe Innovation Challenge. The goal: to tackle financial exclusion for adults with learning disabilities.

This wasn’t just a panel, it was a movement. A chance to see how innovation, inclusion, and industry partnerships can come together to build scalable solutions for one of the UK’s most underserved communities.

Moderated by Emily Baum, the session included insights from:

  • Calypso Harland, Founder of Fintech Fringe

  • Joanne Dewar, Founder of Project Nemo

  • Presentations from the five challenge winners.

Bridging the Gap: Fintech Fringe's Vision

Calypso opened the session with a passionate introduction to the Innovation Challenge Series. The aim? To create meaningful, structured partnerships between corporates and startups—not just pitches, but real product-market collaboration.

"We rarely see true engagement between startups and enterprises. This challenge flips that dynamic."

Why Accessibility Matters: A Call to Action

Joanne traced the origins of Project Nemo to a Pay360 panel two years ago. The response from attendees was deeply personal, and it became clear that disability inclusion wasn’t a niche issue, it was a mainstream necessity.

"23% of the population has a disability. It affects nearly every family. Yet most of our financial products are not designed with inclusion in mind."

Joanne outlined the project’s four workstreams, research and insights, legal clarity, solution mapping, and technological innovation. Culminating in the showcase of five fintechs building products for vulnerable users.

Challenge Winners: Solutions in the Spotlight

The showcase featured five diverse fintechs, each solving a unique part of the accessibility puzzle:

  • Cleva Card. A multi-wallet model with flexible cards for users, carers, and support teams—allowing for tailored spending and full audit trails.

  • Hope Macy. An open banking app that enables financial guardianship through shared transaction views, detecting fraud, boosting confidence.

  • Money Carer. A biometric payment card that eliminates PIN usage, ideal for individuals with memory challenges or learning disabilities.

  • Sibstar. A secure debit card and app tailored for vulnerable users, remotely configurable, fraud-aware, and backed by UK police partnerships.

  • Vouchsafe. An identity verification platform using vouching, enabling those without traditional ID to access financial services safely.

A Movement, Not a Moment

Emily closed the session with gratitude to the judges, participants, and the Fintech Fringe team.

"This is about scale. We need to move from proof-of-concept to real-world adoption—and this showcase is a powerful first step."

Key Takeaways

  • Actionable strategies to build inclusive payment solutions for users with learning disabilities.

  • Real-world examples of fintechs addressing legal, fraud, and user interface challenges.

  • Opportunities to scale solutions through open-source collaboration and industry-wide education.

  • A clearer understanding of the £1.8 trillion market opportunity in accessible finance.