With an estimated 1 in 4 people in the UK living with a disability¹, the need for inclusive design and employment policy is more important than ever.

One organisation pioneering these efforts in the UK FinTech space is the team at Project Nemo; a FinTech-focused organisation championing inclusive product design and hiring by providing compelling content and free training.

I chatted to Project Nemo co-founder, Jo Dewar to find out more

Project Nemo was born around a kitchen able in an Airbnb in Vienna, back in October 2023. An unlikely trio came together - disability advocate Kris Foster, recent graduate Ella Manley, and former FinTech CEO Joanne Dewar. Each brought different life experiences but were united by a shared frustration at the pace of progress on disability inclusion.

After speaking at the European Women in Payments Network conference, where many of these conversations came to a head, there was a groundswell of encouragement to turn these isolated moments into something tangible. From that spark, Project Nemo was created.

We spent the following months talking to people from across the FinTech industry and the disability community, identifying a clear gap in awareness and action. What stood out was how many people related to the issue personally - through lived experience, family members, or friends.

In November 2023, we tested our thinking with a roundtable event that brought together FinTech leaders and disability ambassadors. The feedback was clear: the industry was ready for change, and eager for leadership.

Project Nemo officially launched on 15th April 2024 at the historic Guildhall in London, during the 10th anniversary of the Innovate Finance Global Summit (IFGS).

Our goal? To educate, inspire, and support the UK’s FinTech industry to embed disability inclusion at its core - whether in the products it builds or the people it employs.

We set out to drive meaningful, lasting change in a fast-paced, innovative sector that was unintentionally leaving a significant part of society behind. Think about the move to cashless, unattended and digital-first solutions - many of these so-called ‘advances’ in payments were inadvertently making inclusion worse.

It’s a gentle nod to the famous Disney clownfish. At the start of the story we are told about his disability, he has one smaller fin, but by the end of the story, after following his intrepid adventure, we are captivated by his vitality and curiosity and his disability, whilst still there, is no longer front of mind.

We set off thinking that ‘the problem’ that needed to be addressed was attracting disabled talent into the industry, but then we realised that there was an important pre-requisite to help the industry become more disability confident and accessible to enable people to thrive.

We deliberately wanted to call ourselves a project because we don’t intend to have a product or service or exist long-term – we want to catalyse industry momentum that self-sustains.

Yes, we’ve started with FinTech in the UK because it’s a space we know well. Everyone involved with Project Nemo has worked in the industry, so we had a strong network and a solid understanding of the landscape.

But it’s also a strategic choice. FinTech is fast-moving, innovative, and unburdened by legacy systems. That gives it a unique opportunity to embed accessibility into products and services from day one - instead of retrofitting it later, which is often more costly.

We also knew that regulation was coming. The European Accessibility Act and increasing pressure from banks for their partners to be inclusive meant the timing was right.

From day one, our hope was to encourage the industry to lean in and take ownership - and we haven’t been disappointed. The response has been phenomenal, with more offers of support than at times we’ve been able to manage!

Ultimately, we want this movement to last. It’s much bigger than Project Nemo, we are just the spark. The work needs to continue through the actions of others. We have laid the groundwork and are already seeing results of the first wave of the adoption curve, whose stories will in turn validate our call to action and further encourage the next wave to progress.

We’re already seeing this happen. Such as the fantastic role-specific free digital accessibility training for FinTechs that HSBC Innovation Banking has rolled out, in collaboration with the Accessibility team at HSBC. Your leadership and support in this space has been incredible.

We’ve seen industry conferences like Pay360 incorporate live captioning, stage ramps and quiet rooms at their events this year which is a real step forward. New awards have been introduced to recognise disability inclusion and maintain visibility and accountability for years to come. That’s exactly the kind of industry-wide momentum we hoped to inspire.

Start by involving people with lived experience in the design process. Give them a seat at the table early.

We’ve seen that when products are built with accessibility in mind, it benefits everyone - not just those with access needs. It also reduces the cost and complexity of changes later on.

Spread the word. And more importantly - get started. Anyone can be the person that gets the ball rolling in your organisation, no matter your role or budget. Try disconnecting your mouse and navigating your own website with only a keyboard.

There are people in every organisation who have something to say about accessibility. Give them the chance to speak. Listen. Learn. Use the free resources on our website. Follow experts and advocates on LinkedIn. Set yourself small goals and build from there.

You don’t need to do it alone. There are experts who can help. Our partnership with HSBC is a great example: their free digital accessibility training is open to all UK FinTechs.

There are some great resources available. Here’s a selection - by no means an exhaustive list!

• Our recent report with AlixPartners revealed a £70 billion market opportunity by improving accessibility in payments: PowerPoint Presentation
• Our Safe Spending Report, focused on adults with a learning disability includes key stats on financial exclusion. Learning Disabilities Report - Project Nemo
• The ActionAble 2025 Impact Report is another fantastic resource we recommend.

Purple Tuesday and the Business Disability Forum, AbilityNet, The Valuable 500 and Hassell Inclusion are also great resources. 

We’ve been lucky to work with amazing partners - big and small. From FinTechs and banks to disability charities, regulators, consultants, industry associations and conference organisers.

Looking ahead, we want to continue engaging FinTechs in accessible product design and inclusive hiring practices, and encourage everyone to play their part - whether that’s a conference including live captions or a quiet room, a CEO championing internal change, or someone simply adding image descriptions to LinkedIn posts.

It all matters.

Honestly, the response has been incredible.

At every event we attend, people are curious. Often it starts with our socks (shout-out to Stand Out Socks!), but it quickly becomes a meaningful conversation. Once people realise the social impact and the commercial opportunity, they really lean in.

Everyone knows someone who’s been affected by access barriers within financial services, whether it’s a friend, family member, or themselves. And with an ageing population, this will only become more relevant. One in four people in the UK lives with a disability today. Yet until now people have typically separated their family lives and experiences from their job. Project Nemo has given the platform for so many to realise that they are empowered to make this industry better for their own loved ones, as well as for their future selves.

This isn’t a niche issue. It’s something that affects us all.

Technology, including a wide range of assistive technologies and AI, has the potential to be a powerful force for inclusion. From real-time captioning and voice-to-text tools to AI-driven accessibility audits and personalised interfaces, we’re already seeing how it can break down barriers for people with disabilities.

But the flip side is just as real. If accessibility isn’t considered from the start, new technologies can deepen the digital divide. AI models could amplify bias, interfaces could become more complex, and users with access needs could be unintentionally excluded further.

It all comes back to intent. Inclusion must be considered and actioned from the start through design and testing. When people with disabilities are involved in the creation process, the outcomes are better for everyone.

We’re optimistic about what’s possible, but only if inclusion remains front and centre as we innovate.

Find out more about HSBC’s free digital accessibility training.