Project Nemo, a not-for-profit initiative focused on accelerating disability inclusion in fintech, has launched a new film series and podcast aimed at raising awareness and driving change.
The film series, titled Disability Inclusion Stories, features personal stories from the disability community, shining a light on the everyday barriers disabled people face when interacting with digital financial services.
Premiering at the Payments Innovation Summit on 18 September 2024, the first video, Amit’s Story, tells the experience of diversity and inclusion specialist Amit Ghose. Ghose’s multiple facial surgeries have impacted his ability to use facial recognition technology, a common feature in modern banking apps.
He shares how this has caused him significant challenges, including difficulties in accessing his own money. “When I have to use facial recognition to make payments on my banking app, and it constantly says ‘Face not recognised,’ it feels like a step backwards. It makes me feel like I’m not even human.”
His story underscores the importance of making financial technologies more accessible.
Upcoming content
More videos in the series will be released over the coming months, each featuring different stories from the disability community. These videos will also aim to show fintechs the tangible impact of accessibility gaps and inspire the industry to address these challenges head-on.
In addition to the film series, Project Nemo has launched a podcast titled Accessible Finance — Demystifying Disability Inclusion. Co-hosted by Project Nemo founding member Prerna Goel and Missive’s Whitney Simon, the podcast delves deeper into the various aspects of disability inclusion in fintech.
Through conversations with expert guests, the podcast also explores topics ranging from inclusive workplace practices and product design to legal requirements and measuring progress.
Joanne Dewar, project lead at Project Nemo, explains the purpose behind these initiatives: “Our goal is to be the catalyst for fintechs to consider how digital accessibility is relevant to them, and take meaningful steps to address how they approach disability inclusion.
“The launch of our Disability Inclusion Stories marks an important step in reaching that goal by bringing to life tangible and relatable examples, supported by relevant charities and action groups who help contextualise the scale of each issue and explain why it matters.”
Meeting needs
Supporting this mission, Diane Lightfoot, CEO of Business Disability Forum, also noted: “Creating a financial services sector which better meets the need of everyone is a priority for Business Disability Forum and our Members working in the sector. We are delighted to support Project Nemo as it supports fintechs on their path to accessibility and disability inclusion.”
Since its launch at the Innovate Finance Global Summit in April, Project Nemo has received strong support from the fintech community. Dewar explains that the project will also continue to build momentum in the coming months by creating more content to engage fintechs.
““We will capitalise on that momentum over the coming months, by creating content that helps build understanding amongst the fintech community, put disability inclusion firmly on the agenda, and inspire action towards lasting change. Combined the podcast and film series provide a 360 degree view of why we need to ensure we are inclusive, and what we need to do to get there,” Dewar also added.
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