We Are Finalists in the Smart Data Challenge Prize

We’re proud to share that we’ve been selected as one of just ten finalists in the UK Government’s Smart Data Challenge Prize.

Each finalist receives £50,000 in funding and access to a purpose-built synthetic Smart Data sandbox.

It’s an exciting opportunity to prototype real-world innovations that can transform how consumers and businesses use data.

Why It Matters

The Smart Data Challenge, launched by Challenge Works (Nesta) with support from NayaOne and the Department for Business and Trade, aims to unlock the next wave of data-powered services - just as Open Banking did for finance.

This initiative gives us a safe, secure space to test and develop our ideas using synthetic data that represents 5,000 consumers and 100 small businesses across a year-long timeline.

It’s a powerful way to explore what a fully functional Smart Data ecosystem might look like in practice, and what barriers stand in the way of adoption.

We’re especially excited about how this could benefit consumers navigating everyday choices - and the organisations that support them.

What We’re Building

We’ll be using this opportunity to develop Nigel, our AI-driven customer engagement platform.

Nigel helps organisations communicate directly with customers through highly personalised, secure digital channels - offering insights that make a real difference.

Using Smart Data, we want Nigel to help people save money, make better life decisions, and avoid common pitfalls when it comes to things like utilities, insurance, and mortgages.

And for businesses, it means more relevant interactions, less cost, and deeper customer trust.

"This is a big moment for our team and our mission.

Smart Data has the potential to unlock enormous value for individuals and communities - and we’re here to show what’s possible when data is used responsibly, securely, and for good."

Paul Holland, Founder, Beyond Encryption

"Using synthetic data in the new Smart Data Sandbox, teams will be able to test their solutions, demonstrate the potential benefits of a Smart Data ecosystem for customers and society, and help government to understand what it can do to support the widespread creation of impactful uses of real-world Smart Data across different sectors in the UK."

Holly Jamieson, Executive Director, Challenge Works

We were thrilled to attend the pre-announcement event last week at the stunning Nesta building in London, surrounded by brilliant teams working to build better outcomes through data.

We’re grateful to Challenge Works, NayaOne, and the Department for Business and Trade for making the programme possible.

References

Smart Data Challenge Prize Reveals Finalists Vying for £50K Funding, Digit News, 2025

Reviewed by

Sam Kendall, 26.06.25