Nigel Named Runner-Up in the Smart Data Challenge Prize

Nigel, our Smart Data AI agent, has been named a runner-up in the Smart Data Challenge Prize.

The programme gave us the opportunity to demonstrate how Nigel can help people save money, reduce stress, and build financial resilience by turning scattered paperwork into simple, timely actions.

Nigel SDC Innovators Insight Video By The ODI and The Department For Business And Trade

Why Smart Data Matters

Across the UK, people find it difficult to keep on top of routine personal admin.

Personal information is often spread across portals, apps, email inboxes, and paper records.

Important documents such as bank statements, insurance policies, and energy bills can easily become lost or overlooked, leading to missed renewal dates, missed savings, and higher household costs.

The Smart Data Challenge Prize explores how regulated, consent-based data sharing can make this easier.

Backed by the UK Government and delivered by Challenge Works with Smart Data Foundry, NayaOne, and the Open Data Institute, the programme supports products that safely connect data across sectors such as banking, energy, insurance, property, and utilities.

Eleven finalist teams were selected, including Nigel. Each received funding and access to a secure Smart Data Sandbox that simulated a full year of life for thousands of households and small businesses.

Nigel: A Practical, People-First Smart Data Assistant

Nigel - short for “Now I’ve Got Everything Labelled” - is a practical example of how Smart Data can support households, including those who are digitally underconfident.

Nigel brings information together in one secure place, then turns it into clear, actionable steps.

A Secure Digital Vault

Nigel provides a private space to store and organise administrative documents from any sector. Information can be:

• uploaded as digital files
• captured from paper letters using OCR
• shared directly by providers through Smart Data schemes

Once added, documents are standardised so they can be used and compared together.

Smart Skills That Work With Permission

Nigel uses AI-powered Smart Skills to help people stay organised. With permission, Nigel can:

• file and label documents
• find information instantly
• compare tariffs, policies, and statements
• remind households about key dates
• prepare summaries of relevant information
• share documents securely with trusted people

Importantly, Nigel is sector agnostic. It can compare insurance with MOT records, review home cover using EPC or Land Registry information, or check energy usage against available tariffs. This cross-sector capability is what distinguishes Nigel from single-sector tools.

Nigel also supports vulnerable users. It includes shared-access features so trusted third parties can help with administrative tasks, and educational summaries developed with the financial education charity Money Ready.

Why Nigel Was Recognised

After demonstrating its prototype in the Smart Data Sandbox, Nigel was named one of two runner-ups from the eleven finalist teams.

The prize highlighted Nigel’s potential to:

• help households save money by identifying cheaper tariffs and unclaimed entitlements
• reduce stress by providing a clear overview of household information
• support financial resilience through clear, timely guidance
• offer unbiased recommendations without commission or advertising
• deliver responsible AI with human oversight and privacy-by-design

The award confirms Nigel’s alignment with the direction of Smart Data policy, as well as broader aims around inclusion and consumer protection.

Alignment With The UK’s Smart Data Strategy

Nigel was developed with national priorities in mind. Our finalist submission showed how Nigel can:

• support financial wellbeing by helping people understand and optimise everyday spending
• improve digital inclusion by being accessible for digitally underconfident users
• contribute to government digital transformation without excluding those who rely on paper
• help organisations reduce paper usage and support net zero ambitions
• reinforce consumer protection through consent-based sharing and strong safeguards

Nigel’s sector-agnostic model means it can complement initiatives across financial services, energy, pensions, and public services, supporting work led by regulators such as the FCA, Ofgem, and the ICO.

What This Means For Nigel’s Next Phase

The runner-up award provides both funding and validation to accelerate Nigel’s development.

As Smart Data standards evolve, Nigel is well positioned to become one of the first practical tools that helps households benefit from their own administrative data in a safe, simple, and trusted way.

We are grateful to Challenge Works, Smart Data Foundry, NayaOne, the Open Data Institute, and the Department for Business and Trade for their guidance and support.

References

Smart Data Challenge Prize, Challenge Works, 2025

Smart Data Foundry, Smart Data Foundry, 2025

NayaOne, NayaOne, 2025

Open Data Institute, ODI, 2025

Money Ready, Money Ready, 2025

Reviewed by

Sam Kendall, 01.12.25