Dr Neil Alexander-Passe is a school leader, a former SENDCO (Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator) and Assistant Head for primary and secondary schools in London. He is an ‘Inclusion Expert’ at the Department for Education (UK), and the author of 15 books focused on dyslexia and neurodiversity from a lived-experience, trauma-informed perspective, and has published 12 peer-reviewed papers. His latest focus has been on the ‘school-to-prison-pipeline’ looking at dyslexia, ASDHD, and autism. He is on the academic boards of dyslexia charities in Australia, and on the editorial board of a dyslexia-based academic peer-reviewed journal in Singapore. 

His latest book, ‘The Mind and Motivations of Neurodivergent Entrepreneurs,’ should be out in Early 2026. It includes a survey of 180 neurodivergent entrepreneurs, and life-career profiles of 32 entrepreneurs with either ADHD, Autism, dyslexia, or a combination of the two or three conditions. It also investigated 5 well-known neurodivergent entrepreneurs: Elon Musk, Bill Gates, Jess Bezos, Sir Richard Branson, and Sir James Dyson.

Dr Syeda Nimra Batool is a Lecturer in the School of Business and Management at Royal Holloway, University of London. Her research lies at the intersection of entrepreneurship and psychology, focusing on team dynamics, technology commercialization, entrepreneurial support programs, and the inclusion of neurodiverse entrepreneurs to build more diverse and effective entrepreneurial ecosystems. Her work has been presented at prestigious academic conferences, including the Academy of Management Conference, the British Academy of Management, and the Babson College Entrepreneurship Research Conference, and has been published in academic journals such as The Service Industries Journal. Her research has also been featured in best paper proceedings, and her study on ADHD entrepreneurs received a Best Paper Award.

Ed James is a Propositions Manager at Lloyds Banking Group with ADHD. An enthusiastic Award-winning Founder, Presenter, Disability Advocate, ACCESS Steering Committee member, Fundraiser, Judge, and people connector  (As well as Artisan Cheesemonger and Squash Coach)

Ed’s main drive is making the largest positive impact possible while remaining authentic to himself.  Ed marks 2 years at LBG, having recently completed the Sustainability Consumer Banking Graduate Scheme and in his current role has launched the Lloyds Premier Solar Panel Discount. 

He is the founder of 2 internal networks that work to improve inclusion and connectivity to then inform, influence and inspire positive change: NICE Squad (Neuro-Inclusive Connections Empowerment) is a group of over 250 members at LBG that tune into informal drop in calls twice a week to provide an informal space to talk freely about anything and everything. Designed with neurodivergent individuals in mind but open to all. This network won Initiative of the Year at the LBG Access Awards 2024. 

Nicola Jayne Little is Founder and Director of Vision & Impact at Celebrate Difference. Before self-employment, Nicola’s career was centered in education, as a primary school lead for nursery and reception children, and as a SENDCo. Following the launch of her first business in 2008, Nicola has worked extensively across the North East offering mentoring, training, and business support to 1000s of micro-business owners. She launched MINT Business Club in November 2017, Celebrate Difference in October 2021 and bought the old Braes Pub in Consett in February 2022 to renovate it into an HQ for all the businesses. Her passion is equity and making a difference for someone every day.

Jiaxuan Xie is a PhD researcher in Sociolinguistics at the University of Aberdeen and founder of CrystalStim, a neuro-inclusive wearable concept supporting emotional regulation and communication for neurodivergent individuals. Her work bridges sociolinguistic research and inclusive innovation, aiming to create systems where neurodiverse minds feel empowered, supported, and understood.

Professor Deborah Riby is a Professor of Developmental Psychology and Co-Director of the Centre for Neurodiversity & Development at Durham University, interested in neurotypical development, neurodevelopmental conditions, and neurodiversity. Please visit: Centre for Neurodiversity and Development – Durham University Her research predominantly focuses on Williams syndrome (WS) and Autism, using a variety of research approaches to understand areas of relative proficiency or challenge (exploring syndrome-specific signatures, cross-syndrome overlaps, and neurodiversity).