Nick Hungerford, the co-founder of investment management platform Nutmeg, has died at the age of 43 from bone cancer.
Hungerford recently set up the charity Elizabeth’s Smile with wife Nancy to support and help children who are dealing with losing a parent. It is named after their daughter Elizabeth.
“We are deeply saddened to share the news of Nick’s death,” the charity said. “Nick’s Smile will inspire us, always.”
Nutmeg was acquired by JPMorgan Chase in 2021 at an unknown amount but was reported at almost £700m.
Hungerford co-founded Nutmeg in 2011 at a time when the UK’s fintech industry was in its infancy. The fintech’s products include pensions, ISAs and investment accounts. Nutmeg was acquired by JPMorgan Chase in 2021 for a reported £700m.
In a statement, Nutmeg said: “Nick was passionate about helping to empower people to achieve their full potential – through Nutmeg, he hoped to democratise wealth management and start a journey that would change the retail investment sector in the UK. It is a mission we all aim to deliver every day.”
“Nick’s passion to help empower people to achieve their full potential has also been realised through the charity he and his wife established following his terminal cancer diagnosis.”
Following the acquisition by JPMorgan Chase, Hungerford was a venture partner at Portage, a department for international trade digital ambassador and a founding non-executive director of Innovate Finance.
Tributes have poured in from the tech world. Mike Butcher, editor-at-large of TechCrunch, said that Nutmeg was a “pioneer of the UK fintech boom” and that Hungerford was a “genuinely lovely and inspiring guy”.
Brent Hoberman, co-founder of Founders Forum Group, said Hungerford was “super impressive”.
Janet Coyle, managing director of Grow London at London & Partners, said: “Such sad news about the passing of Nick Hungerford” and added that he has “built such an amazing legacy” with his charity Elizabeth’s Smile.