Launching a global membership organisation for neurodiversity

Awareness of neurodiversity in professional life was increasing, yet global platforms advocating for neurodivergent individuals remained limited. The Institute of Neurodiversity sought to launch as a membership organisation with international visibility and quickly establish credibility among professional and financial services audiences.

Results in brief

• Coverage in 70+ international media outlets, including Financial Times, BBC Newsday, Forbes and Financial News

• LinkedIn News spotlight feature and participation from BBC Dragon Touker Suleyman

• Thousands of members joined the Institute of Neurodiversity in the weeks following launch

The challenge

The Institute of Neurodiversity (ION) was established to promote understanding, inclusion and empowerment for neurodivergent individuals worldwide.

At launch, the organisation needed to establish credibility quickly, build awareness of the challenges faced by neurodivergent professionals and position itself as a global platform for advocacy and membership.

Material Impact was tasked with supporting the organisation’s launch across the UK and Swiss markets, with a particular focus on reaching professional and financial services audiences.

The outcome

The launch campaign secured extensive international media attention and helped establish the Institute of Neurodiversity as a recognised voice on neurodiversity in professional life.

Coverage included:

• Financial Times half-page profile

• Appearances on BBC Newsday and BBC.co.uk

• Raconteur

• Financial News

• Forbes

• Dozens of additional international media outlets

The Financial Times profile was selected as a LinkedIn News “story of the day”, generating significant engagement across professional networks and attracting public support including participation from BBC Dragon Touker Suleyman.

Beyond media exposure, the campaign helped shift the narrative around neurodiversity from a focus on “curing” neurodivergence to one centred on recognition, inclusion and empowerment. Thousands of individuals shared their experiences publicly and privately for the first time.

In the few weeks during and following the launch campaign, the Institute of Neurodiversity attracted over four thousand new members, establishing early momentum for the organisation’s global membership community.

Estimated media value

Based on typical advertising rates across Tier 1 international business media and global broadcast audiences, the estimated advertising value equivalent (AVE) of the coverage generated is approximately:

$900,000