Insurgent is a collective group of industry leaders, covering multiple sectors and disciplines, all driven by a need to make a difference for the good of humanity and the planet. The group will be led by CEO Cyrus Vantoch-Wood (ex-BBDO New York, Naked Communications, Chiel Worldwide), Head of Business Strategy Florence Shaffer (CEO at Becoming, formerly at Estée Lauder Companies, Burberry, Lucasfilm, and more) and Fund Manager Wladimir Miroschnikow (Partner at SCNE Ventures, formerly of Vertum.Group and venture consultant to Deutsche Bank, Unilever, and others).

Startups at Insurgent will also benefit from the hands-on guidance of an accomplished advisory board, comprising experts from diverse industries and disciplines, all united by a shared commitment to building businesses that deliver both profit and impact. The Insurgent advisory board consists of Jon Cropper (FutureLogic), Roland Rudolf (Chiel Germany), Arnaud Nichols (Bloqs London), Mark Lyra (TrueWind LLC US), Gill Linton (CEO and EiC at Byronesque) and Alasdair Scott (Digital innovation for Apple, Boeing, Barclays, BMW, and more).

Both Cyrus and Mark have recently become members of IMAGINE, a leadership group founded by former Unilever CEO Paul Poman. The organisation is a collection of executives, innovators, and investors committed to climate action and social equity, perfectly aligning with the goals of Insurgent.

Cyrus Vantoch-Wood, CEO and Head of Design for Insurgent. He says: “The destructive power of the major corporate and political elite is plain to see. The pursuit of profit, attention, and user base at the expense of the planet is creating a divided species, whilst the very planet we inhabit suffers. The tenacious technology, marketing, and branding behind said elite is remarkable and effective - there is no reason such tenacity can’t be deployed for good. For our happiness, for planetary health, and for the creation of successful, impact-driven businesses. Insurgent is here to nurture and encourage such an approach for startup companies across various verticals and industries.”

An early example of work is a collaboration with Bloqs, an innovative open-access maker and community space in North London. Cyrus and the Insurgent team were initially tasked with a brand strategy and identity, which soon expanded to include a comprehensive GTM strategy, website redesign, social media management, and content production. Working together, Insurgent completely transformed Bloqs as a brand within six months.

Co-Founder at Bloqs, Arnaud Nichols, said: “Working with the team was an absolute game-changer for our business. Their creativity and attention to detail brought our vision to life in ways we never imagined.”

The opportunity for Insurgent is to fill a gap that caused $86 billion worth of available, ready-to-invest capital to sit unused in 2024, due to a lack of investment-ready ventures dedicated to climate. Whilst plenty of accelerators and incubators exist in the space, they don’t grow companies to an investment-ready stage. This is where the Insurgent Venture Studio is set to intervene.

Insurgent seeks to become a voice for positive action, opposing the levels of political and cultural toxicity that have rocketed in recent years, and have resulted in a divided, polarised society which now regularly boils over into physical and online violence. This extends to government-led stalling on climate progress, despite scientific evidence; Insurgent will only work with companies and teams who are building with planetary health in mind.

For more startup news, check out the other articles on the website, and subscribe to the magazine for free. Listen to The Cereal Entrepreneur podcast for more interviews with entrepreneurs and big-hitters in the startup ecosystem.