2024 was a year of exploration, as we started to see the first green shoots of the Unearthodox innovation portfolio take hold. From the World Economic Forum in Davos in January, where we partnered with TransCap to hold space in the SDG/InTent arena for discussions on systemic investing, to the worldwide creative curation call, the first phase of an exciting experiment – the Sci-Fi, AI and the Futures for Nature project – and the Regenerative Futures retreat in Italy, it was a year of diverse discussions, sensing collaboration and cultivating the soil for future innovation. Beneath these public-facing events lay a great deal of thoughtful, layered and messy work from both our internal team and our partners and innovators. 

For me, personally, it was a year of two halves. The first was deeply embedded in conversations around the world and inside the team. During the second, I allowed myself to be fully immersed in the birth of my second daughter and in understanding what it means to expand family, live motherhood and let go of the reins of Unearthodox, even for a short time. 

In my experience, people find in Unearthodox a trigger to ask harder questions. To tell me what they think, what they hope for, and what they really believe is not going well. We also always dance around several words, and I find these to be passageways to deeper understanding and richer possibilities. 

Future. 
Radical.
Innovation.
Transformation.
Decolonisation.
Nature.
Bold.

What do these words mean, and to whom are they meaningful? They’re all heavily laden with meaning, situated in context, and sensitive to the minds and experiences of those who are bound in one way or another to each other. In my year of two halves, it doesn’t matter if these words wove their way via our Exploration Co-Lab, or were expanded upon in insight pieces we published. They most certainly worked hard during the retreat in Italy and are often on the minds of the people who make up our community of philanthropists, investors, innovators, partners and board members. What if we can’t agree on their definitions? I am always pushed by those who expect Unearthodox to be purveyors of all of these words and more. And I don’t disagree; we must always be ambitious in our aspirations and our reality. 

I am inspired by those who continually attempt to upend our standard understanding, either via reframing our way of seeing nature conservation and the roots of our problems, or those courageous enough to start building innovations rooted wherever they are.

As Toni Morrison wrote in her novel Beloved, “Definitions belong to the definers, not the defined.” And this is it. 2024 was a year of slowly bringing to life the three pillars of our portfolio with those who have resisted being defined or victimised by our current systems. Those who exercise their agency in powerful ways and who push us to think again. Those ready to innovate in unusual and sometimes provocative ways. 

So, I will let their work speak for itself and learn more, myself, about what it means to redefine. What could it mean to #BeUnearthodox?

My maternity leave was also a wonderful gift. They say a CEO must always hold the fifty-thousand-foot perspective. See and care for the whole and look to the next horizon. There is nothing like a deeply immersive change of pace and distance from daily work rhythms to give this perspective back. My deepest thanks to Ryna Sherazi, who took the reins during my absence with care and attention. 

As always, thank you to the whole team, our President and Board, Critical Minds, the Advisory Group, partners, collaborators and all our supporters, and those who challenge or offer us skepticism with care, respect, reality, and honesty. Thanks even to the curious bystanders. I look forward to 2025 more than ever.

Unearthodox exists to help nurture new ideas that help people and nature thrive together. We know that you, too, share this vision, and I want to thank you for your commitment, thoughtful collaboration and interest in this vital work. 

In 2024, we marked Unearthodox’s second year. Building on strong foundations and an impressive legacy as the Luc Hoffman Institute, this year saw its foundation, and our wider community set out for new horizons that deepened our understanding of regeneration. This considered, creative and thoughtful approach began with asking, "What does regeneration mean to you?" and a call for innovative interpretations of regeneration launched in mid-2024. Following this, during our retreat in November, we explored the many perceptions and tensions inherent in working towards regenerative futures, together with a diverse community of changemakers. These explorations will help surface a pool of innovations for regeneration that Unearthodox will support and nurture in 2025–26. 

We invited views on Unearthodox’s purpose and direction, both through our team’s interactions with investors, innovators and regeneration practitioners, and more formally through a stakeholder perception review. Thank you to everyone who took the time to contribute. We know that to realise deep systemic changes needed for a healthier planet and society, we need to keep listening and learning. This review provided valuable insights to help us remain accountable and focused on our strategy.

Throughout this year, the team at Unearthodox has grown both in size and understanding of the multiple intersections of this work. Futures thinking methodologies continue to be useful in supporting solutions, not just for today’s challenges, but also in nurturing ideas that help realise a healthier future for all species for years to come. Our engagement and partnerships with a range of people and organisations have broadened as a consequence, which we hope means more inclusive innovations for nature and society as we progress. 

It has been an immense pleasure to lead the team as Interim CEO, and I remain excited to learn alongside Melanie and the team as a champion and supporter of the organisation. Thank you for your time, your voice and your connection in supporting bold ideas that help people and nature flourish.

2024 was the year of innovators at Unearthodox. It saw the launch of the inaugural cohort of our incubation programme, the Exploration Co-Lab. This brings the do-ers into our world, a collaboration which we are building in the spirit of deep allyship. Our partners – innovators passionate about culture, history, technology and learning – are the living demonstration of what Unearthodox stands for: bold thinkers at the complex interface of people and nature. 

Some of our innovators are also artists who, through the Cycles of Hope project, shared their interpretation of regeneration. Through these contributions, we unearthed deeper and more complex ideas of regeneration. I learned through this the role that loss and dying have in regeneration, something I had overlooked. Composting, a new term for me outside of the garden, also happens when societies come to terms with change, and is a vital step in regeneration. 

Outside of Unearthodox, 2024 will also be remembered as the year AI entered the daily lives of billions of human beings. Inside Unearthodox, this was paralleled through our Sci-Fi, AI and the Futures for Nature project. What if an eco-positive science fiction tale could inspire a new generation of entrepreneurs? Or if AI could help draw pathways towards an imagined, better future? Well, this project leans into these questions in thrilling detail. A sort of "the future is now" moment dawns when you dig in. 

If 2024 was the year of the innovator at Unearthodox, it was also a year in which the team worked tremendously hard. A tight and trusting hub has formed at Unearthodox of people who are able to engage and inspire broadly on these tough questions. A big thanks to all of the team members for their determination and commitment, and a special mention for Melanie and Ryna, our CEO and Ad Interim CEO, for leading through complexity!

I hope you enjoy reading this annual report, discovering or rediscovering the work of Unearthodox. We invite you to join us in building a regenerative society.

2024 was a foundational year for Unearthodox – a time of growth and meaningful impact. We marked our first anniversary, celebrated key programmatic achievements, and expanded our team. This year firmly placed Unearthodox on the map as an emerging force in social innovation for nature, grounded in a powerful and enduring legacy.

Alongside our outward-facing work and growing visibility, we’ve been doing the deep internal work that makes lasting impact possible. We clarified our organisational values, and developed our stance on justice, equity, diversity and inclusion (JEDI). We also tested Unearthodox’s value proposition with key partners, and carried out our first internal health check to reflect and course correct as we grow.

During the reporting period, we launched the Innovation Portfolio Strategy 2024-2026, with the aspiration to go deeper to unearth real potential for change; wider to reach and collaborate with a more diverse set of people and ideas; and bolder to invest in the greatest and most impactful change. We also completed the Luc Hoffmann Institute cycle, concluding work initiated prior to Unearthodox’s establishment. 

We made significant progress across all three new programmes: the flagship Regenerative Futures programme, the transformative Exploration Co-Lab and the more forward-thinking Creative Futures for Nature. Looking ahead, Unearthodox is now in a unique position to guide and empower change-makers and innovators, helping them turn ideas into tangible, actionable solutions that drive lasting impact in regeneration, equity and systemic transformation.

Website

11,090 new users 
45,400 page views (up from 35,000 page views in 2023)

Social Media

At Unearthodox, we see our donors as integral members of our ecosystem. Beyond essential financial support, we deeply value the insights, technical expertise and vital networks that enhance and expand our work. Your generosity fuels our efforts to regenerate nature and drive truly transformative change.

We are especially grateful to the Fondation Hans Wilsdorf for its steadfast commitment and trust in our vision, leadership and organisation.

If you are inspired to help co-create a thriving planet, please get in touch with Sofia Papadakaki, our Fundraising and Partnerships Manager, at sofia.papadakaki@unearthodox.org. 

Our vision for a healthier planet calls for bold ideas and truly transformative collaboration. Over the past year, we deepened relationships across our ecosystem and built new strategic partnerships that brought fresh perspectives and broadened our collective impact.

Together with the TransCap Initiative, we co-led a session on systemic investing at the World Economic Forum in Davos (January 2024). 

As part of our ongoing efforts to nurture a supportive innovation ecosystem, we began new collaborations with Brainforest, Climate-KIC and BeVisioneers. We also engaged with a wider range of organisations that share our commitment to a future where all life on Earth thrives, including Alterna, Greaterthan, the Global Youth Biodiversity Network (GYBN), and the Moleskine Foundation, among others. These are just a few examples of the many rich and meaningful conversations and partnerships that continue to shape our work, and we are deeply grateful for the collaborative spirit shared across our growing ecosystem.

If you are interested in partnering with us or are curious to hear more, please get in touch with Sofia Papadakaki, our Fundraising and Partnerships Manager, at sofia.papadakaki@unearthodox.org, and Claire Dusonchet, our Innovation Portfolio Manager, at claire.dusonchet@unearthodox.org.