Consultancy Call

Unearthodox is seeking proposals from qualified Web Design, Development, and Maintenance Services to provide structured, reliable, and high-quality website services over a seven-month period.

RFP–Web Design, Development and Maintenance Services

Duration: 1st June 2026 to 31st December 2026

Application closing date: 10th April 2026

Context & Scope

As Unearthodox continues to grow its profile and activities across research, engagement, incubation, fundraising, and partnerships, our website is a critical platform for communication, credibility, and impact. It supports our engagement with funders, partners, innovators, and wider audiences interested in social innovation for biodiversity conservation and regeneration.

While our current single website provider has delivered significant value and has proven to be a trusted and effective long-term partner, we see the need to transition to an agency-based model that better supports flexibility, long-term continuity, and resilience.

In parallel, Unearthodox has recently articulated a clearer hybrid identity as both a think-tank and an incubator (a “thinkubator”). Our current website structure, however, is still largely organised around programmes, with related content (activities, insights, reports, news, and innovator features) dispersed across different sections, and it doesn’t reflect our identity as a thinkubator. This assignment, therefore, aims to evolve how information flows across the website, enabling content to be surfaced and navigated through our hybrid identity while preserving existing content, URLs, and credibility built over time.

This Request for Proposals is issued to identify a professional agency capable of delivering website design, development, and maintenance services with flexibility, continuity, structured processes, and team-based coverage.

This process is intended to:

  • Improve service continuity and risk management
  • Ensure long and short-term responsiveness and flexibility, and maintain or improve the quality, performance, adaptability, and security of Unearthodox’s website.

The selected provider will be responsible for:

  • Leading a light-to-moderate strategic revamp and restructuring of the existing website focused on information architecture, content organisation, and user experience rather than a full visual rebrand or rebuild.
  • Providing ongoing website maintenance and support, including security updates, performance optimisation, and timely issue resolution.
  • Delivering incremental, prioritised website enhancements aligned with Unearthodox’s evolving organisational priorities and programmes.

This engagement does not constitute a full website rebuild, replatforming, or custom CMS development.

Agency Profile

Proposals should demonstrate the following:

Organisational Capacity
Technical Expertise
Project and Service Management
Download the Request for Proposals here

Job Openings

Unearthodox is seeking Programme Managers for our next Umbrella Theme and our Exploration Co-lab.

Programme Manager – Umbrella Theme

Location: Remote (±4 hours CET)
Contract: Full-time, fixed-term until December 2027
Start: April 2026

Application closing date: Thursday, 19 March 2026

Organisation

At Unearthodox, we work at the intersection of systems change, social innovation and regenerative futures. We bring together diverse actors, ask difficult questions, and design long-cycle initiatives that explore new ways of addressing complex environmental and social challenges.

We are a small, international and highly collaborative organisation, committed to working in ways that are thoughtful, adaptive and aligned with our values, while remaining operationally robust and responsible.

Your Role Awaits at Unearthodox

As Programme Manager for the Umbrella Theme Programme, you will steward Unearthodox’s flagship, long-cycle thematic programme. Each Umbrella Theme unfolds over a defined three-year period, creating space for deep inquiry, sense-making and the emergence of new narratives. You will hold the programme end-to-end, from framing and design, through delivery and learning, to closure and transition toward future themes. Your role is to maintain coherence, direction and momentum over time, while staying responsive to learning and emergence.

This is a role for someone who enjoys working with complexity, holding the bigger picture, and enabling change through people.

Is this you?

You are comfortable working in long-cycle, evolving programmes where outcomes emerge over time. You combine strategic thinking with hands-on delivery, and you’re skilled at creating clarity for others in complex and fast-evolving contexts.

You enjoy convening diverse actors, building trust across ecosystems, and holding responsibility while remaining open to learning and adaptation. Experience with systems change, social innovation, sustainability or regenerative practice is a strong asset.

You have experience in complex change contexts and are skilled at synthesising insights from research and partners into clear programme decisions. You know how to convene and facilitate diverse stakeholders, designing gatherings and reflective processes that foster alignment, learning and collaboration.

You build trust across ecosystems, manage external partners with clarity and care, and hold responsibility while remaining open and adaptive.

Experience with systems change, social innovation, or regenerative practice is a strong asset.

Why Unearthodox

You’ll join a small, globally distributed team working at the forefront of social innovation for nature. We value curiosity, collaboration, care and learning and we create space for people to bring their full selves to the work. If you find alignment with our mission, resonate with our beliefs, and see yourself described in the profile above, then don't hesitate. Apply now! We're eager to welcome someone as passionate and driven as you to our team.

How to apply

Please submit your application via the following link.

Download the Job Description here

Programme Manager - Exploration Co-Lab

Location: Flexible (remote within +/- 4 hours CET)
Type of contract: Fixed-term (until December 2027); 70%
Start date: April 2026

Organisation

At Unearthodox, we're making space for as many people as possible to rewrite the narrative of nature conservation.
We believe in a world that not only values nature but actively works to regenerate it. By bridging gaps, fostering unique collaborations, and challenging the status quo, we're working to catalyse futures where nature and society thrive.

Dive into a journey of innovation, co-creation, and transformative change with us.

Your Role Awaits at Unearthodox

As Programme Manager for the Exploration Co-Lab (hereafter “the Co-Lab”), you will steward a cohort-based programme that supports systems innovators working across diverse domains and geographies.

You’ll hold the programme end-to-end, shaping direction, coordinating delivery, and ensuring momentum across successive cohorts. This is a hands-on role at the intersection of strategy and execution, where learning, relationships and delivery continuously inform one another.

As Programme Manager for the Co-Lab, you will steward an outward-facing, highly relational programme that convenes systems innovators, partners and ecosystem across geographies.

The Co-Lab places a strong emphasis on multi-stakeholder engagement, narrative-building and ecosystem connection, supporting innovators while also strengthening pathways for influence, collaboration and impact beyond the cohort itself.

What you’ll be doing

You will:

Is this you?

You are comfortable working in evolving, multi-stakeholder contexts where outcomes are not fully defined. You combine strong organisational skills with relational sensitivity, and you enjoy bringing structure, rhythm and momentum to complex work.

You’re motivated by systemic change, thrive in collaborative environments, and are confident holding responsibility while working closely with others.

Experience working in or alongside incubators, accelerators, labs or innovation support programmes is valuable, alongside a strong orientation towards ecosystem-level work.

Why Unearthodox?

You’ll join a small, globally distributed team working at the forefront of social innovation for nature. We value curiosity, collaboration, care and learning and we create space for people to bring their full selves to the work.

If you find alignment with our mission, resonate with our beliefs, and see yourself described in the profile above, then don't hesitate. Apply now! We're eager to welcome someone as passionate and driven as you to our team.

How to apply

Please submit your application via the following link.

Download the Job Description here

Sparks of Regeneration

Thank you for your interest in Sparks of Regeneration Open Call.

The Open Call is now closed, and the shortlisted ideas have been announced. The application period ran from 4th September to 9th October 2025.

View the shortlisted ideas here.
Learn more about the Regenerative Futures Programme here.

Who we are looking for

We are seeking innovators and change-makers with early-stage ideas or innovations that are already in motion. We are not looking for brand-new, untested ideas or established projects seeking only to scale without significant change in direction or approach. We are looking for solutions that can bring regeneration to life in areas such as nature conservation, climate, food systems, well-being, education, governance, and beyond.  

We understand that nature conservation can take many forms, extending beyond the protection of species or habitats. It can include work that restores ecosystems, strengthens community stewardship of natural resources, and/or reimagines how human and ecological systems coexist.

We invite you to consider:

  1. Who and what does your innovation serve?
  2. How does it nurture the relationships that sustain life - across species, systems, scales, and generations?
  3. How does your design incorporate the voices of natural systems, landscapes, and ecosystems?
  4. How will your innovation be accountable not just to people, but to places, ecosystems, and nonhuman kin?
Read the full eligibility and selection criteria here

If what you are building gives back more than it takes and supports healing over harm, this programme is for you.

What we offer

Regeneration is not a trend – it’s a paradigm shift!

This open call is not just about new ideas, it’s about amplifying the regenerative work already in motion, often unacknowledged, in places where life-affirming systems have long existed. 

If your work challenges the status quo, is deeply rooted in reciprocity, care, interdependence, resilience, and life-affirming systems, we want to hear from you.

What does Regeneration mean?

Over the past year, Unearthodox has engaged in a deep inquiry into what regeneration truly means - especially in the context of conservation, justice, and systems change. Through conversations, research, and reflection, we explored:

✔   The Tensions that arise when regenerative principles meet real-world systems
✔   What regeneration is not - and why that matters
✔   A set of core dimensions to help recognise and nurture regenerative practice
✔   The pluriversal nature of regeneration: multiple truths, rooted in diverse cultural, ecological and social contexts

We don’t believe in a single definition. We believe regeneration is shaped by place, practice, and people. If you're curious to understand the principles and thinking that inform this programme, and how your work might resonate, we invite you to explore our insights!

Explore our reflections on Regeneration

Follow us for updates on the open call:

Linkedin
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See the FAQs below for more details. For any other questions, please contact regenerativefutures@unearthodox.org.

Frequently asked questions

Background

Who is Unearthodox, and what is the Regeneration Futures initiative? 

At Unearthodox, we champion systemic change for nature by combining futures and systems thinking. We ask the hard questions and create solutions that regenerate nature and transform society by bringing people together to explore and reimagine new, equitable futures.

In March 2024, we launched Regenerative Futures, an initiative that explores the roots and expressions of the concept of regeneration. Our intention is not only to better understand its potential and limitations in shaping our collective journey towards societies that value and actively regenerate nature, but also to actively nurture bold ideas and support the innovators who turn regenerative visions into real-world pathways.

About Sparks of Regeneration

1. What is the Sparks of Regeneration open call all about?

Regenerative actions are already underway in communities worldwide. Through this open call, Unearthodox aims to surface, support, and amplify those leading the way in how we relate to nature, power, and each other. We believe that by investing in regenerative initiatives, we can help shift dominant systems toward ones that are rooted in care, reciprocity, justice, and equity.

2. Who can apply?

The Sparks of Regeneration open call welcomes applications from both individuals and organisations. You can apply as a solo innovator, part of a small team, or on behalf of an organisation, as long as you are the lead driving the initiative and meet the eligibility criteria. 

If applying as a team, you shall appoint one member to oversee the budget, ensure compliance with grant terms, and serve as the primary contact with Unearthodox.. Team applications will be treated with the same considerations as individual applications.

Your idea or initiative could be structured as projects, social enterprises, community-led ventures, or other innovative formats, as long as they address both environmental and social causes and align with regenerative principles. We welcome both non-profit and for-profit models, as long as the primary goal is to achieve social and ecological impact, rather than solely commercial profit.

3. Is this a fellowship?

Not exactly. While the programme does have some features akin to a fellowship, such as funding, mentoring, and peer learning, it is designed as an incubation space for regenerative initiatives. The focus will be on advancing the work and supporting the innovators. The focus is not on individual career development or academic study. Innovators selected through the Sparks of Regeneration open call will have the opportunity to join an 8-month collective journey, alongside their selected peers, to receive strategic support, visibility, and connections that will strengthen and grow their initiatives.

4. What is the focus and remit of the programme?

This Sparks of Regeneration open call focuses on supporting ideas and initiatives that actively restore, renew, and reimagine systems for people and the planet. We welcome projects from any field, including conservation, climate, food systems, energy efficiency, conservation education, governance, cultural transformation, and other related areas, as long as they are grounded in regenerative principles and explore innovative ways to navigate the tensions between ecological, social, and economic systems.

We aim to surface and amplify real-world examples of regeneration, connecting them with a global network of peers and resources.

5. I don’t have much/any experience in the environment sector. Can I still apply?

Yes, you can apply, as long as your initiative connects to nature conservation in a meaningful way. For Unearthodox, nature conservation can take many forms, extending beyond the protection of species or habitats. It can include work that restores ecosystems, strengthens community stewardship of natural resources, or reimagines how human and ecological systems coexist.

You don’t need to come from a traditional environmental background. We welcome ideas that connect conservation with fields such as social justice, health, education, governance, food systems, culture, and more, as long as they are grounded in regenerative principles.

6. Does this Sparks of Regeneration open call focus on a specific region?

No. This is a global call for ideas, open to anyone from any region or sector. We recognise that regenerative ways of working are already deeply embedded in many communities across the globe, and we want to surface and support these approaches, giving them greater visibility and connection. 

7. Why are some countries not eligible?

We want to make sure we can actually send the grant funds to you if you are selected. Our banking partner, UBS, must follow Swiss, EU, UN, and, in some cases U.S. regulations, which means there are certain countries and regions where transfers aren’t legally allowed or are not practical. These rules change over time, so we don’t publish a fixed list. We check eligibility at the time of application. You can review current international sanctions on SECO’s official site and UBS’s international payment guidelines for more information.

8. Is there a minimum age requirement for applicants?

Yes, there is a minimum age requirement. Applicants must be at least 18 years of age at the time of application. We welcome innovators and changemakers from all backgrounds, as long as you meet this age requirement and the other eligibility criteria, and can commit to participating fully in the programme.

9. What languages does the challenge support?

We are currently accepting applications in English only, but we strongly encourage both native and non-native English speakers to apply. We welcome submissions that have been translated from another language using an online tool. Entries will not be penalised for errors in grammar or vocabulary.

The incubation programmes offered to winners will be conducted in English. We acknowledge the need to embrace linguistic diversity; however, at this stage of the initiative, we are unable to do so in a manner that is genuinely inclusive and honest. If you need support to complete the forms in English, please reach out to us at regenerativefutres@unearthodox.org, and we’ll do our best to assist you.

10. Who are the judges?

All eligible applications will be reviewed by an independent panel of experts representing a wide range of perspectives, geographies, and lived experiences. This diversity ensures that proposals are assessed with both global insight and local understanding. We’ll be announcing the judges soon. Please keep an eye on our News section for updates.

11. What are the selection criteria?

Click here to see the complete list of criteria.

12. When I register, how is my data used?

The personal data provided by participants will be used solely for the purpose of administering this open call and will not be shared with third parties. Participants' information will be handled in accordance with our Privacy Statement.

13. What happens to my idea if it is not chosen? Do you keep the rights to my idea?

The intellectual property rights to your idea remain with you. Please refer to our terms and conditions and Privacy Statement for further details. 

14. What happens to my idea if chosen? Do you keep the rights to my idea?

Selected innovators retain the intellectual property rights of their work. The selected innovators grant Unearthodox unlimited, non-exclusive use of high-resolution photographs for activities in all media, including social media, online, and print, in relation to the Open Call, as well as for all promotional and educational activities for and under the auspices of Unearthodox, without any remuneration being due. Please refer to our terms and conditions for further details. 

15. Does the idea need to be new, or could tested ideas be submitted?

Your idea doesn’t have to be brand new. We are accepting ideas already in motion. This means you’ve taken some first steps, such as early testing or implementation. We also welcome existing projects that are entering a new phase of change, e.g. projects that are pivoting their approach, reimagining their model, or deepening their impact. We are not looking for ideas starting entirely from scratch or for projects seeking only to expand as they are.

The innovators represent and warrant that submission of the application and of their Idea does not breach any law, any contract or obligation between you and a third party and further that no third party can hold any claims or any objections regarding the rights granted to Unearthodox. The innovators will hold Unearthodox harmless of any claims from third parties related hereto.

16. How many ideas will be chosen/shortlisted?

Up to 8 ideas will be chosen/shortlisted to participate in the incubation programme.

17. What will the selected innovators receive?
  • A grant of up to CHF 10,000 to move your idea into action.
  • Access to a shared pool of up to CHF 50,000 in non-financial support for the selected group of innovators, including storytelling, systems mapping, and strategic support.
  • An 8-month incubation journey with the other Sparks of Regeneration open call innovators, starting in January 2026, will include collective mentoring, peer learning, and shared exploration.
  • Networking opportunities with a global community of innovators and practitioners.
  • Visibility and amplification through Unearthodox’s communication channels.
18. How can I access funding?

Selected innovators will each receive a grant of up to CHF 10,000 to fund their initiative, plus access to up to CHF 50,000 in shared non-financial support for the selected group of Sparks of Regeneration open call innovators. Aside from this financial and non-financial support, the purpose of the Sparks of Regeneration open call is to identify and nurture ideas with the potential for transformative change. 

19. Are there any legal requirements I should be aware of for receiving the grant?

Yes. If you are selected, you are responsible for ensuring that you are legally able to receive funds into your bank account. As regulations vary by country, we encourage you to check early whether any permissions apply in your context. Any legal, tax, or compliance requirements, such as registrations, approvals, or reporting obligations,  are solely your responsibility. Unearthodox cannot provide legal or tax advice and cannot take responsibility for arranging or resolving these requirements on your behalf.

20. Are there any restrictions on where, what, or how the innovators can spend their individual grant? Should the idea also include a budget proposal indicating how this amount is spent?

The grant must be used exclusively to advance your proposed idea or initiative.

Use of funds for unrelated expenses, including personal costs, debt repayment, political campaigning, or any activity not directly contributing to your initiative, is strictly prohibited.

The application form includes a section where you must outline how the grant will support your initiative, along with a fund management plan if applying as a team (who will oversee the budget, ensure compliance with grant terms, and serve as the primary contact with Unearthodox). A detailed budget will be requested at the time of contracting the grant.

21. Is there a maximum number of entries?

You may submit one application as the lead applicant. You are welcome to be part of other applications as a partner. Your entry must be received by the closing date of 9 Oct 2025, 23:59 CEST.

You can also view the full Terms & Conditions of the Open Call here.

​​Rethinking Innovation with the Post Growth Institute

What if innovation spaces focused first on care, connection, and the courage to go deep, rather than speed or scale?

Commissioned by Unearthodox and led by the Post Growth Institute, the report “Nurturing Innovation: Weaving containers with care and courage for collective change” explores how systemic innovation takes root and begins to flourish. It asks: What conditions help support the people behind ideas to thrive, rather than spotlighting bold new ideas alone? Too often, innovation is framed in terms of speed, measurability, and scale. But this lens leaves little room for the slow, relational, and deeply contextual work that systemic transformation demands.

Nurturing Innovation offers a grounded and practice-based inquiry into how we can better enable the emergence of systemic innovation in today’s complex world, through slow, relational, and deeply contextual work. It responds to the gap left from decades of framing innovation in terms of speed, measurability, and scale.

“Co-creating the report made me confront how much I had internalized conventional research methodologies and "innovation" language. Our research was enriched by intentionally slowing down, questioning things I’d always taken for granted, and finding kinder ways to collaborate. I'm confident our findings will resonate with others and help them foster that kind of magic in any space or project.”

Marianna Coulentianos
Research Lead, Post Growth Institute

Download the Report here

Listening to what’s missing

System innovators frequently find themselves working in silos, unsupported and unseen. Their work often falls outside traditional categories, making it difficult to access funding or institutional support. These innovators are building new pathways—but without networks, recognition, or resources, many struggle to sustain momentum.

The Post Growth Institute uplifted insights from global interviews, diverse contexts, and critical literature, all guided by a post-capitalist lens. Their research process centred on lived experiences and surfaced core values essential to systems change, such as relationality and reflexivity.

"At Unearthodox, deep listening has always been central to how we surface systemic challenges and potential pathways for change. This project was no exception. We began by listening to innovators, changemakers, and catalysts working towards transformative change, in order to better understand their struggles and identify opportunities. This report distils what we heard and offers a roadmap for what needs to shift so that transformative innovations—and the people behind them—can grow and thrive.”

Claire Dusonchet
Project Lead, Unearthodox

Reframing how we invest in the future

At its heart, the Nurturing Innovation report invites funders, practitioners, and changemakers to rethink how innovation is supported. It challenges us to value slow growth, trust-building, and experimentation. It reminds us that real change doesn’t arrive neatly packaged—it emerges through deep relationships, long-term commitment, and the courage to hold space for the unknown.

Rather than asking, what’s the next big idea?, the report encourages us to ask: What kind of ecosystem makes lasting change possible?

Meet the Post Growth Institute team

Immersive Tech as Currency for Empathy with Ulrico Grech-Cumbo

Name: Ulrico Grech-Cumbo
Location: South Africa
Initiative Title: The FutureZoo
Short Description of Initiative: Reinventing environmental education for a modern world.
Sectors: Education, Conservation, Tech
Website: www.zooofthefuture.org; www.habitatxr.com 
Social Media:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/ulricogc/

Ulrico Grech-Cumbo is a South African conservationist, technologist, and entrepreneur. With over 20 years in media, he founded Habitat XR in 2016 to explore how immersive tech like VR and holograms can transform our relationship with nature. This led to the Habitat Nature Parks Foundation, which uses empathy-driven experiences to reinvent environmental education.

His award-winning immersive projects have earned him recognition from Fast Company and South Africa’s 40 Under 40 in Technology. The Foundation’s flagship, The FutureZoo, addresses disconnection from nature and the shortcomings of traditional zoos by using immersive tech to foster environmental empathy at scale.

In this conversation, Ulrico shares his vision for empathy-led conservation, challenges cultural myths about nature, and explores how tech can reconnect us to the wild. At the heart of his work lies a radical question: What if the most powerful force in conservation isn’t protection, but connection?

Every innovator’s story starts with a spark. If you had to pick one defining moment that set you on this path, what would it be?

I’d been working with these storytelling technologies (virtual reality and the like) for a few years. We’d had a few great, but relatively isolated wins, such as helping conservation NGOs fundraise record amounts of money at their galas.

One night, during a post-conservation conference retreat, I was sitting around a campfire in the middle of Akagera National Park with some other delegates. As I explained what we did, someone said, “So this is kind of like a digital Noah’s Ark? Then everyone in the world could experience nature.”

It happened at a time when I was searching for an answer to the question, “How do we truly maximise the impact of our work?” I had never considered a use case of these technologies at scale. That night, I decided to seriously pursue this. Not long after, our own Foundation was registered, and I haven’t given up since. That night was the lightbulb moment for me.

What system are you working to transform, and why does it need to change? 

Our natural world is in crisis, quite simply because of the lack of care humans have for all other life on this planet. It’s called wilful ignorance. Living in cities, which have themselves displaced nature, perpetuates our lack of connection.

We have found and built vast experience in new, highly efficient ways of making people care more about nature. And it is totally possible to do it at scale. If we don’t fix this toxic relationship we have with our natural world and all the other living beings we share this rock with, we will irreversibly degrade our own life support system.

How does your initiative challenge dominant narratives or conventional models? What makes it truly “Unearthodox”?

“You don’t protect it unless you love it, and you don’t love it until you witness it,” right? The traditional way for urban populations to experience wildlife, nature, and environmental education en masse is through zoos, aquariums, and natural history museums. But it’s a 200-year-old ideology—one that has been proven to be extremely ineffective at changing the way that humans think and behave. Then there is the ethical question of captivity.

We fully support the idea of democratisation of wildlife for all, but we are challenging the belief that captivity is the best tool to achieve it in a modern day and age.

We are also challenging certain perceptions that ‘technology’ and ‘connection to nature’ are diametrically opposed ideas. Technology can actually foster incredibly meaningful connections in a way that was previously impossible just a few years ago. And it gets better and better all the time.

How do you see your work reshaping the human-wildlife relationship?

The relationship lacks vital empathy. There is a widely held cultural ideology: “Humans are simply superior beings, and we should have dominion over nature.” We are levelling the playing field to invoke a change in this deeply problematic belief system—one where we are all interconnected: the health of ecosystems, the health of wild animals, and the health of humans are all inextricably linked.

We work with the currency of empathy—and in particular, a form of empathy called “Inclusion in Nature of Self,” which measures the degree to which people believe they are a part of nature, and nature a part of them. By changing mindsets, we also then change behaviours—over time, resulting in more sustainable choices from local micro-settings (at home, in our cities) to the decisions we make in policy and industry.

Innovation often requires letting go. What beliefs, assumptions, or practices have you had to unlearn to create real change?

The first belief was that it’s someone else’s responsibility to do something like this. That night, around the campfire, I had to ask myself, “What if nobody else ever actually does?” That terrified me far more than the terror of trying to build a project this massive.

Another belief that I needed to let go of was that I needed to do this by myself. I’ve let go of that and focused on building an incredible team of people who have a nature-protective mindset at the core of everything they do.

In what ways can immersive technology truly cultivate empathy and create genuine connections between people and nature, beyond just awareness?

It really does go so much further than awareness. By definition, an immersive experience is one in which suspension of disbelief takes place. Your mind and body experience physiological changes—changes in heart rate, changes in brain chemistry, pupil dilation, goosebumps, and more.

So when done right, the term “virtual experience” becomes a bit of a misnomer—it is, for all intents and purposes, a real human experience. We call this “telepresence.” Once you are present in the savannah, amongst a herd of wild elephants, you feel a deep, intimate connection. This moment unfolds around you in real time, and you are an active participant in it.

This is something that traditional media cannot achieve—it is very different from watching a Netflix documentary, where you are very much on the outside of the story, looking in.In many ways, these types of experiences can’t even realistically be replicated in the real wild (at least not safely!). So they serve a purpose of almost embodying an animal, or a place, or a threat, and understanding things from a very different, and unprecedented, perspective. This is why our decade-plus work in this field has been so powerful.

What’s been the most unexpected challenge in your role as an innovator disrupting conventional models?

It has been significantly challenging to fundraise for what I consider to be an incredibly obvious idea. I’ve been shocked at how many people, particularly funders, don’t seem to get it. A lot of money is being routed to efforts like anti-poaching, and while that is important, I have the impression that we should be doing more to rectify the human-environment culture problem.The problem that actually causes most of the need for last-line-of-defence conservation in the first place.

Beyond funding, what kinds of support—emotional, relational, or otherwise—are essential for innovators to thrive?

It’s hard for Innovators to stop or take a break when there is this deep sense of urgency to fix things we think are broken.

I once asked Dr. Sylvia Earle how she keeps going, and she answered, “If a baby is falling from an apartment window, would you just stand idly by?” Innovators derive joy and fulfilment from addressing these tough problems. So there is a very high propensity to ignore the need to recover, leading to burnout.

There is also a lot of climate fatigue, as nature innovators sit at the proverbial coalface of what can sometimes be pretty traumatising stuff. Without adequate tools, which most don’t have, this all has a hugely negative effect on the quality of life, efficiency of output, mental health, as well as professional and personal relationships.

It’s deeply ironic that working hard to do what’s right can come at such a huge cost. Innovators need good, easy, effective tools to maintain mental well-being and physical health while solving what needs to be solved.

Fast-forward 10 years—what do you hope your work has made possible?

The FutureZoo’s are established in multiple major cities around the world, with millions of annual visitors. The blueprint that once lay as an outlier becomes the new normal for how humans learn to care not just about nature and wildlife, but the complex environmental challenges that must be overcome in the next generation or two.

In the children leaving these facilities, we have lit a spark for change in thinking and action. It sets them on a path toward a deeper integration of nature and self. They influence others. They grow up to become captains of industry and presidents, making better, more encompassing, and caring decisions for nature that allow life on earth to thrive. 

This insight is part of a series highlighting our first cohort of the Exploration Co-Lab. Read more about the Exploration Co-Lab here.

You can also read more insight pieces like this here.

The content of this piece represents the author’s own views and does not necessarily represent the views of Unearthodox or of any of its collaborating institutions.

Launching The Exploration Co-Lab

Unearthodox is pleased to announce the launch of the Exploration Co-Lab, a programme that brings together a small cohort of ‘systems innovators’ with bold, transformative ideas, brought together for shared learning, support, and systems-level change.

We combine tailored individual support with a strong peer community and work to shift the conditions around them so their ideas can take root, grow, and influence the wider system.

These innovators are pursuing systemic innovation, work that often feels out of place in conventional settings because it crosses disciplinary boundaries and doesn’t fit neatly into boxes. Their paths diverge from traditional routes, making them uniquely positioned to challenge the status quo, but also harder to identify, support, and reward within existing systems. 

As a result, they often face more challenges than typical innovators, from limited networks, a lack of funding, to a sense of working in isolation. These barriers make it difficult to stay true to their vision, keep up their motivation, and fully develop their ideas.

The Exploration Co-Lab exists to change that, offering a group of talented disruptors a supportive space built on care, trust, and connection where they can deepen and grow their transformative projects.

Find out about the Co-lab

Meet the innovators

Our first 2025 cohort features initiatives across a wide spectrum of fields — from technology and dark sky conservation to Indigenous knowledge, artificial intelligence and education, cultural heritage, ecological restoration, environmental advocacy, the energy transition, and innovative frameworks for peace and security. Meet the innovators:

How it works 

The Exploration Co-Lab is built around a simple idea: real change happens on different levels at the same time. That’s why the programme supports not just individual work, but also group connection and wider system change.

1. Individual level

The Exploration Co-Lab offers support to help participants grow both at a professional and personal level.  That might include funding, one-on-one coaching, and useful tools to help them get clearer about their ideas and how to share them. 

2. Group  level

Each individual is part of a small, mixed group of seven innovators who face similar challenges while navigating complex change from different angles. This shared space makes the work feel less lonely and more connected and supportive.

3. Systemic level

Beyond the individual and the group level, the Exploration Co-Lab works to shift the broader systems that determine which ideas are seen and supported. By connecting participants as system innovators with funders, institutions, and ecosystem allies, and by advocating for more inclusive, regenerative models of support, the programme helps create the conditions where bold, unconventional approaches can thrive.

This multi-layered approach recognises that transformation doesn’t happen in isolation, and it is what makes the Exploration Co-Lab different. It’s not just about helping ideas grow. It’s about helping people feel more resilient, building a supportive community, and changing the conditions around them so that long-term change is possible.

The Critical Minds 

Systems change is never linear and straightforward. It’s complex, often isolating, and requires bold ideas and the right conditions for those ideas to grow. That’s why the Exploration Co-Lab includes not only support for individual innovators but also a broader network of collaborators known as the Critical Minds. These are experienced, cross-sectoral contributors, thinkers and doers aligned with Unearthodox’s values, who will offer feedback and connections to the innovators as well as strategic input towards future cycles of the programme. 

What does success look like?

Success for the Exploration Co-Lab means helping each person and their ideas grow, while also changing the systems that decide which ideas are noticed, supported, and enabled to thrive. On an individual level, it’s about helping each innovator become easier to find and fund by building visibility, clarity, confidence, connections, and momentum for their work. It also means creating a strong and supportive group where people learn from each other, build trust, and continue to collaborate beyond the programme. On a wider level, success looks like seeing these bold ideas reach decision-makers, forming new partnerships, and shifting how people think about innovation and who it includes. 

The Exploration Co-Lab  Learning Journey

In mid-2025, the first group of seven systems innovators will begin their journey through the Exploration Co-Lab, a shared space to learn, grow, and test bold ideas for systemic change. Their path will be supported by a group of Critical Minds: experienced mentors, collaborators, and connectors who bring diverse perspectives from around the world and are aligned with Unearthodox values. This journey is also shaped by Unearthodox’s partnership with the Post-Growth Institute to explore alternative incubator models that prioritise regeneration over profit. The findings from this research (October 2024–April 2025) will feed directly into the programme, helping to understand how to provide better support for long-term systemic change.

We’d love to hear from you. 

Whether you are an innovator, partner, funder, or curious mind, there is a place for you here. 

We would be delighted to hear from you and explore areas of mutual interest. We look forward to working with you and being part of the change we want to see together.

Get in touch at info@unearthodox.org.