“There comes a point where we need to stop just pulling people out of the river. We need to go upstream and find out why they’re falling in”
- Desmond Tutu
Venturing upstream.
Venture Upstream sprung from a long-held desire to support small organisations who make a big impact by proactively seeking out solutions to the problems we face as a society. The ones who are trying to find out why people are falling in the river. The tech-for-good start-ups and scale-ups who take a risk and head upstream to get right to the source of the issue. The organisations who provide early intervention to reduce its impact.
They have the power to transform lives but often find their ambition hamstrung by not being able to find the right words, the right channels or the right partners. That’s where we come in. We’re not a traditional comms agency, nor are we a start-up accelerator. We simply blend our unique comms and commercial expertise to clear the path ahead and offer a purposeful sense of direction.
“You don’t head upstream, as in a specific destination. You head upstream, as in a direction. ”
Hollye Kirkcaldy
Founder & CEO
Spotting the story and telling it well has always been at the heart of everything I’ve done. I started as a journalist, before going on to run very big communications campaigns for global brands, advising early-stage companies on investor relation and content marketing strategies and working as Chief Commercial Officer for a tech-for-good start-up. But regardless of job title, it has always comes back to the same thing every time - unearthing the story, bringing it to life and getting it in front of the right people. Venture Upstream does that with purpose to support those who want to make the world a better place. We use our knowledge, experience and networks to help business leaders solve problems and take their organisations to the next level, whatever that may look like.
Tailored services, every time
We don’t have expensive overheads so we don’t do eye-watering fees. Instead, we offer a combination of one-to-one consultancy, workshops and self-driven toolkits to keep costs small and impact big.
Understanding your organisation in detail is vital, so we always start with an in-depth discovery workshop to unpack the challenges. Beyond that, we will work with you to create the right personalised programme of work for your unique needs. No organisation is the same, so neither is our way of working.
Sound like a good fit?
Driven by purpose
We exist to facilitate growth in social change organisations who share our values around collaboration, empathy and equity. We’re motivated to help those who strive to make a difference, solve a problem and ensure that everyone matters.
Fair pricing
No expensive office, no resources you don’t use. Our low-overhead model means our pricing matches the needs of charities and early stage founders. We make sure you only pay for what you really need and have a flexible pricing policy to meet any requirement.
We complement you
We act as a seamless and flexible extension to your team. We’ll challenge your thinking, support you as one of your own and focus on achieving the goals you’ve set. We bring a fresh perspective and a shoulder to share the load.