"If you think change is not possible, you haven't looked at the history of our world— because there's always been change. It's the only constant."

Ben Keene has spent the past two decades working at the intersection of innovation, community, and climate impact. A self-described "non-professional professional," his journey has taken him from building island communities in Fiji to hosting global summits and launching digital platforms for climate entrepreneurs. His story is one of purpose, curiosity, and a belief that bold ideas—when paired with strong communities—can drive real change.

From co-founding Tribe Wanted and Rebel Book Club to launching Raaise, a platform helping climate startups access funding, Ben has consistently sought to challenge conventional career paths and create spaces where people can take action. In this ChangeLeaders interview as part of our Earth Day series, he reflects on lessons learned across ventures, the role of startups in the climate transition, and why rituals and rhythms are the building blocks of real communities.

From Pizza & Pringles to Prophecy and Purpose

Ben’s story begins not in a boardroom, but at a corporate recruitment event, where free pizza and beer were used to attract students into marketing jobs. Studying at a top UK university, he found himself surrounded by peers ready to walk into traditional careers. "I remember being halfway through the Q&A and thinking—apart from the pizza and beer, why are we here?" he said. When his friends responded, "This is what we do," Ben decided to take a different path.

That decision led him to the other side of the world. After time spent working in community-based tourism, he co-founded Tribe Wanted, a venture that blended crowdfunding, digital platforms, and sustainable travel to build a community-led eco-village on the Fijian island of Vorovoro. "It was incredibly ambitious, idealistic, exciting," Ben recalled. “We wanted to create a community-based, sustainable tourism project that showed the best of Fijian culture—and the internet played a huge part.”

What started as a radical idea in the early days of Hotmail and MySpace grew into a real-world prototype for community-driven sustainability. Thousands joined online. Hundreds visited the island. And through shared meals, solar power, compost toilets, and storytelling, they came away changed. "There were studies showing people would come back from two weeks there and say, ‘I’m going to change the shampoo I use, the car I drive.’"

Turning Curiosity into Community: Rebel Book Club

After Tribe Wanted, Ben co-created Escape the City and Rebel Book Club—both responses to the same insight: people are looking for meaning and momentum outside traditional systems. Rebel Book Club started with a simple but powerful idea: help people actually read the nonfiction books they buy.

“We’re in a world where it’s never been easier to buy a book—but reading it is harder than ever,” Ben noted. “We all have that growing pile of unread books next to our beds,” Ben says, referencing the Japanese term tsundoku—the practice of acquiring books and letting them pile up, unread. Rebel Book Club was created to tackle that in a fun, social, and disciplined way: one nonfiction book a month, chosen by members, paired with a themed cocktail and an engaging meetup to spark discussion. The Club has now run for 120 consecutive months across 10 cities. Every month, members vote on a theme, read a book, and gather for discussions that mix cocktails with critical thinking. "It’s a cocktail party meets classroom vibe," Ben said. “People come to learn, connect, and expand their minds.”

Funding the Future with Raaise

Ben’s latest venture, Raaise (with two A’s), emerged from tragedy and purpose. His co-founders, Amy and Neal Carter-James, had built an award-winning eco-lodge in Mozambique that was destroyed by a cyclone in 2019 - an event that shifted their focus from tourism to climate resilience.

Raaise was born to support climate and nature startups navigating the challenging fundraising landscape. "If you’re trying to build a climate solution, you’re often in deep science or hardware - things that are hard to fund and slow to scale," Ben explained. "We built Raaise to make that journey simpler and commission-free."

By connecting mission-led founders with aligned investors, Raaise is helping close the gap between innovation and capital. And as Ben puts it, fundraising isn't just a function—it's often the difference between success and survival: "If you're good at fundraising, you can move forward. If you're not, a good idea ends quite fast."

Why Startups Matter in the Climate Transition

Through his podcast Startups Will Save Us! and events like Climate Connection, Ben continues to advocate for the role of entrepreneurship in tackling climate and systemic challenges. He points to examples like LanzaTech, a carbon-recycling company that grew from a New Zealand mine to a Nasdaq-listed company, as proof that startups can change the world—when they have the right mix of people, data, and money.

Ben argues that startups possess something big institutions often lack: agility. "Big businesses have the power, but not the means to innovate quickly. Startups can turn on a dime, test ideas, use new tools like AI - and move fast."

Still, he acknowledges the journey is hard. From the "valley of death" in startup financing to the weight of global challenges, early-stage founders need more than capital. They need community. And speaking of community, Ben recently launched Superfly, a new initiative focused on helping people harness AI to accelerate their impact work. This month, he’s organising a series of hands-on workshops designed to bring changemakers together and equip them with the tools to put AI into practice. Upcoming sessions include April 25th, and May 2nd at 1pm—details at superfly.ing.

The Five R’s for Community – or Tribe – Building 

At the heart of all Ben’s ventures is one idea: community drives change. But building a meaningful community isn’t about platforms—it’s about trust. Drawing from over 15 years of experience, Ben frames effective community building around what he calls the “Five Rs of Tribe Building”: Reason, Ritual, Rhythm, Respect, and Reward. Each, he says, is essential to creating traction and fostering genuine connection.

Reason is the ‘why’ of the community—its purpose and driving force. Without it, there’s no shared mission. Ritual builds identity through shared habits and moments that feel unique to that tribe. Rhythm provides continuity and trust, giving members a dependable sense of momentum. Respect ensures a community isn’t top-down, but participatory and principled. And finally, Reward gives people a reason to stay—whether it’s impact, connection, personal growth, or inspiration.

“Rituals are the things that make your community feel different,” he explained. “At Rebel Book Club, we create a drink to match the book. At Escape the City, they send an email every Monday with 10 inspiring job opportunities. Those small things build trust.”

Whether he’s on a remote island or at a climate tech summit, Ben believes in designing experiences where people feel seen, heard, and empowered to act. “If we want change, we need to invite people into communities that are fun, inclusive, and meaningful. That’s how we thrive.”

In Ben’s world, these aren’t abstract principles. They’re the foundation of every successful community he’s built—from tropical eco-villages to global book clubs to digital platforms accelerating climate innovation.

Final Reflections: Change Is Always Possible

Asked what he’d say to people who feel that change is impossible, Ben replied with quiet conviction: "If you think change is not possible, you haven’t looked at history. There’s always been change. It’s the only constant."

He points to the shifting Overton Window—the way ideas once seen as radical, like remote work or renewable energy, have moved into the mainstream. Behind those shifts, he says, are movements, startups, and communities that create the momentum for change. “History shows us change is always possible,” he notes, referencing Morgan Housel’s Same as Ever, a book that explores the paradox of what never changes in a world that’s constantly evolving. For Ben, it’s a reminder that while human behaviours may be timeless, the systems we build inevitably change.

"There are things about human nature that don’t change - greed, compassion, ego. But everything else does. We just have to keep showing up."

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This is part of our ChangeLeaders interview series with impact leaders sharing their journeys, learnings, and lessons. If you are a ChangeLeader we should interview, please email us at info@wemakechange.org.

Interview & Article: James Sancto & Laura De Alba