Alchemy Crew Venturing: Repeatable Venture Clienting Success

Operating out of its headquarters in the heart of London, it is the mission of Alchemy Crew Ventures to bridge the current adoption gap between ambitious, tech-based start-ups and the established leaders dominating this space. Specialising in enabling execution at the cutting edge and injecting innovation into the value chain, the company is headed up by the acclaimed executive-turned-entrepreneur Sabine VanderLinden, who has been recognised here as the Most Influential CEO 2025 – Corporate Ventures (UK). On the back of this acclaim, we had the pleasure of catching up with Sabine.

Delivering robust commercialisation blueprints for institutions operating in the insurance and financial services landscapes, Alchemy Crew sees ambitious corporations afforded access to a combination of the brightest growth ventures and tried-and-tested blueprints. The results see a new benchmark set in the field of corporate ventures – one where amplified, repeatable success is the norm and enterprises are encouraged to fully embrace venture spirit and walk a path of undiscovered opportunity.

With the sector quickly tiring of the phenomena of “innovation theatre” – the name given to those initiatives which claim to be ‘innovative’ and yet have little to no impact on a business’ numbers – it is becoming increasingly important for companies like Alchemy Crew to prove they can deliver ROI and operational relevance in an ever-changing risk landscape.

Sabine told us: “What makes us truly stand out is our interpretation and deployment of this venture client model, a model that facilitates and accelerates corporate-start-up engagements and sends signals out there that the corporation is ready to work with growth ventures, with these blending corporate innovation with start-up acceleration to create scalable, de-risked growth pathways.”

Moreover, with new, emerging risks appearing on a daily basis across both the insurance and financial industries – with these potentially proving detrimental to organisations – the company has recently undergone a transformation, with its website being rebuilt from the ground up to focus on the one central, defining theme of the venture client model.

Supporting the company in this mission are both its R&D and Commercialisation Labs, with these accelerating venture validation and driving adoption/tangible partnerships, respectively. In its R&D Labs, Alchemy Crew curates some of the most complex challenges and identifies opportunities for collaboration and to explore growth ventures. From here, Alchemy Crew’s Commercialisation Labs leverage a robust engagement model to streamline the business-led experiments between these corporations and growth ventures.

“We also activate and amplify brands via our Alchemy Crew Media work.”

With almost 30 years of experience working at the intersection of technology, insurance, and venture activation under her belt, Sabine’s entire career was leading up to her co-founding Alchemy Crew alongside Minh Tran just under five years ago. As Sabine explained: “From launching innovation labs to advising global insurers and growth ventures, as well as investing in multiple ventures during my acceleration programmes and as an LP, each chapter built towards this moment – where execution meets innovation.”

Across her many duties as CEO, Sabine takes on such responsibilities as shaping strategy and leading client engagements, as well as upholding the company’s vision across the numerous avenues it is present in today. When it comes to leadership more broadly, Sabine’s thought leadership-based philosophy is as straightforward as it is effective – to act purposefully, listen deeply, and execute boldly.

Describing herself as operating with a “systems lens” – which she went on to describe as, “understanding that impact comes not from isolated pilots but from re-architecting how innovation is absorbed and scaled, giving enough time for both parties” – Sabine gives corporations and start-ups the tools they need to work together. People and culture are, after all, instrumental in the success of any business, and only by focusing on these areas can Sabine pave the way for lasting, meaningful transformations in this space.

Following on from her wealth of experience and encompassing approach to her CEO role, the leadership methods employed by Sabine revolve around trust, transparency, curiosity, and a healthy dose of challenge. This differs from earlier in her career – especially when she served as the CEO of Startupbootcamp, Europe’s leading early-stage accelerator for insurance tech start-ups – when Sabine favoured more hands-on leadership tactics.

“Over time, I’ve learned the power of delegation and creating environments where talent thrives. Working across borders has taught me the value of cultural nuance and the importance of shared purpose.”

Given how effectively she is able to delegate and the trust she nurtures from her team at every turn, it is unsurprising that Sabine has fostered a culture of experimentation, mutual respect, and ongoing education within Alchemy Crew. Striking a balance by being collaborative and yet still commercially sharp – Sabine remains close to her team in terms of both the work they carry out and in spirit. She also makes equal space for ambition and wellbeing, ensuring her employees are supported both personally and professionally.

Having also authored and co-edited The INSURTECH Book, a global bestseller providing a wealth of unique insights into the field of insurance technology, Sabine’s expertise is helping to establish Alchemy Crew as a go-to resource for those in search of unrivalled proficiency in this landscape.

Over the next year or so, Alchemy Crew plans to double down on its use of Venture Client Labs, which will allow it to support the work of corporations using the most effective tech partners working in this arena today. Beyond this, plans are in place for a new insight series – “Sabine’s Spotlight” – as well as a similar offering focusing on emerging risk and resilience. Rounding out the company’s 2025 are further commitments to climate resilience solutions, adopting generative AI, and innovating across commercial lines.

Discussing the next steps of her own career, Sabine said: “I’m exploring how to expand our thought leadership platform, continuing to mentor women in tech, and will possibly author a book on scaling innovation ecosystems – anchored in real-world narratives. All this requires strategic time allocation and the ability to find free mind space.”

Ultimately, Sabine VanderLinden has come a long way since she began her career at Lloyd’s of London more than 25 years ago, with her impressive trajectory having proven to be an invaluable resource in Alchemy Crew carving out a name for itself as a translator and an educator – and a true facilitator of mutually beneficial collaboration.

Named as the Most Influential CEO 2025 – Corporate Ventures (UK) in this campaign, it is our pleasure to bestow the well-deserved title on a future-forward CEO specialising in start-up-corporate collaboration and maximising the venture client model. Those looking to learn more about Alchemy Crew Ventures’ solutions or insurance innovation strategy can do so by following the link below, with more information about Sabine herself available through her LinkedIn, a platform on which she has amassed almost 40k followers.

“Let’s stop glamourising start-ups for buzz alone. Let’s talk about real adoption, shared accountability, and building systems that enable cross-industry innovation. That’s what Alchemy Crew is about.”