Brighton and Guevara. The beginning of a beautiful friendship...

A few people have asked us why we began our new approach to insurance in Brighton. For us, Brighton was the only choice.

At Guevara we depend on groups of people with strong connections to each other, who are naturally collaborative and willing to work together. We need people who are happy to break from the status quo, embrace change, and share their new ideas across their communities. We also like outrageous haircuts and an ice-cream on the beach. Where else could we possibly go?

Brighton is a unique city. A burgeoning centre of digital creativity and the green heart of the UK, it uses new opportunities in tech to create a better future with a social conscience. In the same spirit, we’re taking the tired old insurance industry and making it fairer for everyone. We’ve created a platform that allows groups of people to insure their cars together. Groups pool their premiums together to pay for claims, then just top up whatever they spend each year. It’s the type of collaborative approach Brighton is famed for, and is already getting a lot of love from the locals we meet.

Another huge draw is the sense of shared responsibility that runs through the city. Whether it’s building a new kids centre, cleaning the beach or just getting starkers and going for a bike ride, Brightonians get together and make things happen for themselves. This is essential for how our groups operate (the collective spirit, not the casual nudity), people working to support one another, with everyone sharing the rewards.

Brighton’s startup scene is almost a manifestation of all these attitudes. Innovative, disruptive, collaborative, progressive, with the liberal ideals to make the world a better place. The whole city is tuned to this philosophy, making it the perfect environment for new business models to flourish. 

Finally, Brighton has an unusually close-knit, interwoven community. The inclusive nature of the city connects people from all walks of life – stroll around town for an afternoon and you’ll bump into half a dozen people you know. And while there is an overarching connection that all Brightonians identify with, it’s the variety of communities, subcultures, clubs and associations that give the city its uniquely colourful character.

As forming such groups is so integral to how Guevara works, we wanted to go out and meet the weird and wonderful communities that make Brighton the amazing place it is. Over the coming weeks we’ll be interviewing groups from around the city, telling their stories and celebrating what makes them special. Keep an eye out for our features here on our Medium page and on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and if you want to get involved, then just give us a shout and we’ll grab a coffee.

Brighton is an inspiring place for us to be and, like a fat seagull with a bag of chips, we’re getting well stuck in.

If you want to contribute to the Chamber blog, contact us on hannah@brightonchamber.co.uk