WHO WE ARE ✻
Curious Agenda CIC is a creative social enterprise that develops everyone’s natural curiosity, a key ingredient for success in both the workplace and at home.
Since our formation in 2022, we’ve inspired thousands through collaborations, events, workshops and festivals. Founder Miia Forbes’ years of teaching people of all ages showed her that curiosity isn’t just a personality trait, it’s a superpower that transforms lives. After nurturing curious mindsets in classrooms and communities, she saw firsthand how curiosity unlocks creativity, resilience and success in both work and life. A series of life‑changing personal experiences deepened that conviction and led to the creation of Curious Agenda, built on the science-backed belief the power of curiosity benefits everyone.
Today we deliver research‑backed Curiosity Training for businesses, helping teams think creatively, solve problems more effectively and feel more energised at work. We also run vibrant youth and community programmes that empower people across the Sussex area. We’ve even transformed Hastings into the world’s first “Curious Town” through three years of our ambitious A Curious Town festivals.
Our most recent festival, A Curious Town Plays, celebrated ‘Play’. For an entire month, we hosted a collective of over 200 artists and performers to bring exhibitions, cabaret, music, performances, workshops, installations and to Hastings and Bexhill. With our festival we showcase curiosity on a grand scale and the same playful, practical and inspiring approach underpins our business training.
We believe the best way to learn is hands‑on and fun. Whether it’s a business workshop, a youth programme or a town‑wide festival, we inspire curious mindsets through practical activities, creative exploration and joyful experiences. After all, how can you inspire curiosity unless you’re doing something curious?
As a Community Interest Company, we reinvest all profits from our business training into community initiatives. When organisations work with us, they’re not just transforming their teams, they’re helping create a ripple effect of curiosity that strengthens communities and improves lives far beyond the workplace.
meet THE founder
I’ve always been unapologetically curious, which is what led me to found Curious Agenda CIC in 2022.
My love of curiosity really took off whilst studying history at Cambridge. I was particularly fascinated by how people behaved under fear and power, how race, gender and belief shaped lives from medieval queens to ancient Greeks. That lens, “why did people act like that?”, has never left me. It led me into teaching, mentoring and later producing festivals and community projects, where I’ve seen again and again the benefits that come from giving people space to ask questions, play and explore.
I’m also neurodivergent (ADHD) and a former international model, two experiences that taught me a lot about how different minds work and how shallow things can feel when curiosity is missing. Wanting to go deeper, I studied advanced psychological research at Goldsmiths, teaching at UCL and then did a full deep‑dive into the science of curiosity after founding Curious Agenda. The research confirmed what I’d felt in my own life: a curious mindset isn’t just nice to have, it boosts creativity, improves decision‑making, supports mental wellbeing and helps teams handle change without burning out.
Now I bring all of that, classroom experience, creative production, lived neurodivergent perspective and research‑backed tools, into our curiosity training. My job is to design playful, practical sessions that help people think differently, connect better and feel more energised at work. In short: I help teams turn curiosity from a vague idea into a real advantage.
Miia Forbes
Curious Collaborators
Some of our Curious co-conspirators
Kathryn Tyler
Kathryn is a learning designer and strategist specialising in innovative learning models that build future-ready skills for the workplace. She designs courses that move beyond traditional training, combining evidence-based pedagogy with practical, skills-focused learning that translates directly into action.
Kathryn has led the development of learning frameworks and future-skills programmes that have been nationally recognised. Her course designs won the Nesta CareerTech Challenge, the Digital Leaders award for Skills Innovation of the Year and she has also won Red Woman of the Year for her employment focused achievements.
“Curious Agenda are doing something genuinely distinctive in the learning space. They understand that curiosity is not just a mindset, but a capability that drives innovation, resilience and adaptability. Their new course is thoughtfully designed, deeply practical, and perfectly aligned with the skills organisations need to thrive in an uncertain future.”
James Leigh
James Leigh is a digital Consultancy founder with over 12 years of programme implementation - serving private, public and third sector clients, as well as agencies.
James’ key focus is on growing sustainable relationships in these spaces through people-centred thinking, driving value add-on for both national and international projects (£1m) through transparent and collaborative practices.
"Curiosity is a key element in any successful business, it allows for a creative and strategic planning as well as resilience in moments of high opportunity"
Kasperi lewis
Kasperi Lewis is a commercial leader in fintech with over 10 years of experience across high-growth UK businesses including ClearScore, Cazoo and Carmoola.
Kasperi is known for combining curiosity, commercial judgment and cross-functional leadership to help teams unlock revenue, improve profitability and deliver high-impact strategic initiatives.
“Curiosity is what makes us human and is increasingly becoming our edge in an AI-driven world. It helps people challenge assumptions, spot opportunities earlier and make better decisions in moments that matter.”
Richard is a world-renowned actor, improviser, comedian, writer and musician famous for adding creative layers to shows such as Whose Line Is It Anyway? and for holding a Guiness World Record with the Comedy Store Players. Physics PhD and TV science presenter.
Richard has extensive experience running improv workshops and training for businesses, helping employees find the confidence to share thoughts, collaborate better and stop saying “no” to new ideas.
richard vranch
“Curiosity allows us to explore away from the beaten track, and that's where the rewards are hidden. Curated improvisation and curiosity reveal things about people and organisations which may not have been noticed before, and often lead to new, effective solutions and strategies.”
