As speculation mounts over a potential bubble in the AI investment landscape, two founders are setting out to prove that people—not technology—remain the most valuable asset in business.
Luke Tobin and Ali Newton-Temperley have launched Unusual Group, a pioneering “super-structure” ecosystem developed to help founder-led agencies expand, scale, and achieve successful exits. By integrating consultancy services, access to capital, merger and acquisition expertise, and operational systems, the initiative provides the muscle of a holding company while allowing agencies to stay independent.
The idea emerged from the belief that growth and exit strategies must operate together, not in isolation. Having led Digital Ethos through an eight-figure acquisition, Tobin teamed up with global growth expert and Agency Exits author Newton-Temperley after realising they were both addressing the same core issue—how to help founders grow smarter, not just faster.
“Growth without exit planning leaves value on the table, and exit planning without growth will fail,” Ali Newton-Temperley said.
Together with Daniel Rose and Paul Allen, they’ve built a “super-structure” model that combines consultancy, investment, M&A support and operational infrastructure, giving independent founders access to the same advantages as major holding groups, without losing control.
The
launch of Unusual Group comes amid a 34% year-on-year drop in agency M&A activity (
Trading View) in the first half of 2025, even as AI valuations soared to unprecedented heights – OpenAI at $500 billion and Anthropic at $170 billion. Some investors, like veteran fund manager James Anderson, have compared today’s AI frenzy to the dot-com bubble.
Luke Tobin, CEO and serial exit specialist said: “AI can supercharge tactical execution, but strategic thinking, cultural intuition, and relationship capital remain irreplaceable.”
Unusual Group’s strategy focuses on acquiring minority stakes in standout founder-led agencies and supporting them with capital, infrastructure, and expertise, helping them scale and prepare for higher value future exits.
Positioning itself as a new category in the agency landscape, Unusual Group is a modern holding company built for the age of AI. Members gain access to institutional-grade finance, legal, HR, and operations support, along with proven scale-to-sale playbooks and peer collaboration. Agencies can pursue three exit paths, trade sale, private equity roll-up, or IPO, all designed to maximise founder outcomes.
“Growth is harder, capital is tighter, and founders need more support than ever,” Tobin added. “Our model gives them leverage without losing independence.”
As AI transforms the industry,
Unusual Group stands for a more balanced approach, one that blends technology with human ingenuity.
For agencies not yet ready to join the group,
Agency Growth Pad by Unusual Group offers tailored consultancy to support early-stage scaling with whether or not they have the intention to sell one day.
