Scale AI: Reconnecting a High-Velocity Team

Scale AI is one of the most prominent AI start-ups in the world. It is a company moving at extraordinary speed and solving complex problems under constant pressure. After a long period of intense work, the leadership team recognised that people needed a moment to reenergise and reconnect. They needed an offsite that could reset the team, rebuild connection, and create space for motivation to return.

We were brought in to design a two-day experience in London that blended storytelling, neuroscience, and collaborative challenge into a meaningful pause for the organisation.

A Team Ready to Reconnect

When teams operate at high velocity for too long, connection becomes transactional. People communicate quickly but stop communicating deeply. The Scale team was not disconnected, only stretched. What they needed was a chance to breathe, talk, and reconnect as people rather than simply high performers.

The offsite was designed to give them that moment.

A Two-Day Experience Built for Adaptability and Connection

The experience began with a keynote from The Tempest Two. Through story and lived resilience, the team reflected on how they navigate uncertainty and challenge. It created the emotional foundation for the rest of the offsite and opened the door to honest conversation.

This was followed by a neuroscience workshop led by Anne-Sophie Fluri. She explained how the brain behaves under pressure, why sustained intensity narrows thinking, and how teams can build better cognitive resilience. Her session gave Scale practical tools for balancing high performance with long-term sustainability.

We then guided the group through a values creation workshop. Instead of presenting ready-made principles, we helped the team articulate the behaviours and values that represent who they are today and who they want to be as the company continues to grow. The room became energised, aligned, and openly collaborative.

The offsite closed with a city-wide challenge using our Expedition App. It was fast, playful, and full of shared problem solving. The experience created a final surge of connection and ended the two days on a high.

A Noticeable Shift in 48 Hours

What emerged over the two days was subtle but powerful. People reconnected. Conversations opened up. The team rediscovered momentum. The combination of reflection, science, and shared challenge helped them reset while holding onto the ambition that defines Scale.

The Chief of Staff captured it perfectly:

“The feedback we as a leadership team have received, both in the survey and around the office, has been overwhelmingly positive. Kudos to you guys for making this impact in such a short 48 hours.”

Outcome

Scale left the offsite with renewed motivation, clearer shared values, and practical tools for navigating pressure. Most importantly, they left with a stronger sense of connection after a demanding chapter.

Want to design an offsite that genuinely shifts your team?

Tempest Experiences blends story, science, and experiential design to create leadership moments that last.

→ Let us help you build your next offsite