Alessandra Caggiano - Founder and Managing Director of e-Luminate Festivals

My Story

It all started in 2010, stuck in traffic, sitting in my then boss's car. He was 25, very successful and on a fast-track programme for particularly gifted students which has most likely led him to Whitehall and perhaps will lead him to Number 10 one day. I knew I wanted to be successful too, but I needed something I was yet lacking. I wanted to gain more confidence as well as strategic and business skills. I decided then, in that car with my boss, I wanted to go back to university.

My previous studies in Italy focused on Conservation of Cultural Heritage & Arts Management, but I wanted to learn about business, so I looked at the many courses offered locally. At the Anglia Ruskin University Open Day, I had the luck to talk to about my career aspirations and I was directed to talk to Prof Guido Rings who was the Lead of a brand new MA course, Cultures and Organisational Leadership. That was it, I had found it. A course which would bring together my humanities background with a clear focus onto business and leadership.

During the one year full-time course, I learnt a lot about business, met fantastic and inspiring people and I gained more and more confidence. I also started volunteering with CUTEC (Cambridge University Technology and Enterprise Club) and eventually got infected with the entrepreneurial bug. Indeed, about 3 months after handing in my dissertation, I started my first company.

The Companies

e-Luminate Festivals is a Community Interest Company which aims to create a series of events on the theme of light in which different sectors collaborate and work creatively together to make innovative technology and art accessible to all. Our first event, the e-Luminate Cambridge Festival will run from the 20th to the 24th of February 2013. This is going to be much more than a light festival, the goal for us is to inspire and achieve a new level of collaboration reaching out to various communities in Cambridge. e-Luminate Cambridge Festival 2013 comprises thought-provoking and visually exciting displays and workshops on the theme of light. We are one of the first UK adopters of Kickstarter, the famous US crowd-funding platform; pledge your support to this innovative event on your doorstep at www.e-luminatefestivals.co.uk

Cambridge Event Management Ltd creates events that get people thinking and talking. We design your events to ensure that the perfect environment is created for people to connect and sow the seeds of long-lasting business relationships. We offer bespoke, start-to-finish event management services aimed at relieving the stress of organising your event in the Cambridge region. Indeed, while we specialise in corporate events and conferences, we are also keen to help organise your next Academic Conference, business dinner or product launch. Visit our website at www.cambridgeeventmanagement.co.uk