9.45am – 10.05am, 16 September 2026 ‐ 20 mins
Room: Cambridge Corn Exchange, Auditorium
Opening Session

Ecosystem Builder, FayeHolland.UK, Partnership Director, The Cambridge x Manchester Partnership

Ecosystem Builder, FayeHolland.UK, Partnership Director, The Cambridge x Manchester Partnership
Faye began her career in global technology firms including PIPEX and IBM, progressing through senior marketing and portfolio leadership roles across Europe and international markets.
In 2014, Faye founded cofinitive, an award-winning innovation communications consultancy supporting research-led and high-growth technology businesses. Over more than a decade, she built the firm into a recognised industry leader before its acquisition in 2025. She also established the #21toWatch Awards, one of the East of England’s most prominent platforms celebrating emerging innovation talent.
A recognised contributor to the Cambridge innovation cluster, Faye mentors founders through university entrepreneurship programmes including impulse, serves as Entrepreneur in Residence at Anglia Ruskin University, and co-hosts the Cambridge Tech Podcast. She is regularly named among the UK’s most influential women in technology and is driven by a belief in visibility, collaboration, and turning strategy into action.
Faye leads the delivery The Cambridge x Manchester Partnership - a flagship cross-city collaboration designed to strengthen the UK’s innovation economy. Faye also serves as Chair of the Cambridgeshire Chamber of Commerce, where she provides strategic leadership to support regional competitiveness, skills development, and technology-led growth.