Nice to meet you :)

I'm Francesca Cavallo. Passionate about startups, theatre, digital publishing and social design. I work at Timbuktu Labs and at Sferracavalli.

Profile

Francesca Cavallo
Co-founder and Creative Director at Timbuktu Labs
Publishing | San Francisco Bay Area, US

Summary

Creative director, prizewinner writer, and stage director. Startupper. Co-founder of Timbuktu Labs, the company who is changing the face of mobile publishing for kids.
Before Timbuktu I founded two successfull (and still alive) social enterprises: Sferracavalli and Kilodrammi.
TEDx organizer.
Product is my passion. I love superb design, pedagogy and hard challenges. Simple and meaningful interactions are great. I'm an early bird.

I studied theater, communication, dance, user experience design, pedagogy.

Specialties: Creative Direction, Product Management, Education, copywriting, Corporate Communication, Events, Stage Directing, People Interaction Design

Experience

  • 2010 - Present
    Co-founder and Creative Director / Timbuktu Labs
    I co-founded Timbuktu Labs with Elena Favilli. We created the first iPad magazine for children cooperating with an international network of the finest young illustrators, actors, musicians, animators from New Delhi to San Francisco. I'm the Creative Director and Product Manager. We won at the Italian Innovation Day at U.C. Berkeley being nominated the best Italian startup of the year. Timbuktu is in the #4 batch at 500startups.
  • May 2010 - Present
    Executive and Artistic Director / Associazione Sferracavalli
    Social designer, artistic curator and executive director of Sferracavalli - International Festival of Sustainable Imagination. The project was awarded the Principi Attivi 2010 prize. It's a festival dedicated each year to one of the countries that are more represented in Puglia Region in terms of immigrants. Artists and international volunteers are hosted by the families of the town. The project was funded by Region Puglia, city of Lizzano, private sponsors and by its activities. www.sferracavalli.com
  • 2012 - Present
    Co-Founder of Timbuktu Labs (#4 Batch) / 500 Startups
  • Jul 2007 - Present
    Founder and Artistic Director / Kilodrammi
    Theatre company working on projects combining prose and physical theatre. AWARDS: - Nomination for Giovani Realtà del Teatro, 2008 - Special Mention at International Festival of Stage Directors, 2009 - Prizewinner at Presenze.2, 2010 - Nomination for Best Theatre Show for Children and teenagers of 2010/2011 - Special mention at Premio Hystrio Scritture di - Scena_Under35, 2011 - Nomination at Premio Oltreparola 2011
  • Nov 2009 - Present
    Theatre Teacher / La Scuola delle Arti
    k-12 teacher of theatre and creative learning strategies.
  • Jan 2008 - Present
    Theatre teacher / Teatri di Sale
    Theatre workshops for children aged 5 to 10.
  • Jan 2010 - Present
    Acting teacher / Teatri Possibili
    Physical theatre workshop for adults about "Pinocchio"starting from the picture book of Roberto Innocenti.
  • May 2009 - Present
    Theatre teacher, assistant director and playwriter / Folkwang University of Arts
    Co-director, dramaturg and acting teacher with Hajo Schueler (Familie Floez) of the final play of third and fourth year of the students of Physical Theatre.

Education

  • 2009 - 2010
    Scritture per la Danza Contemporanea
    Master in Contemporary dance, pedagogy, theatre
  • 2005 - 2008
    Scuola d'Arte Drammatica "Paolo Grassi"
    Stage directing, acting, light design, playwriting
  • 2006 - 2007
    Moscow Art Theatre School
    MA in Stage directing
  • 2004 - 2005
    University of Strathclyde
    UG in Performance and Communication
    Activities: Ramshorne Theatre, assistant director and dramaturg.
  • 2002 - 2005
    Università Statale di Milano
    UG in Liberal studies in Communication
    Activities: Volleyball, Aikido, Friends of Teatro alla Scala, Friends of Piccolo Teatro

Additional Information

Honors:
- TEDx Speaker @ TEDxLakeComo, 2012 - Best Design Award at Launch Education&Kids (Jason Calacanis) 2012 - 2012 Italian Best Startup - Eolo Award 2011/2012 Italian Best Play for Kids - Creative Mornings Milan, Speaker, 2012 - Member of "La Rete dei Talenti", 500 exceptionally talented people in the art and technology field, Region Puglia - Special Mention, Prize for Playwrights, Oltreparola, 2011 - First Prize International Theatre Festival of Lugano 2011 (Best Play for Kids and Teen-agers) - Special Mention "Premio Hystrio Scritture di Scena 2011"(Somari) - Nomination for "Premio Scenario Infanzia 2010" (Somari) - Prize "Principi Attivi" (Bollenti Spiriti), Regione Puglia 2010 (per il progetto "Sferracavalli") - Prize "Working Capital - Telecom Italia" for the project "Timbuktu" - Special Mention, "International Festival of Stage Directing" for "Ofelia e Amleto" (2008)
Interests:
Theater, Children Publishing, Social innovation, Education, StartUps, Digital Publishing, Social Design,
My LinkedIn

Videos

My Vimeo Videos
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