Cyan Ta'eed

Cyan Ta'eed
Name	Cyan Ta'eed
Nationality	Australian
Occupation	Entrepreneur; Designer; Educator
Known for	co-founder of Envato; co-founder of UNTITLED; co-founder of Genero; co-founder of Web Directions

Cyan Ta'eed is an Australian entrepreneur, designer, educator, and co-founder notable for her role in founding the creative marketplace Envato and initiatives in design education and community building. She has been active in digital design, startup incubation, and arts advocacy, collaborating with multiple organizations and events across Australia and internationally. Her work intersects with prominent platforms, festivals, institutions, and figures in technology, design, and entrepreneurship.

Early life and education

Ta'eed was raised in Australia and engaged with local arts and technology communities that include institutions such as the National Gallery of Victoria, the Australian Centre for the Moving Image, the University of Technology Sydney, the University of Melbourne, and the Australian National University. She pursued studies and early projects that connected her to networks around the Sydney, Melbourne, and Newcastle, New South Wales creative scenes, bringing her into contact with cultural organizations such as the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia and industry forums like Web Directions and SXSW. Her formative experiences involved collaborations with practitioners linked to the Australian Design Centre, the Powerhouse Museum, and education programs associated with the TAFE NSW and the University of New South Wales.

Career

Ta'eed co-founded Envato alongside collaborators and engaged with entrepreneurial ecosystems that include StartupAUS, Stone & Chalk, Fishburners, BlueChilli, and accelerator networks such as Techstars and Y Combinator-linked communities. Her career spans roles interfacing with creative platforms like Behance, Dribbble, GitHub, Flickr, and Pinterest, and with industry organizations including the Design Council, the Australian Information Industry Association, the Interactive Games and Entertainment Association, and the Business Council of Australia. She has participated in conferences and festivals including SXSW, Web Directions, FutureEverything, UX Australia, and Adobe MAX, and collaborated with companies such as Mailchimp, Shopify, Squarespace, Atlassian, Canva, Google, Facebook, Microsoft, and Apple.

Ta'eed has contributed to initiatives connecting creative talent to markets through partnerships and networks involving ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation), Screen Australia, ARIA, ARIA Music Awards, Australian Film Commission, and creative funding bodies such as the Australia Council for the Arts and state-level arts ministries. Her professional network includes links to figures and institutions like Steve Jobs, Tim Berners-Lee, Marissa Mayer, Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Reid Hoffman, Guy Kawasaki, Esther Dyson, and organizations such as TED, Wired, and Fast Company that have chronicled digital entrepreneurship.

Major projects and contributions

Ta'eed is best known for co-founding Envato, a global marketplace and community that connected designers, developers, and creatives with customers, influencing platforms like Envato Market, ThemeForest, CodeCanyon, GraphicRiver, AudioJungle, VideoHive, and 3DOcean. She also co-founded creative initiatives and agencies that partnered with community-driven projects and competitions related to Creative Commons, Wikipedia, Mozilla Foundation, Open Source Initiative, and educational projects aligned with Khan Academy-style outreach. Her projects intersected with programs and events including Hackathons hosted by groups such as RailsGirls, Girls Who Code, Women in Technology International, She++, and Lean In chapters, promoting participation in platforms like Codecademy, Coursera, edX, and General Assembly.

Ta'eed helped establish collaborative platforms that resembled or integrated with services like Upwork, Fiverr, 99designs, and LinkedIn, and she has supported initiatives with cultural institutions including National Institute of Dramatic Art, Walsh Bay Arts Precinct, and festivals such as Vivid Sydney and Melbourne International Film Festival. Her work also involved partnerships with venture and investment entities such as Blackbird Ventures, AirTree Ventures, Square Peg Capital, Sequoia Capital, and Accel Partners.

Recognition and awards

Ta'eed's leadership and entrepreneurship have been recognized by industry and media outlets including Forbes, The Guardian, The Sydney Morning Herald, The Australian Financial Review, BRW, Fast Company, Wired, The New York Times, and Bloomberg. She has been featured in lists and programs alongside recognitions associated with Australian of the Year Awards, Telstra Business Women's Awards, Fortune 40 Under 40, Forbes 30 Under 30, Australian Creative Entrepreneur Awards, and acknowledgment from bodies such as the Australia Council for the Arts and state government innovation prizes. Institutional acknowledgments linked her profile with organizations like City of Sydney, NSW Government, Federal Government of Australia, and cultural patrons including Museum of Contemporary Art Australia.

Personal life and advocacy

Ta'eed has advocated for diversity and inclusion in tech and creative industries through involvement with movements and organizations including Women in Tech, SheStarts, Diversity Council Australia, Chief Executive Women, AIMIA, and community programs such as Startup Weekend and Meetup. She supports arts, education, and social impact projects connected to Oxfam Australia, Charity Water, UNICEF Australia, Beyond Blue, and philanthropic initiatives linked to cultural institutions like the National Gallery of Victoria and Australian Centre for the Moving Image. Ta'eed's public engagements have placed her alongside speakers and advocates from TEDx, SXSW, UN Women, World Economic Forum, and industry mentors associated with Google for Startups and Microsoft for Startups.

Category:Australian entrepreneurs Category:Australian designers Category:Living people