Taylor Black

Director of AI & Venture Ecosystems, Strategic Programs & Communities Team

2021

In my role as Director of AI & Venture Ecosystems within the Strategic Programs and Communities team at Microsoft’s Office of the CTO, I design and lead cross-company initiatives that integrate innovation, product development, and community engagement to foster the next generation of groundbreaking technologies. Drop me a DM :)

Fellow & Venture Partner

2023

As a Fellow at Conduit Venture Labs, I collaborate with visionary entrepreneurs and technologists to support the creation and scaling of high-impact ventures. Leveraging my expertise in AI, deep tech, and venture ecosystems, I provide strategic guidance, mentorship, and operational insight to help early-stage startups navigate complex growth challenges.

Affiliate Instructor, Technology Commercialization (ENTRE 541)

2024

Instructor, Technology Commercialization (ENTRE 541) - Foster School of Business, University of Washington Spring 2025 As an instructor for ENTRE 541 at the Foster School of Business, I guide graduate students through the intricate process of transforming breakthrough technologies into marketable products. The course focuses on commercial analysis, customer discovery, and business model development, providing students with hands-on experience working directly with University of Washington scientists and engineers. Students explore early-stage technologies to develop commercialization strategies, addressing key questions such as technology evaluation, customer identification, value proposition development, go-to-market strategies, and financial planning. The goal is to equip students with the tools to assess and commercialize innovative technologies by balancing technical feasibility with market potential. This experience-based course emphasizes critical thinking, research, and teamwork, as students collaborate to create feasibility plans for cutting-edge technologies and present their findings. Key Learning Outcomes: Practical experience in technology commercialization Business model creation and validation Customer discovery and market analysis Team collaboration and project management Presentation of feasibility plans and business concepts If you're curious about how to bring innovation to life by bridging the gap between technology and the marketplace, feel free to connect with me to learn more about this exciting course.

Strategic Advisor

2024

Managing General Partner

2022

At Fizzy Ventures, I specialize in building and scaling high-impact ventures within both corporate and startup ecosystems. My work spans venture studio operations, where I help entrepreneurs and technical teams navigate the complexities of product-market fit, growth, and scaling. On the corporate innovation front, I consult with enterprise clients to design and implement innovation frameworks that foster agile, entrepreneurial thinking within large organizations. By combining strategic foresight with hands-on operational support, I guide both startups and established companies in creating sustainable, innovation-driven growth.

Startup Mentor

2022

Startup Mentor

2021

Founding Member

2021 - 2024

Round is a curated community of technology executives and senior leaders who support, grow, mentor, and learn from each other. The Round experience supports leaders who are at the forefront of technology, working on products and services that have an outsized impact on the world. Round members lead high impact teams across Product, Engineering, Marketing, Design and related functions. Our members value humility, empathy, and curiosity; and seek to foster inclusive and thriving work cultures.

Founding Member of the Innovation Forum

2021 - 2023

The Innovation Forum is a private peer network focused on connecting and supporting innovation leaders. We come together to share best practices, learnings, insights, and support one another. In addition to our incredible peer community, members access industry trend reports, collaborative events, emerging technology, and startup introductions.

Startup Mentor and Investor

2019 - 2023

Venture Out supports pre-seed, aspiring entrepreneurs with strong domain expertise from large tech companies to launch startups. I guide startup teams from early-stage ideation and experimentation to product-market fit by helping them design and carry out effective experiments and make data-driven business decisions