Cyan Ta'eed
Cyan Ta'eed is an Australian entrepreneur and businessperson. She is one of the co-founders of Envato,[1] a company that operates a group of online marketplaces for digital assets.[2] Ta'eed has also been involved in other business ventures, including the social enterprise Hey Tiger[3] and the mobile website-building app Milkshake.[4]
Early Life and Education
[edit]Ta'eed was born in New York and raised in Sydney, Australia by parents working in photography and fashion design.[5] Her Father John Marmaras was a corporate photographer and her Mother was a swimwear designer.[6] She studied graphic design and began her professional career working as a freelance designer before moving into business.[7]
Career
[edit]Envato
[edit]In 2006, Ta'eed co-founded Envato in Sydney with Collis Ta’eed and Jun Rung out of their home office.[8] The company began as a marketplace for Flash templates and expanded to include platforms for website themes, graphics, audio, video, and other digital content.[9] Envato grew to include multiple marketplaces under the Envato Market brand, as well as a subscription-based service, Envato Elements.[10] In May of 2024, Envato sold to Shutterstock for $245 million USD.[11]
Hey Tiger
[edit]Ta'eed founded Hey Tiger in 2018. The company operated as a chocolate brand with a stated social enterprise mission. It partnered with non-profits to direct a portion of proceeds toward cocoa farming communities.[3] Hey Tiger ceased operations in 2022 due to financial sustainability challenges.[12]
Milkshake
[edit]In 2019 she co-founded Milkshake, a mobile application that allows users to create simple websites, primarily for social media platforms like Instagram. The app is intended for individuals and small businesses to create basic websites, particularly for use on social media platforms.[4]
Recognition
[edit]Ta’eed has received several awards recognizing her work in the Australian technology and entrepreneurship sectors. In 2015, she was named Victorian Telstra Business Woman of the Year at the Telstra Women in Business Awards.[13]
That same year, she and her husband Collis Ta’eed were finalists in the EY Entrepreneur of the Year program, securing a regional award in the Services category.[14]
In 2017, Cyan and Collis were co-recipients of the Pearcey Foundation National Entrepreneur Award, recognizing their scalable impact and leadership in the Australian ICT sector.[15]
In 2021, the Ta’eeds ranked 137th on the Financial Review Rich List with an estimated family wealth of $787 million. They announced plans to fund several First Nations-led charitable programs.[16]
References
[edit]- ^ "Can't think of any Australian female leaders in tech? It's not because they don't exist". The Guardian. 2017-05-18. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2025-06-17.
- ^ "The Story of Envato". Envato. 2018-08-28. Retrieved 2025-06-16.
- ^ a b Waters, Cara (2018-04-13). "How Cyan Ta'eed went from tech titan to chocolate entrepreneur". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2025-06-16.
- ^ a b Palmer-Derrien, Stephanie (2019-04-10). "Envato's Cyan Ta'eed launches new venture Milkshake: Why the serial founder loves the early-stage hustle". SmartCompany. Retrieved 2025-06-16.
- ^ "Cyan Ta'eed". Saxton Speakers. Retrieved 2025-06-16.
- ^ Lewis, Kylie (2015-08-23). "The Leap Stories #19: Cyan Ta'eed". Of Kin. Retrieved 2025-06-16.
- ^ "Envato co-founder Cyan Ta'eed debuts on AFR Rich List". www.thenewdaily.com.au. 2019-05-30. Retrieved 2025-06-16.
- ^ "Cyan Ta'eed Bio". generalassemb.ly. Retrieved 2025-06-16.
- ^ Giancotti, James. "Asia's Top Entrepreneurs Discuss What It Takes To Build A Unicorn". Forbes. Retrieved 2025-06-17.
- ^ Ünver, Barış (2015-10-21). "The History of Envato". Fuel Themes. Retrieved 2025-06-16.
- ^ "Rich Listers sell tech firm Envato for $375m". Australian Financial Review. 2024-05-02. Retrieved 2025-06-16.
- ^ Waters, Cara (2021-05-10). "Rich lister Cyan Ta'eed shutters social enterprise Hey Tiger". The Age. Retrieved 2025-06-17.
- ^ Martine (2016-10-10). "Cyan Ta'eed Telstra Victorian Business Woman of the Year". Engaging Women. Retrieved 2025-06-16.
- ^ "Envato founders crowned Entrepreneurs of the Year". Envato. 2015-08-07. Retrieved 2025-06-16.
- ^ "Congratulations 2017 Awardees". The Pearcey Foundation. Retrieved 2025-06-16.
- ^ "Envato profit soars as Rich List founders decamp to Darwin". Australian Financial Review. 2021-08-30. Retrieved 2025-06-16.