How
We Got
Started
Tara Bishop and Eileen Tanghal met 30 years ago while studying at MIT. There, they became roommates, classmates, and close friends. Since graduating, they have spent their careers innovating and building resilient infrastructure in their respective fields. They kept in close contact in the proceeding years as they embarked on various personal and professional journeys.
Prior to starting Black Opal, Eileen had an over 20-year career in venture capital, including Amadeus Capital Partners, Applied Ventures, and most recently, In-Q-Tel. At these firms, she invested in startups such as Twist Bioscience and Cerebras. Prior to that, she held a senior leadership position at Arm and was an early employee at successful semiconductor startup. Tara has spent her career reshaping healthcare as a physician, venture capitalist, and executive. She most recently served as Chief Clinical Officer at Bind, where she drove growth that led to its acquisition by UnitedHealth Group. Earlier in her career, she held leadership positions at McKinsey and Weill Cornell, where she drove the shift to value-based care, supported policy, and saw patients.
Throughout these years they dreamed of starting their own business together, one marked by collaboration, drive, trust, and authenticity. In 2021, they founded Black Opal Ventures and turned this dream into reality.
