Michelle Gonzalez, head of US-listed Alphabet’s Google search engine division’s incubator, Area 120, has joined software provider Microsoft to run its corporate venturing unit.
Microsoft had been looking for a head of its M12 unit following the departure in February of its founder, Nagraj Kashyap, to be a managing partner at SoftBank’s Vision Funds.
Reporting to Christopher Young, executive vice-president for business development, strategy and ventures at Microsoft, Gonzalez said: “I am beyond excited and humbled to join Microsoft as CVP [corporate vice-president] and global head of M12, Microsoft’s venture fund.
“When I first met the exceptional Christopher Young and discussed the M12 – Microsoft’s Venture Fund role, I was pretty heads down leading the transformation of Area 120, Google’s global in-house incubator with its 20+ teams that run like mini-startups, and supporting my seven-year-old daughter through virtual first grade.
“I definitely was not seeking out big changes to our lives. However, as Chris and I continued our chats and as I met more leaders at the company it became clear to me that Microsoft – and M12 – Microsoft’s Venture Fund in particular – was a special place where one could have undeniable positive impact for our team, our communities and our world , through its support of over 100+ startups, founders and their teams.”
Young added: “Michelle’s deep and diverse experience in corporate venture capital and startup incubation—as well as her passion for people management and workplace inclusion—are among the reasons she will lead M12 with purpose and impact.”
Before her past two years as managing partner at Area 120, Gonzalez had spent a year as a director at the office of the CEO, Sundar Pichai. She had previously spent two years as a partner at IBM Ventures and time as an investor for Comcast Ventures’ Catalyst Fund supporting Black and LatinX founders.
Earlier, she had spent seven years at Apple with her final position there as head of its news product.
Photo from Microsoft’s Chris Young’s post
