Blackbird founded Sabalo Ventures in the Fall of 2024 following a successful career in commercial real estate.  Sabalo Ventures is a real estate and private equity investment firm, investing in and with talented individuals who have deep operational expertise, are leaders in their respective industries and seek the capital, confidence and lending hand it takes to go from being an employee to entrepreneur.   

Prior to starting Sabalo, Blackbird co-founded Stream Realty Partners’ Austin office in 2006.  The firm grew from a two-person operation to one of Central Texas’ largest commercial real estate companies with over 100 employees and a portfolio of 30+ million square feet of institutional-grade office and industrial projects. Additionally, the office was consistently ranked as one of the ‘Best Places to Work’ by the Austin Business Journal.

During his 25 years in the commercial real estate business, Blackbird has directly overseen over $1.5B of development and investments throughout Austin. He has vast experience with a variety of product types, including industrial, office, and mixed-use projects, encompassing millions of square feet.

Over the years, Blackbird has been actively involved with several charitable organizations, donating both time and resources.  He is on the Executive Council at the University of Texas Real Estate Center and is a regular guest lecturer at the McCombs Business School.  Additionally, Blackbird serves on the Advisory Board for the University of Texas Marine Science Institute.

Prior to joining Stream, Blackbird was with Trammell Crow Company where he led leasing efforts on the firm’s industrial portfolio. Blackbird and his wife have two daughters and a son. A native of Austin, he is an avid fisherman and outdoorsman.

Blake Neitzke, a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, commissioned into the US Army in 2012 as an infantry officer. After serving for several years in the 82nd Airborne Division, Blake was selected for Special Forces training and became an Operational Detachment Alpha (ODA) commander with 3rd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group. He later served as a Troop Commander in the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group. During his service, Blake completed multiple deployments to Iraq and Northwest Africa. Some of Blake’s notable military awards include the Ranger Tab, Sapper Tab, Special Forces Tab, and Bronze Star Medal.

Following his 10-year career in the military, Blake transitioned into entrepreneurship, purchasing and operating a 15-key hotel located in Round Top, Texas. In addition to overseeing operations for the business, Blake pursued a Master of Business Administration, graduating from the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas in 2024 with a concentration in real estate finance.