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Fen Zhao

Investor

Director of Data Science & Research at Alpha Edison

Los Angeles, California

Writes $100K – $5M checks · typically $1.5M

Find your path to Fen

691 people in our graph share verified history with Fen — schools, employers, funds. One of them is your warm intro.

Laura BuhlerunlockedFen: together at McKinsey & Company (2009–2011)
×10Fen: together at McKinsey & Company
Fen: together at Hunter College High School

About

Fen Zhao has led data science research at Alpha Edison since 2018, using large-scale data sets to identify market opportunities. She previously served as a program officer at the National Science Foundation, managing research portfolios in data science and cybersecurity with a focus on commercializing academic research, and worked at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy on science policy for national security during the Obama Administration. Earlier in her career she was an associate in McKinsey's Risk Management practice. She holds a PhD in Applied Physics from Stanford and a BS in Physics and Mathematics for Computer Science from MIT.

Invests in

CybersecurityData & Infrastructure

Experience

  1. Alpha EdisonPartnercurrent2026 — present
  2. Alpha EdisonDirector of Research and Data Science2018 — 2026Greater Los Angeles Area
  3. National Science FoundationProgram Officer2013 — 2017Arlington, VA
  4. White House Office of Science and Technology PolicyAAAS Policy Fellow2012 — 2013Washington D.C. Metro Area
  5. National Science FoundationAAAS Policy Fellow2011 — 2012Arlington, VA
  6. McKinsey & CompanyAssociate2009 — 2011Florham Park, NJ

Skills & more

InvestmentsFederal Grants ManagementData ScienceVenture CapitalPortfolio ManagementProgram ManagementFinancial Modeling

From Fen's professional profile.

Colleagues at Alpha Edison

Angela Jones
Partner at Alpha Edison
Britt Danneman
Principal at Alpha Edison
Fen Zhao, PhD
Principal at Alpha Edison
Jami Hunt
Managing Partner at Alpha Edison
Mukesh K. Parekh
General Partner at Alpha Edison
Nate Redmond
Partner at Alpha Edison
Nick Grouf
Partner at Alpha Edison
Robey Miller
Partner at Alpha Edison

Network4

Britt Danneman
Principal at Alpha Edison
Nate Redmond
Partner at Alpha Edison
Nick Grouf
Partner at Alpha Edison
Robey Miller
Partner at Alpha Edison

Investors connected to Fen in public investor directories — a warm-intro map.

Frequently asked questions

Who is Fen Zhao?
Fen Zhao has led data science research at Alpha Edison since 2018, using large-scale data sets to identify market opportunities. She previously served as a program officer at the National Science Foundation, managing research portfolios in data science and cybersecurity with a focus on commercializing academic research, and worked at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy on science policy for national security during the Obama Administration. Earlier in her career she was an associate in McKinsey's Risk Management practice. She holds a PhD in Applied Physics from Stanford and a BS in Physics and Mathematics for Computer Science from MIT.
Where does Fen Zhao work?
Fen Zhao is Director of Data Science & Research at Alpha Edison.
What does Fen Zhao invest in?
Fen Zhao invests in Cybersecurity, Data & Infrastructure.
What check size does Fen Zhao write?
Fen Zhao typically writes checks of $100K – $5M.
Where did Fen Zhao go to school?
Fen Zhao studied at Stanford University (PhD, Applied Physics); Massachusetts Institute of Technology (BS, Physics (8)); Hunter College High School.

Same school

Shared employers