FEN ZHAO
InvestorInvestor at Alpha Edison
Los Angeles, California
Writes $100K – $5M checks · typically $1.5M
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
- Alpha EdisonPartnercurrent2026 — present
- Alpha EdisonDirector of Research and Data Science2018 — 2026Greater Los Angeles Area
- National Science FoundationProgram Officer2013 — 2017Arlington, VA
- White House Office of Science and Technology PolicyAAAS Policy Fellow2012 — 2013Washington D.C. Metro Area
- National Science FoundationAAAS Policy Fellow2011 — 2012Arlington, VA
- McKinsey & CompanyAssociate2009 — 2011Florham Park, NJ
Education
- Stanford UniversityPhD, Applied Physics
- Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyBS, Physics (8)
- Hunter College High School
Skills & more
From FEN's professional profile.
Same school
Also attended Stanford University1,575
+ 1,569 more
Also attended Massachusetts Institute of Technology849
+ 843 more
Shared employers
Also worked at Alpha Edison7
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+ 1 more
Also worked at National Science Foundation45
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+ 39 more
Also worked at White House Office of Science and Technology Policy1
Also worked at McKinsey & Company1,127
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+ 1,121 more
Colleagues at Alpha Edison
Network5
Investors connected to FEN in public investor directories — a warm-intro map.