Emily Zhen

Emily Zhen is a prominent venture capital investor who recently transitioned from New Enterprise Associates (NEA) to Zeal Capital Partners, where she serves as a Principal focused on health equity investing. At NEA, she specialized in digital health and life sciences, contributing to investments in various healthcare companies and serving as a Board Observer for firms like Spiras Health and Slope.12

Education and Early Career

Zhen graduated summa cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania's Vagelos Program in Life Sciences & Management, earning a B.S. in Finance from Wharton and a B.A. in Biology, along with a certificate in healthcare policy. Before her venture capital career, she worked in healthcare investment banking at Goldman Sachs and held positions at the U.S. Department of Treasury, PwC, and several digital health startups.123

Impact and Focus Areas

During her time at NEA, Zhen was instrumental in deploying over $500 million in capital and was involved in the incubation and growth of portfolio companies. Her focus areas included improving healthcare access, affordability, and outcomes, particularly for underserved populations. At Zeal Capital Partners, she leads investments aimed at addressing systemic disparities in healthcare, emphasizing collaboration with diverse management teams.234

Zhen's commitment to health equity is also reflected in her advisory roles, including her involvement with Gold House’s Gold Rush Accelerator, which supports Asian American Pacific Islander founders.2