DZ

Diana Zhou

Investor | Business Strategy and Go-to-Market Leader | Start-up & Innovation Advisor

Los Angeles Metropolitan Area

Investor
VC

Invests in

  • Min Investment:

    $200,000.00

  • Max Investment:

    $5,000,000.00

  • Target Investment:

    $2,500,000.00

Skills

Governmental Affairs
Government Procurement
Business Strategy
Fundraising
Market Analysis
Market Research
Business Development
Strategic Planning
Contract Negotiation
Government Contracting
Venture Capital
Early Stage Investment
Strategy
Risk Management
Analysis
Due Diligence
Mergers & Acquisitions
Financial Modeling
Financial Services
Economics

Education

Work Experience

Eclipse Ventures

2022 - 2024

  • Venture Partner

    2022 - 2024

    Eclipse Ventures is a Palo Alto-based venture capital firm investing in physical industries such as defense, advanced manufacturing, logistics and supply chains, and transportation with ~$4.3B Regulatory Assets Under Management as of December 31, 2021. As a Venture Partner and member of the investment team, my time was split between sourcing and partnering with start-up founders to ideate, incubate, build and invest in new businesses, and leading investments in high-growth early-stage companies, primarily in the defense, infrastructure, and transportation sectors.

Virgin Hyperloop

2016 - 2022

  • Senior Director, Global Business Development

    2021 - 2022

    Head of Business Development for US and EU markets to deploy and deliver hyperloop infrastructure projects through public-private partnerships and advance hyperloop industry-wide efforts, reporting to the CEO. Developed and executed go-to-market strategies, and led cross-functional teams across engineering and corporate to achieve strategic objectives via organic and inorganic growth. Led Virgin Hyperloop’s Pilot Program, including structuring and negotiating project deal terms, defining market offering with technical leads, and managing relationships with logistics providers and infrastructure owners and operators. Spokesperson and advocate for the firm, speaking at conferences and events globally across the US, Canada, Mexico, UK, Finland, Spain, and France.

  • Director, Global Alliances and Policy

    2020 - 2021

    Built Virgin Hyperloop’s federal-level presence in Washington D.C. and in Brussels from the ground up, including hiring and managing VH’s first government affairs teams across both regions to develop legislative support for a new mode of transportation. Results in the US included the federal-level designation of a regulatory home for hyperloop technology and eligibility of hyperloop infrastructure projects for billions of dollars of federal financing programs. Worked closely with stakeholders within the European Commission and European Parliament, DG Move, Shift2Rail, ERA, and EASA to develop policy recommendations for government research and innovation funding opportunities.

  • Director, Project Strategy

    2018 - 2020

    Designed and launched a nationwide search for a new manufacturing and development facility, and led negotiations with state and local officials.

  • Manager, Market Strategy

    2017 - 2018

    Collaborated with senior leadership from across the company to align and drive product, business development, strategic partnerships, and marketing.

  • Analyst, Business Strategy

    2016 - 2017

    Led key strategy initiatives on business model development, fundraising, and market selection, including the Hyperloop One Global Challenge which resulted in tripling of the commercial sales pipeline.

Oliver Wyman

2009 - 2013

  • Associate Engagement Manager

    2012 - 2013

    Managed consulting teams for a top-tier global management consulting firm on projects involving target acquisitions, new product rollout, regulatory and policy trends and other strategic initiatives.

  • Associate

    2010 - 2012

  • Consultant

    2009 - 2010