Neda Blocho
Global Innovator
San Francisco Bay Area
Overview
Work Experience
Startup World Cup, Director
2024 - Current
Startup World Cup is a series of global startup conferences and competitions, powered by Pegasus Tech Ventures. It consists of 100+ regional startup competitions in more than 70 different countries around the world, leading up to the Grand Finale in Silicon Valley to compete for a $1M investment prize. I led and secured 130 regional partnerships with global organizations across more than 60 countries. In addition, I developed a comprehensive marketing strategy and branding guidelines, incorporating assets while implementing analysis and tracking of marketing performance metrics. These efforts resulted in an increase of 5,000 followers within three months. Collaborating with internal and external stakeholders, I played a key role in securing new partnerships for the Startup World Cup. I also hired, trained, and managed a team of six, overseeing their performance and ensuring efficiency. Managing the budget for the Startup World Cup, I successfully implemented new tools and technologies, leading to $1 million in annual savings. My role also involved planning and executing multiple events, including five in-house events with over 500 attendees, 200 startup applications, and 6-8 expert judges per event. Additionally, I led the organization of the marquee Grand Finale event, which hosted over 3,500 attendees, 20 speakers, and eight VC judges. Through strategic efforts, I secured $500,000 in sponsorships and partnerships for these events. Beyond event execution, I played a crucial role in shaping the Startup World Cup’s branding and marketing efforts, creating branding guidelines and implementing a refreshed marketing strategy to enhance engagement and visibility.
Staff VP, Digital Solutions (Innovation)
2022 - 2024
Elevance Health (formerly Anthem) is an American health insurance provider. I stayed current on market trends and innovations, providing monthly leadership briefings to highlight emerging technologies and products that aligned with strategic priorities. Additionally, I sourced new ventures that supported key strategic initiatives, identifying potential pilots for integration within the organization. Leading a high-caliber team of 10, I guided the conception and execution of pioneering initiatives and collaborative partnerships with early- to mid-stage innovative companies. These efforts focused on product validation and implementation, engaging a diverse group of internal and external stakeholders to drive success. Over a 24-month period, I spearheaded and executed 12 pilots projected to generate over $800 million in value for the enterprise within a 12-month timeframe. These pilots covered various domains, including Behavioral Health, Women’s and Maternal Health, Substance Use Disorder (SUD), Nutrition/Food-as-Medicine, Bioinformatics, and Remote/At-Home Care, addressing both commercial and government member populations. To ensure efficiency, I curated pilot plans and execution processes based on key metrics and strategic alignment before committing resources to development. I also collaborated with cross-functional teams, influencing roadmaps to secure pilot buy-in, drive successful implementation, and refine post-pilot scalable recommendations. By prioritizing business needs and challenges, I leveraged data-driven analyses and impact projections to ensure alignment with overarching organizational objectives, reinforcing strategic decision-making and long-term success.
Investor & Head of Studios Program
2019 - 2022
Avanta Ventures is the corporate venture capital arm of CSAA Insurance Group. I established and managed the Avanta Studios program, connecting innovative startups with CSAA Insurance Group to foster partnerships and mentorship opportunities within the InsurTech and Mobility verticals. Within its first year, the program successfully forged partnerships with 21 startups, which collectively secured over $18 million in venture capital funding. Notably, 44% of these startups were led by female and/or minority founders. Working closely with the executive leadership team, I identified and prioritized key business pain points and challenges, leading to the recruitment of strategic partnerships into the Avanta Studios program. I also facilitated startups through internal enterprise pathways, ensuring they engaged with stakeholders to effectively plan and execute pilots for product validation and scalability. To strengthen the startup ecosystem, I planned and executed virtual community workshops, office hours, and social events, fostering collaboration and knowledge-sharing among entrepreneurs, industry experts, and corporate leaders.
Board Member
2014 - 2020
BASES' mission is to empower the next generation of entrepreneurs at Stanford. We seek to inspire student entrepreneurs, provide opportunities to help them create innovative solutions, and launch ventures through our 7 on campus programs.
Business Association of Stanford Entrepreneurial Students is a promoter of entrepreneurship education services.
Partner
2017 - 2019
An industry-agnostic, pre-seed to seed-stage focused venture capital firm. I engaged and vetted potential startup opportunities by conducting comprehensive due diligence to assess market potential and viability. This process ensured that only the most promising ventures were selected for further development and support. In addition, I conceptualized, orchestrated, and executed the logistical elements for Pear DORM programs, including Pear LaunchPad, Garage, and the UC Berkeley Challenge. As part of these initiatives, I curated program curricula, facilitated mentor matching, and organized community-building events to foster collaboration and growth among participants. Beyond program execution, I mentored startup teams in key areas such as business strategy, marketing, and operations, providing guidance to help them refine their business models and scale effectively. To enhance brand visibility, I also curated and implemented a comprehensive marketing plan, leading the development of a new brand name, logo, and website redesign, while ensuring consistent messaging across all social platforms.
PearX is a bootcamp for pre-seed founders
Vice President of Programs
2015 - 2017
Stanford affiliated accelerator that partners with Stanford University's top entrepreneurs. I led a cohort-based accelerator program by curating educational programming and a tailored curriculum designed specifically for StartX entrepreneurs, ensuring they received the highest level of support and guidance. A key component of this initiative was mentorship curation and matching, which played a vital role in the program’s success. To drive program visibility and attract top-tier startups, I crafted and led comprehensive outbound and internal marketing campaigns, strategically leveraging social media to promote each cohort and recruit participants. Additionally, I oversaw community-building efforts, executing both educational and social sessions through detailed event planning to foster engagement and collaboration among founders. Beyond program execution, I supported the organization’s sponsorship efforts, contributing to the recruitment and retention of key sponsors to sustain and expand the program’s impact.
Associate Director, Entrepreneurial Programming (Center for Entrepreneurial Studies)
2012 - 2015
The Center for Entrepreneurial Studies (CES) is based out of the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University (GSB). I led and executed all aspects of programming for the Stanford Venture Studio, an on-campus incubator program at the Graduate School of Business, providing a structured environment for aspiring entrepreneurs to develop their ventures. In addition to program management, I mentored graduate students on startup and entrepreneurship curriculum options, guiding them toward opportunities across campus that aligned with their educational and professional objectives. To foster cross-disciplinary collaboration, I pioneered and oversaw initiatives that connected entrepreneurial-minded students across various fields at Stanford University. These efforts led to the creation of the Stanford Entrepreneurship Network (SEN) website, a centralized resource for students seeking entrepreneurial support and networking opportunities.
Event & Communications Manager
2009 - 2012
AlwaysOn is the leading business media brand networking the Global Silicon Valley.
Graduate Assistant for Center of Student Leadership
2007 - 2009
Notre Dame de Namur University is a fully accredited, independent, Catholic, co-educational, master's university founded in 1851 by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur. As the GA to the Center for Student Leadership, I headed programs and events that promoted leadership, community building and collaborative interaction amongst students.
Education
MBA
2007 - 2009
BS Business Administration
2005 - 2007
AA
2002 - 2005