Written by Alex Koupal

Patient Centric Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Dr. Anu Sreedhar is an influential leader in our healthcare ecosystem here in Phoenix.  She is the Liaison of Innovation & Entrepreneurship at Mayo Clinic and a huge contributor to the Venture Café Phoenix community!  If you get a chance to meet Anu at Venture Café Phoenix, ask her about how she became involved with the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Program at Mayo. She has an inspirational story and is all-around astonishing woman. We are lucky to have her as part of our Venture Café Phoenix community.

How did you hear about Venture Café?

I heard about venture café through my colleagues at the CEI. I have known Patti and Tom (from CEI) for a while now and have participated in several of their workshops/community events. That’s how I came to know about venture café.

What does Venture Café Phoenix mean to you?

Venture café is a one-stop place for networking and building connections and relationships. This is a great place to connect with other stakeholders in the ecosystem. You can establish, build, and nurture long-term, mutually beneficial relationships with the people you meet at Venture Café.

Have you had any memorable connections at Venture Café Phoenix?

I have met a lot of people through Venture Café, every connection has been memorable, be it industry folks, academia or entrepreneurs.

What is your organization and what does it do?

I am an Innovation and Entrepreneurship Liaison at Mayo Clinic Office of Entrepreneurship at Arizona. Mayo Clinic is synonymous with medical innovations, advancements, future-forward achievements, and a determination to change the world, forever. Our primary value is  ”the needs of the patient come first”.

Can you discuss your experience at Venture Café and any impact the event has had on your organization?

The unveiling of the Scorpion Tank at Venture Café was one of the most memorable events last year. With the support of CEI and Venture Café, and Mayo Clinic-ASU Alliance for Health Care, we were able to successfully launch the Scorpion Tank, a community-based healthcare pitch competition. I am proud of how far we have come, and I am looking forward to what we will accomplish in the future.

Any final thoughts on Venture Café Phoenix?

Venture Café is an excellent addition to the community, continue the great work  😊

To connect with Anu on LinkedIn click here.

Join the movement of innovators building the center of gravity here in the Valley. Join us every Thursday and meet people like Anu, 5-7 PM, free to attend, free parking, two free drinks.

Check out our upcoming programming and register here.