Eric Steager left Independence Blue Cross (IBC), a healthcare licensee of health insurance group Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, to join health benefits provider Anthem in January this year.
Steager joined IBC in 2012 as director of corporate development and innovation, and oversaw strategic investments, partnerships and mergers and acquisitions.
While at IBC, Steager also co-managed its corporate venture capital arm, Strategic Innovation Portfolio, sourcing and leading investments in early-stage healthcare information technology companies from seed to series A stage.
IBC’s recent deals included a $1.25m venture round for machine-learning-empowered mental health startup NeuroFlow that was led by angel group JumpStart’s New Jersey branch in September 2018.
Steager told Global Corporate Venturing that Tom Olenzak, co-manager of Strategic Innovation Portfolio, has taken over his duties at IBC.
Anthem has hired Steager as staff vice-president of corporate venture capital at its newly formed corporate venturing unit. He will carry out strategic equity investments in healthtech startups and supervise portfolio development, taking board seats and seeking strategic and financial returns.
Anthem acquired palliative care provider Aspire Health for an undisclosed amount in May 2018, having participated in an $81m series C round for telemedicine technology provider American Well in 2014.
Photo courtesy of Eric Steager.
