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| Additional information |
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| ARCH Venture Partners |
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Overview:
ARCH invests primarily in companies co-founded with leading scientists and entrepreneurs, concentrating on bringing to market innovations in life sciences, physical sciences, and information technology. We enjoy special recognition as a leader in the successful commercialization of technologies developed at academic research institutions and national laboratories.
ARCH currently manages seven funds totaling nearly $1.5 billion and has invested in the earliest venture capital rounds for more than 120 companies. ARCH investors include major corporations, pension funds, endowment funds, financial institutions, and private investors.
The partnership is led by six managing directors and a team of venture partners, principals, associates, and technology specialists. |
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History:
ARCH Venture Partners is a spinoff from an innovative technology commercialization initiative originated by The University of Chicago. In 1986, ARCH Development Corporation was formed as a not-for-profit affiliate corporation dedicated to commercializing promising technology developed in research laboratories at Argonne National Laboratory and the university.
Pioneering strategies for technology commercialization
Steven Lazarus was recruited to lead the new organization, with the broad mandate to license promising technology and promote the formation of spinoff companies. In 1986, Robert Nelsen and Keith Crandell joined Lazarus to focus on new company formation. Together they pioneered a successful commercialization strategy that benefited both the university and the scientists behind the research.
Very importantly, they recognized the need to create a venture capital fund to support the formation of spinoff companies, as the midwest did not support a strong early stage venture capital community at the time. Shortly thereafter, in 1989 ARCH raised its first venture fund.
In late 1992, Lazarus, Crandell, and Nelsen formed ARCH Venture Partners in a friendly separation agreement with The University of Chicago, which became a special limited partner and investor in the new venture capital firm. ARCH Development Corporation remained within the university as its technology transfer arm.
A year later, Clinton Bybee, an experienced seed investor and colleague from ARCH Development Corporation dating back to 1988, joined as ARCH's fourth partner. As a team ARCH's founding partners are unique, sharing more than two decades of collaborative experiences in early stage new enterprise formation. This cohesive structure has been an underpinning of the firm's continuing success.
Over 20 years of achievement
Now in its 23rd year and with nearly $1.5 billion in capital under management, ARCH has secured its place among the largest providers of seed and early stage capital in the U.S. More than 120 new ventures have been funded by ARCH, often from the concept stage. Today many are public companies or have become part of other prominent organizations. These achievements have won the attention of distinguished business journals, including profiles in Fortune Magazine and The Wall Street Journal, as well as The Harvard Business School, which published two case studies examining ARCH's successful model of technology commercialization.
Going forward, the partnership intends to continue investing in seed and early stage technology companies that have the potential to grow rapidly into substantial enterprises.
View a list of ARCH portfolio companies that have achieved financial liquidity through IPOs or private sales.
Fund chronology
1989
ARCH Venture Fund I
$9 million
1993
ARCH Venture Fund II
$31 million
1996
ARCH Venture Fund III
$107 million
1999
ARCH Venture Fund IV
$175 million
2000
ARCH Venture Fund V
$380 million
2003
ARCH Venture Fund VI
$350 million
2007
ARCH Venture Fund VII
$400 million |
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