Keith Crandell

Keith Crandell is a co-founder and a Managing Director of ARCH Venture Partners.

Mr. Crandell focuses on life science tools, devices and diagnostics, specialty materials, electronics and instrumentation, and optics and photonics businesses.

Mr. Crandell has played a key role in the formation and initial funding round of Quanterix (QTRX), 908 Devices, Arbor Biotechnologies, Cytrellis Biosystems, Ultivue, Genturi, , Vizgen, ALIS Corp. (acquired by Carl Zeiss SMT), Eichrom Industries (acquired by Gary Comer, Inc.), Nanophase Technologies (NANX), and Illinois Superconductor (ISCO). He was also responsible for ARCH’s investment in New Era of Networks (NEON, acquired by Sybase-SY), Apropos Technology (APRS, acquired by Syntellect-ESL), Teach.com (acquired by Intellinex), CelebrateExpress (BDAY, acquired by Liberty Media-LINTA), Ahura Scientific (acquired by Thermo Fisher Scientific-TMO), Adesto Technologies (IOTS), Boreal Genomics, Twist Bioscience (TWST) , and Crystal IS (acquired by Asahi Kasei-AHKSY), among others. He previously served as a director of MicroOptical Devices (acquired by EMCORE-EMKR) and was an early director of Engineering Animation, Inc (EAII, acquired by Unigraphics). He is a director of Quanterix, 908 Devices, Boreal Genomics, Twist Bioscience, Arbor Biotechnologies, Cytrellis Biosystems, Genturi, and Ultivue. Prior to the founding of ARCH, Mr. Crandell was with the specialty chemical and polymer company, Hercules, Inc.

Mr. Crandell has served on the Entrepreneurship Advisory Board at the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship, ChicagoBooth since 2005, and also as a Director of the Clean Energy Trust since 2010. He previously served on the Advisory Board of the Illinois State Treasurer Technology Development Account and Illinois Development and Growth Fund, fund-of-funds focused on Illinois private equity and venture capital partnerships. He has been active with the Illinois Venture Capital Association since its inception, previously serving as Chairman. Mr. Crandell also serves on the Chicago History Museum Board of Trustees and the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering Advisory Council. Mr. Crandell also serves on the investment advisory board for the Partners Innovation Fund, a venture capital fund affiliated with Harvard Medical School Hospitals. He previously served as a Director of the National Venture Capital Association and the Governmental Affairs Committee.

Mr. Crandell holds an M.B.A. from The University of Chicago, an M.S. in Chemistry from the University of Texas at Arlington, and a B.S. in Chemistry and Mathematics from St. Lawrence University.