From Classroom to Boardroom: Keys to Success for University Spinouts

Paul Thurk is a Managing Director of ARCH Venture Partners, which he joined in 2000 as a Kauffman Fellow. He manages ARCH’s European office based in Dublin. Mr. Thurk was formerly co-founder and initial CEO of InnovaLight – spinout of the University of Minnesota and University of Texas (acq’d by DuPont); Piñon Technologies – spinout of the University of Texas (acq’d by a large German chemical company); and, CoolEdge Lighting - spinout of the University of Illinois. He formerly held various operating roles at NABS (acq’d by ILS), ending his tenure there as Director of Operations Asia Pacific. He holds a BSE from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and an MBA from the University of Texas.

ARCH is a global, early-stage venture capital firm of 28 years and ~$2 billion under management. ARCH invests at the earliest stages, often co-founding companies directly out of universities and national labs, and continues to invest through to exit. The Fund’s investment focus is physical and life sciences. Mr. Thurk’s particular investment focus is in the physical sciences, including areas such as semiconductors, nanotechnology, photonics, electronics, advanced materials, cleantech, and solid state lighting.

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