Biotechnology • Pharmaceuticals • Nanotechnology • Alternative Energy

Robert Nelsen is a co-founder and a Managing Director of ARCH Venture Partners, concentrating in biotechnology, energy, and disruptive innovation. He joined ARCH Venture Partners at its founding and has played a significant role in the early sourcing, financing and development of more than thirty companies including nine which have reached valuations exceeding $1 billion. His seed and early-stage investments include Illumina (ILMN), the world-leader in genetic analysis; Sapphire Energy, the leading algae biofuels developer; Ikaria, the world leader in infant critical care; Aviron (AVIR, acquired by Medimmune-MEDI), the producer of the first nasal flu vaccine; NetBot (acquired by Excite-ATHM), the first online shopping agent; R2 Technology (acquired by Hologic-HOLX), the standard of care in computer-aided breast cancer detection; Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY); XenoPort (XNPT); Caliper Life Sciences (CALP), the first microfluidic “lab-on-a-chip”; Trubion Pharmaceuticals (TRBN, acquired by Emergent Biosolutions-EBS); Adolor (ADLR, acquired by Cubist Pharmaceuticals-CBST); Array BioPharma (ARRY); deCODE Genetics; Nanosys; GenVec (GNVC); IDUN Pharmaceuticals (acquired by Pfizer-PFE); Genomica (GNOM, acquired by Exelixis-EXEL); NeurogesX (NGSX); Classmates.com (acquired by United Online-UNTD), the first social network to reach $50 million in revenue; Nura (acquired by Omeros-OMER); Kythera Biopharmaceuticals (KYTH); Theraclone Sciences; Kilimanjaro Energy; Hua Medicine; VLST; Ensemble Therapeutics; Accelerator; Receptos; Fate Therapeutics; Agios Pharmaceuticals; and Everyday Learning Corporation (acquired by Tribune Corp.-TRIB), the leading K-6 math curriculum in the United States.

Mr. Nelsen is a director of Sapphire Energy, Ikaria, Fate Therapeutics, Agios Pharmaceuticals, deCODE Genetics, Ensemble Therapeutics, NeurogesX, Kythera Biopharmaceuticals, and serves as Chairman of Hua Medicine. He previously served on the boards of Trubion Pharmaceuticals, Adolor, NetBot, Everyday Learning, Theraclone Sciences, Array BioPharma, Caliper Life Sciences, Illumina, R2 Technology and Classmates.com, among others. He also serves as a Trustee of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Institute, the Institute for Systems Biology, and is a director of the National Venture Capital Association. Mr. Nelsen holds an M.B.A. from the University of Chicago and a B.S. from the University of Puget Sound with majors in Economics and Biology.