Nilay Thakar, Ph.D. is a Principal with ARCH Venture Partners, joining the company as an Analyst in 2017. Dr. Thakar focuses on company creation, identifying and evaluating new life sciences technologies, and providing operating assistance to early-stage portfolio companies. Dr. Thakar is a co-founder of Skylark Bio and serves as its Head of Business Development. He also supported investments in, and serves as board observer or member at, hC Bio, Skylark Bio, Arbor Bio, Volastra Tx, Sonothera, and AgBiome.
He has authored eight peer-reviewed publications with greater than 250 citations in the areas of neuroscience, stem cell biology, intracellular signalling, and epigenetics. Prior to ARCH, Dr. Thakar led the turnaround of an Australian biotech start-up Stem Cells Limited and out-licensed their assets to Evotec GmbH, served as a Think Tank Advisor at the Australian Academy of Sciences, and worked as an Analyst at Dendright, a biotech start-up developing personalized immunotherapy. Dr. Thakar also conceived an app to help blind Australians use public transport and was selected a Finalist for Queensland Government Open Data Award.
Dr. Thakar holds a B.S. in Biochemistry (High-Distinction honors) and a Ph.D. in Cell Biology from the University of Queensland in Australia. He also completed his M.B.A. at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.