Jim Keating is an Associate at IllinoisVENTURES primarily focused on the physical sciences. He brings a combination of chemistry and materials science expertise to the firm. He assists the firm in assessing new investment opportunities as well as managing existing portfolio companies. Prior to IllinoisVENTURES, Jim was an Analytical Chemist at Abbott Laboratories, working extensively with R&D and new product development. From there he served as an Analytical Consultant to a trust management partnership contributing grant monies for cancer research to worldwide organizations. Jim then joined a start-up consulting firm providing design and analysis services for companies looking to bring the latest technology into their design and manufacturing processes. Jim holds dual bachelor’s degrees in Biology and Chemistry from Valparaiso University, an MS in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Texas, and an MBA from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.