What inspires Brad?

Disruptive ideas, Bruce Springsteen live in concert, and creating something new.

Brad Keywell is a lifelong entrepreneur and co-founder of seven technology companies, a cultural curator of innovation platforms, and a philanthropist. He is the founder and CEO of Uptake Technologies, an Industrial AI software platform harnessing predictive analytics to deliver outcomes of increased productivity, reliability, safety, and cybersecurity to global industry. Uptake was named “Startup of the Year” in 2015 by Forbes, was #5 in the 2017 CNBC Disruptor 50, and was named a Technology Pioneer by the World Economic Forum.

Brad is a founding investor in Tempus and co-founder of Groupon (NASDAQ:GRPN), Echo Global Logistics (NASDAQ:ECHO), MediaOcean, Drivin (acquired by NYSE:KAR), and the venture capital firm Lightbank. He is on the Board of Trustees of Equity Residential(NYSE:EQR).

He is the founder and Chairman of Chicago Ideas, which has grown into one of the largest innovation and ideas gatherings in the world. He is the Chairman of Future Founders Foundation, providing entrepreneurial education to inner-city students in the Chicagoland area. Brad is an Adjunct Professor of Entrepreneurship at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. He earned a J.D. at the University of Michigan Law School and a BBA from the University of Michigan School of Business. Brad and his wife, Kim, signed The Giving Pledge in 2016.

For more information, connect with Brad through his website, reach out on LinkedIn, or follow him on Twitter. To listen to Brad’s podcast, sign up for The Upside on Soundcloud and iTunes.

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