Christopher Michel

Chris manages Nautilus Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm he founded in 2008. Nautilus has made over 40 investments including Palantir, Doctor on Demand, Sparks, Goodreads, Castlight Health, 3D Robotics, RelateIQ, Blue Bottle, Ruby Ribbon, etc.

Chris is also an active board member and serves as a Director of Dale Carnegie, Kixeye, Tugboat Yards, and 3D Robotics. Previously he was a Director of Castlight Health (NYSE: CSLT), IDG, the USO, Alliance Health, etc.

In 1999, he founded Military.com, an online portal for servicemembers, veterans and their families. Military.com was one of the first online social networks to reach scale in the United States. In 2006, Chris founded Affinity Labs, which runs a portfolio of online professional communities. Both companies were purchased by Monster Worldwide.

Chris serves on the oversight committee for the Division on Earth and Life Studies, one of six study divisions of the National Academies. He is also on the President's Circle of the National Academies. In addition, he's an advisor to the Center for Investigative Reporting (CIR).

He was also an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Harvard Business School during the 2010-2011 school year. Prior to his business career, Chris served as a Naval Flight Officer in the United States Navy. While on active duty, he flew as a Navigator, Tactical Coordinator and Mission Commander aboard the P-3C Orion aircraft. Following his operational tour, he worked in the Pentagon as Aide to the Chief of the Naval Reserve.

hris earned his commission from the NROTC program at the University of Illinois, where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa and was selected as the distinguished naval graduate. He also holds an MBA from the Harvard Business School and an honorary Doctorate from Tiffin University. Michel was named a Henry Crown Fellow of the Aspen Institute and serves as a life member of the Council on Foreign Relations.