Eric Lefkofsky is an American entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and philanthropist whose career defines the intersection of technology, logistics, advertising, and medicine. Best known as the founder and CEO of Tempus AI—a leader in bringing artificial intelligence to clinical care—he has also co-founded several high-profile companies. His influence on digital business and healthcare technology is felt both across the U.S. and internationally. Read more at chicago-future.
Early Life and Education
Eric Lefkofsky was born on September 2, 1969, in West Bloomfield, Michigan. He grew up in a household driven by intellectual curiosity; his father was a structural engineer and his mother a teacher. After high school, he attended the University of Michigan, where he earned his undergraduate degree before receiving his Juris Doctor from the University of Michigan Law School.
Entrepreneurial Achievements
Lefkofsky’s entrepreneurial drive emerged early in his career, leading him to co-found several industry-defining companies:
- Groupon, Inc. – A global marketplace for daily deals and discounts; a massive project that established his reputation in the tech world.
- Echo Global Logistics, Inc. – A tech-driven logistics firm managing complex business transportation needs.
- InnerWorkings, Inc. – A provider of print management and promotional marketing solutions.
- Mediaocean, LLC – A software platform for integrated advertising buying and media planning.
- Lightbank – A venture capital fund investing in disruptive technology startups.
Tempus AI: A Medical Revolution
In 2015, Lefkofsky founded Tempus AI, a company that harnesses artificial intelligence and big data to transform disease diagnosis and treatment, particularly in oncology. Tempus has built a platform that analyzes clinical and molecular data, helping physicians make more precise clinical decisions. The company is rapidly expanding into psychiatry, cardiology, and other specialties. Now a publicly traded company on NASDAQ, Tempus AI remains a frontrunner among medical technology platforms.
Beyond his role as CEO, Lefkofsky actively drives international partnerships to accelerate AI adoption in medicine. A key initiative is Tempus’s collaboration with global pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca and biotech firm Pathos AI to build the world’s largest multimodal foundation model in oncology. By leveraging Tempus’s massive clinical and genomic datasets, this multi-year partnership aims to uncover biological patterns, discover new drug targets, and speed up cancer research. Lefkofsky often refers to AI as the “ultimate catalyst” for scaling personalized medicine and improving patient outcomes globally.
Lefkofsky also holds prominent leadership roles in several cultural and medical institutions. He serves on the board of Northwestern Medicine—a major healthcare network in Chicago—as well as the boards of the Museum of Science and Industry and Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. Through Lightbank, he continues to champion health-tech startups, investing in AI, personalized medicine, and digital analytics to drive global healthcare transformation.
Philanthropy and Community Impact
In 2006, Eric and his wife established the Lefkofsky Family Foundation. The foundation supports initiatives that improve community life, focusing on education, healthcare, and the arts. The couple also joined The Giving Pledge, committing the majority of their wealth to philanthropic causes.
Lefkofsky’s civic involvement is extensive: he is the Chairman of the Board of Trustees at the Art Institute of Chicago and Board Chairman for the Steppenwolf Theatre Company. He also serves on the boards of Northwestern Medicine and the Museum of Science and Industry. Additionally, he shares his expertise as a professor at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, teaching courses on entrepreneurship and innovation.
Eric Lefkofsky stands as a prime example of how entrepreneurship and technology can reshape global industries, from e-commerce to healthcare. His work in medical AI has solidified his place as one of the most influential innovators of the 21st century.