During William Blair’s recent Growth Stock Conference, technology, media, and communication equity research analysts Jonathan Ho, partner, and Sebastien Naji assembled a high-performance PC as a way to showcase the chip technology that underpins the digital world that investors are so eager to understand.
“I first built a PC in high school with the help of my father, who is an electrical engineer,” Ho said. “It was a great bonding experience and taught me the fundamentals of computer architecture. That hands-on foundation has stayed with me throughout my career in software and network engineering.”
The PC, built in front of investors and company executives, ran a local version of DeepSeek, an open-source artificial intelligence model, allowing attendees to see firsthand how software, hardware, and power components converge in modern computing.
“Participants appreciated the hands-on demonstration,” Naji said. “It was a unique opportunity to bridge the gap between theoretical understanding and physical technology. The session helped highlight the key products and technologies developed by the companies in our coverage.”
This computer will be donated to Horizons for Youth through William Blair’s Global Community Partners program. The Chicago-based organization transforms children’s lives by providing targeted resources, rooted in education, in a trusting partnership between families and their communities.
"We are fortunate to partner with William Blair in so many elements of our program,” said Greg Borkowski, executive director of Horizons for Youth. “The donation of this high-powered computer is one of the many ways William Blair has embraced our mission and is another example of their commitment to connect every level of the company to our work. Their investment in our students is felt and seen every day.”