$149,500,000
Initial Public Offering
Medical Tech
James O'Connor
Managing Director, Head of Venture Capital
About Jim
Jim O'Connor is the global head of William Blair’s Venture Capital Group and joined the firm in 2014. Jim draws on his deep experience and relationships throughout the technology and financial industries to connect today’s most innovative companies with visionary sources of capital. Prior to William Blair, he worked for MVC Capital, Motorola Ventures (Co-Founder), U.S. Treasury Department (White House Fellow), A.T. Kearney, Ariel Capital Management, and Sidley Austin. Jim also serves on William Blair’s WilBlairCo Committee and Community Impact Steering Committee.
Community Involvement
- 1871, Chairman, Co-Founder & former President
- Chicago Community Trust, Trustee Finance Committee Member
- Field Museum, Trustee, Founder - Field Associates and Founder - President’s Council
- Adler Planetarium, Trustee
- Millennium Park Foundation, Trustee
- Big Shoulders Fund, Board Member
Awards and Affiliations
- Entrepreneurial Champion Award, 2017 – 1871 Momentum Awards
- Richard J. Daley Medal Award, 2013 – Illinois Venture Capital Association (IVCA)
- Crain’s Chicago Business 40 Under 40, 2005
- Crain’s Chicago Business Tech 50, 2015
- Top 40 Under 40 American Venture Award, 2007
Fellowships
- White House, 1998–1999
- Henry Crown Aspen Institute, 2003–2006
- Leadership Greater Chicago (LGC), 2002
- Chicago Council on Foreign Relations Young Leadership Fellow, 2008
- U.S. Japan Leadership Fellow, 2000
Notable Transactions
$1,495,000,000
Initial Public Offering
Technology
$160,703,261
Initial Public Offering
Technology
$209,300,000
Initial Public Offering
Healthcare Services
$864,000,000
Initial Public Offering
Technology
$618,500,000
has been acquired by
Technology
$723,695,000
Initial Public Offering
Technology
Not Disclosed
has been acquired by
Medical Tech
$500,000,000
has been acquired by
Technology
William Blair acted as financial advisor to Appirio, a portfolio company of Fidelity, General Atlantic, GGV Capital, and Sequoia Capital, in connection with its pending acquisition by Wipro (NYSE:WIT) for $500 million. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approval.
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$172,500,000
Initial Public Offering
Technology
Rigorous pursuit of your success. Every transaction. Every time.
Our investment bankers are 100 percent committed to your organization’s sustained success. By drawing on our deep industry and product experience as well as our dedicated global resources, we provide advisory and financing services that allow you to capitalize on today’s opportunities and anticipate tomorrow’s challenges.
More about investment banking at William Blair
Venture Capital
Our Venture Capital Group is focused on strengthening William Blair’s relationships with leading venture firms around the world and developing new ways to create value for venture investors and their portfolio companies.
The group leverages William Blair's capabilities across M&A advisory, equity and debt capital markets, and equity research, as well as our strong relationships with financial sponsors and strategic acquirers, to bring new ideas and opportunities for venture firms. We have built leading franchises in technology, life sciences, healthcare IT, and other high-growth sectors, giving us unique insight into the investment criteria, roadmaps, and behavior of strategic acquirers and providers of growth equity.
More about our venture capital expertise
About William Blair
William Blair is a premier global boutique with expertise in investment banking, investment management, and private wealth management. We provide advisory services, strategies, and solutions to meet our clients’ evolving needs. As an independent and employee-owned firm, together with our strategic partners, we operate in more than 20 offices worldwide.*
1935
Year William Blair was founded
1,950+
Employees worldwide
132 billion+
Client assets
89 Years
Independent and employee-owned
20+
Offices worldwide
~650
Companies under coverage
As of December 31, 2023
*Includes strategic partnerships with Allier Capital, BDA Partners, and Poalim Capital Markets.