Karin O'Connor has been an active investor in early- and growth-stage companies for more than 25 years. She currently serves as Clinical Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship at Kellogg, where she leads the school's growth-stage entrepreneurship initiative and teaches its Growth Strategy Practicum course. She is also a Venture Partner at Serra Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm headquartered in Champaign, Illinois, and leads the firm's activities in the Chicago market, including recent investments in Hypercell, Inc., Hazel Technologies, Built In, Tank Utility and Backstitch. She is also active as an advisor to growth-stage companies, including Aaron Equipment Company and LumiSource LLC.

From 2011 until 2014, Karin served as managing director of Hyde Park Angels, Chicago's largest angel investor network. She invested in 15 companies with the group and served as HPA's representative on the boards of portfolio companies FeeFighters, which was acquired by Groupon, Inc., in 2012; and Moxie Jean, which was acquired by Schoola in 2015. 

Karin received her BA in Finance from the University of Illinois, where she graduated magna cum laude and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.  She earned her MBA from Kellogg, where she was an F.C. Austin Scholar and was elected to Beta Gamma Sigma.  Karin received a CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) charter in 2007.

• Master of Business Administration, 1989, Finance and Management Strategy, Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University
• Bachelor of Arts, 1982, Finance, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

• Clinical Assistant Professor of Innovation and Entreprenuership, Kellogg Innovation and Entrepreneurship Initiative, Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University, 2016-present

• Entrepreneur in Residence, Research Park at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, 2014-present
• Advisory Board Member, Aaron Equipment Company, 2011-present
• President, Perimeter Advisors, 2004-present
• Advisory Board Member, Cadent Resources, Inc, 2003-present
• Director and Investor, Moxie Jean, Inc, 2014-2015
• Member and Managing Director, Hyde Park Angels, 2009-2015
• Board Member, Neighborhood Capital Institute, 2009-2014
• Board Member, FeeFighters, 2010-2012
• Director, Laurus Technologies, 2007-2009
• Director, Trust Company of Illinois, 2004-2009
• Board Member, Anixter Center, 1999-2004
• Consultant, BMO Nesbitt Burns Equity Partners (US), 2000-2001
• Principal and Co-Founder, SBC Equity Partners, 1997-1999
• Vice President and Group Head, ABN AMRO Bank, 1996-1996
• Vice President, LINC Capital Management, 1991-1993
• Senior Consultant, Andersen Consulting (now Accenture), 1989-1990
• Second Vice President, Continental Bank, 1982-1989

Growth Strategy Practicum (STRT-615-0)
While much media hype continues to focus on ‘launching' new ventures, real value is created in actually ‘growing' them. The Growth Strategy Practicum course is targeted at students who wish to develop their business execution skills by working on a real-life project with a growth-stage enterprise, putting their knowledge and skills to work to benefit an existing business. The course will be especially beneficial to students who aspire to:

• Join a fast-growing enterprise in a senior management role
• Acquire an existing business with a view toward rapid enterprise value growth
• Execute growth initiatives in the context of a family-owned business

Student teams will be assigned to strategically-important projects with Chicago-area companies and will work with guidance from faculty and selected mentors. Teams will meet with their clients three times (during class sessions) for collaboration, presentation, and feedback. Other class sessions will be devoted to exploration of topics relevant to running a growing business, including strategy, finance, marketing, and team building.

Field Study (STRT-498-0)
Field Studies include those opportunities outside of the regular curriculum in which a student is working with an outside company or non-profit organization to address a real-world business challenge for course credit under the oversight of a faculty member.

Field Study (ENTR-498-5)
Field Studies include those opportunities outside of the regular curriculum in which a student is working with an outside company or non-profit organization to address a real-world business challenge for course credit under the oversight of a faculty member.

Field Study (ENTR-498-0)
Field Studies include those opportunities outside of the regular curriculum in which a student is working with an outside company or non-profit organization to address a real-world business challenge for course credit under the oversight of a faculty member.