William Bishop

Bill Bishop is a long-tenured growth-finance executive who joined ORIX Venture Finance in May 2003 as head of East Coast originations. Since then his primary focus has been new deal origination and strategic business development for growth companies across the Eastern U.S. In 2011, ORIX appointed Bishop and Michael David as co-heads of its venture finance business, and he has led the team in that capacity ever since. His title today is Managing Director and Co-Head of ORIX Growth Capital, the unit formerly known as ORIX Ventures.

Before ORIX, Bishop built and led business development efforts at GATX Ventures and Transamerica Technology Finance, where he was described as the top producer at both firms, with combined investments exceeding $225 million. Over that career he developed an extensive network of company executives, financial partners, and equity co-investors — the relationships that feed a venture-lending origination practice.

Bishop earned his bachelor's degree from Babson College and pursued a master's degree in business at the University of Connecticut. He is based in Connecticut, from which ORIX has historically run its Eastern U.S. venture-finance operations.

The firm Bishop co-leads provides patient, flexible debt and equity capital to venture-backed technology and healthcare companies. ORIX Ventures rebranded to ORIX Growth Capital on July 27, 2016 — Bishop said at the time that "our new name better represents who we have been for the prior 14 years and who we intend to be going forward." Since inception (2001), the group has deployed well over $1.4 billion across 125+ companies, a figure that has grown to roughly $2.5 billion across 200+ companies in more recent firm materials.

• Invests in high-growth, venture-backed companies in technology and healthcare that already have revenue traction, validated products, and equity backing — i.e., growth/expansion stage rather than pre-revenue seed.
• Provides customized capital structures spanning senior loans, working capital, subordinated growth (mezzanine) capital, bridge capital, and equity — often used in combination.
• Check sizes historically ~$5M–$50M, scaling toward $100M on the current platform; capital is meant to fund organic expansion, new-market entry, or to extend runway alongside existing venture equity.
• Backs companies at all stages of equity maturity (Series A, B, C or beyond), distinguishing ORIX from a pure seed/angel investor.
• On rebranding: the "Growth Capital" name was chosen to reflect a strategy of flexible, patient financing and long-term partnership with portfolio companies rather than one-off deals.