# M2O, Inc.

M2O, Inc. is a Single Family Office based in Los Angeles, United States.

## Overview

- **Organization type:** Single Family Office
- **Headquarters:** Los Angeles, United States
- **Region:** North America
- **Address:** Los Angeles, CA, United States
- **Founded:** 1992
- **Assets under management:** Undisclosed
- **Website:** m2oinc.com
- **LinkedIn:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/m2o-inc./

## Regulatory record

- **Reports private funds:** No

## About

M2O, Inc. was founded in 1992 by Michael F. O'Connell after a career leading Los Angeles-based investment manager Anhalt, O'Connell & Steffanci. The office's first direct investment was the National Lines Bureau, a ship-mooring company operating at the Los Angeles and Long Beach harbors. O'Connell personally managed the turnaround, generating what the firm describes as a 100% annual return on invested capital by the time of its sale in 1997. That same year, M2O made its first commitment to a search fund — a then-novel concept championed by a small group of academics and private investors — and the model now anchors the portfolio. M2O invests across private equity, venture capital, and search funds, with a preference for asset-light, service-oriented growth companies. The firm targets businesses with $5–50 million in revenue and $1–15 million of EBITDA, typically those with recurring revenues and predictable cash flows. Confirmed positions include Veri-Tax, TruMed, Xiltrix, Apex, Origo Commodities Management, ListEngage, Camio, and Recurve. The investment horizon frequently extends beyond ten years, a departure from the typical five-year private equity hold. Geographically, the firm has backed over 200 search funds worldwide and evaluates opportunities in North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Oceania, and the Middle East. Deal structures include direct co-investments, SPVs, private credit, secondaries, and real estate. M-K O'Connell, the founder's son, leads a seven-person investment team from Los Angeles alongside Shaun Rader, Nicholas Qiu, and Anna Zhang. The firm operates additional real estate holdings, including the mixed-use Powder Mountain project in Utah and 515 S. Figueroa Street in downtown Los Angeles, and maintains a distressed real estate strategy. M-K O'Connell serves on the board of the Search Fund Alliance, reinforcing the office's sourcing network. In 2023, M2O added Anna Zhang to oversee accounting, financial, and tax reporting, and Matthew Rios to support investment team operations. M2O's architecture diverges from a standard family office in its early and sustained commitment to the search-fund ecosystem — a concentrated bet on a talent-acquisition model that few peers made at the same scale in the 1990s. The firm is governed by the O'Connell family trust and supported by the Leonetti O'Connell Family Foundation, which handles the family's philanthropic activities. M-K O'Connell's board seat at the Search Fund Alliance provides proprietary visibility into emerging entrepreneurs globally, creating a sourcing pipeline that institutional allocators cannot easily replicate through fund commitments.

## Sectors

- WaterTech
- Industrial Tech
- InsurTech
- PropTech
- AgriTech & FoodTech
- Healthcare Services
- Mobility & Transportation
- FinTech
- Distressed & Turnaround
- Supply Chain & Logistics
- Energy Transition & Renewables
- Media & Entertainment
- EdTech

## People

- Michael F. O'Connell — Chairman
- Michael-Kevin (M-K) O'Connell — Managing Partner and President
- Shaun Rader — Investment Team
- Nicholas (Nick) Qiu — Investment Team

## Questions

### Who runs investment decisions at M2O?

Michael-Kevin (M-K) O'Connell is the Managing Partner and President and leads investment sourcing, review, and portfolio monitoring. Founder Michael F. O'Connell serves as Chairman and oversees the assessment of opportunities. The investment team also includes Shaun Rader and Nicholas Qiu, who execute deals and serve on portfolio company boards.

### How does M2O source deal flow?

M2O's primary sourcing channel is the search-fund community. M-K O'Connell sits on the board of the Search Fund Alliance, and the firm has invested in over 200 search funds globally. The office also evaluates independent sponsor deals and direct venture opportunities, using a network built over three decades of backing first-time CEOs.

### Is M2O a single-family office or does it manage outside capital?

M2O is a single-family office investing the O'Connell family's capital. Its primary investment vehicle is IRS Partners No. 19, L.P. The firm does not appear to accept third-party capital. A separate entity, M2O Private Fund Advisors, exists but is not affiliated with the family office, per the firm's website.

### What is M2O's posture on co-investments alongside external GPs?

M2O participates in independent sponsor transactions, where it can serve as the equity partner alongside an operating sponsor. The firm states it makes decisions within one week and is willing to consider creative structures. It does not appear to operate as a limited partner in blind-pool funds but rather co-invests directly into deals sourced by sponsors.

### Where does the underlying O'Connell family wealth come from?

The wealth originated from Michael F. O'Connell's tenure as President of Anhalt, O'Connell & Steffanci, an LA-based investment management firm with nearly $1 billion under management, and from the 1997 sale of National Lines Bureau — a ship-mooring business at the Port of Los Angeles that O'Connell acquired and turned around.

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Last updated: 2026-06-03T20:00:00.000Z

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