Press-shy life science investor cofounded three companies before launching Polaris Venture Partners in 1996. Best known for his work commercializing academic research. Has led investments in 25 successful companies, including Ironwood Pharmaceuticals (current market cap: $1.2 billion) and GlycoFi (acquired by Merck for $400 million). Current portfolio includes Adimab (protein-based drug company valued over $500 million), SustainX (energy storage) and MicroCHIPS (implantable chips that monitor diseases or dispense drug doses). Former chairman of the National Venture Capital Association serves on the board of Akamai Technologies (current market cap $7.2 billion), Dartmouth’s Thayer School of Engineers, MIT’s David Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, and Harvard Business School. Got his start at American Research & Development, widely regarded as the very first venture capital firm. TheFunded ranked McGuire its most loved VC.