Matthew Nordan
I'm a managing partner at MNL Partners, where we develop energy and environmental projects in global markets, with a focus on China. I also serve on the boards of five audacious tech start-up companies. Finally, I'm co-founder and chairman of the investment committee at PRIME Coalition, a pioneering 501c3 nonprofit that's bringing philanthropic capital to energy innovation. In past lives I made venture capital investments at Venrock, co-founded and led Lux Research, and forecasted technology futures at Forrester.
I really do live and breathe this stuff.
I'm also chromosomally incapable of keeping quiet. This blog hosts opinions (mine alone) on energy, venture capital, human behavior, start-ups, societal collapse, hope for the future, and everything in between: hopefully useful, usually numerate, and occasionally long-winded.
Author Archives: Matthew Nordan
Entrepreneur Tools: The Returns Analysis
tl;dr: To successfully target VCs, view your deal through their eyes. I got an outstanding piece of advice in my first job: “Always see the world from the other person’s point of view.” If you’re trying to sign the pivotal … Continue reading
Posted in Numbers, Unsolicited advice, Venture capital
1 Comment
Installing a Nest, Investing in Nest
tl;dr: Nest Labs performs magic – making energy efficiency awesome, even for the nontechnical and non-green. We’re delighted to invest in the company. Back in February I acquired a Nest Learning Thermostat, famously designed by Apple’s original iPhone team. Looks … Continue reading
Posted in Consumers, Energy efficiency, Smart grid
4 Comments
Nest Installation Photo Log
tl;dr: Mrs. Nordan vs. Nest thermostat! Will it take an afternoon to install? Will we ruin our house in the process? No on both counts! In June we installed a Nest Learning Thermostat in chez Nordan; I helmed the camera … Continue reading
Posted in Consumers, Energy efficiency, Smart grid
2 Comments
What Makes a Great Cleantech Team?
tl;dr: Winning cleantech start-up teams are complete at founding, have strong pre-existing relationships, and include the inventor of the core technology. This post was co-written with Josh Rogers, a former Venrock intern who’s now in National Grid’s Strategic Planning and … Continue reading
Posted in Numbers
5 Comments
Bright Future for the Marginal Megawatt
tl;dr: Life is about to get a lot better for demand response and energy efficiency companies. One of the challenges of venture capital is that you invest in companies now based on what you know now, but the world may … Continue reading
Posted in Demand response, Energy efficiency
9 Comments
“Financing Your Start-up 101” in 45 Minutes
For this year’s ARPA-E Summit I was asked to give a talk about different ways to finance an energy start-up. The challenge as it was given to me was “cover all sources of financing – VC, angels, grants, debt, everything … Continue reading
Posted in Unsolicited advice, Venture capital
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Why I Suspend Disbelief
tl;dr: Arrogant humans think we have the natural world all figured out. We don’t. I spend a small but meaningful amount of my time at Venrock intentionally looking at crazy stuff. If you are developing a cold fusion generator or … Continue reading
Posted in Leprechauns
3 Comments
