Matt is an award-winning leading British serial entrepreneur, engineer, and most recently founder of Borrow A Boat (www.borrowaboat.com)
Matt spent the first 7 years of his career working at London Underground including 5yrs as Head of Innovation & Technology. Matt first founded an innovation and sustainability consultancy (called Bright Green Shoots) in 2009 delivering sustainable technology and innovation and sustainability solutions to a number of blue-chip private corporations over a number of years whilst in parallel completing an MSc in Innovation for Sustainability.
Matt then spun out a wind turbine business, Free Wind, which developed over 50 onshore wind sites in the UK between 2011-2014.
Matt's 3rd business was an off-grid eco-island business, called Free Island, based mainly in the Caribbean, delivering energy solutions to private islands including Palm Island, Petit St Vincent, Necker Island and more. Free Island was also behind the largest onshore wind project in the Bahamas, and delivered a multitude of projects across Antigua, BVIs, St Lucia and Turks & Caicos between 2014-2016 before Matt successfully exited the business.
Matt's 4th business was Borrow A Boat (www.borrowaboat.com), known as "the Airbnb of boats" which Matt grew over 8yrs as Founder & CEO, via 6 high profile crowdfunding rounds, VC investment, and 5 x M&A deals acquiring comeptiors. Borrow A Boat today is one of the world's leading boat rental marketplaces with over 400,000 users, and more than 60,000 boats listed in more than 65 countries.
Awards:
International Business Brilliance Awards Silver Award Winner - Entrepreneur of the Year 2022
International Business Brilliance Awards Finalist - UK Business of the Year 2022
BOLD Awards 2022 Winner - Boldest Marketplace
Amazon Growing Business Awards 2018 Runner Up - Young Company Of The Year
European CEO Awards 2020 Winner - Best CEO in Yacht Charter
2020 Corporate Excellence Awards Winner (Borrow A Boat) - Best Boat Rental Platform
Crowdcube Awards 2017 Finalist - Industry Innovator Category
Family Traveller Awards 2018 Finalist - Best Holiday Rental For Families
BOLD Awards 2019 Finalist - Best Crowdfunding Campaign
European Business Awards 2019 Finalist - One To Watch Award
Growing Business Awards 2019 Finalist - Young Company Of The Year