Jessica O. Matthews

Jessica O. Matthews is the co-founder and CEO of Uncharted Power, an award-winning renewable power company that specializes in harnessing the energy from motion to create entire ecosystems of power for communities around the world, which produced the innovative Soccket, a soccer ball that doubles as a portable power generator. Matthews founded the company when she was only 22 years old. She is not only an inventor but also a venture capitalist.

Matthews' groundbreaking work has garnered numerous accolades. In 2011, she was named as one of Fortune's "10 Most Powerful Women Entrepreneurs" and, in 2015, listed among its "Most Promising Women Entrepreneurs". In 2012, Matthews was honored as the "Scientist of the Year" by the Harvard Foundation for Intercultural and Race Relations. Additionally, she was recognized by Forbes as one of the "30 Under 30" in Energy and Industry. Most recently, in 2020, she received the prestigious "One Young World Entrepreneur of the Year" Award.

Invited to the White House by President Barack Obama in 2012 to represent small companies for the signing of the America Invents Act, Matthews' influence extends beyond the borders of the U.S. A dual citizen of Nigeria and the U.S.; she was also appointed by the President of Nigeria as an "Ambassador for Entrepreneurship." In 2016, her Series A offering broke the record for funding by a Black female founder with a $7 million investment. Celebrating this achievement, she was selected to ring the NASDAQ opening ceremony bell, representing all Forbes 30 Under 30 alumna.

Matthews' research and career centers around the intersection of disruptive technology, renewable energy, human behavior, and the psychology of self-actualization. In 2021, she was appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Energy to the U.S. Department of Energy's Electricity Advisory Committee (EAC). Beyond her role at Uncharted Power, she is also the co-founder and executive director of KDDC, a company focused on developing a hydropower dam project in Nigeria. This work, along with other initiatives, has been instrumental in bringing renewable energy to Nigeria and beyond.

Educated at Harvard University, she holds degrees in Psychology and Economics and an MBA from Harvard Business School. She is listed on over 10 patents and patents pending and is frequently invited to speak at events and conferences, such as the Harvard Foundation Science Conference, sharing her unique insights into renewable energy and entrepreneurship.