Matt Wytock, CEO and Founder
Q&A
Q: What inspired you to start Gridmatic?
I was working at Google, and one of the projects I worked on towards the end of my tenure was optimizing electric vehicle charging at scale. Google had one of the highest concentrations of EVs in a single location because of the number of employees who had EVs. We were looking at how to optimize and make this demand for electricity responsive to the needs of the grid. It was through that process that I really started to learn about electricity markets and learn about how the transmission network works. I really came to believe from an engineering first principles standpoint that electricity markets are really going to be the building block and the proving ground for the energy transition.
Q: What problem is Gridmatic solving?
We’re in the middle of a multi-decades shift in how the world produces and consumes energy. We’re moving from fossil fuels to clean resources like wind and solar—but those resources are intermittent, and that creates real challenges for the grid. At Gridmatic, we’re building a new system for optimizing how energy is dispatched and where renewable assets are sited, so the grid can stay reliable and efficient as we scale clean energy.
Q: What makes working at Gridmatic exciting for you?
First of all, it’s the team. We’ve brought together people from machine learning, energy systems, finance, software, and grid reliability. And second, we’re all working together to solve a really complex, interdisciplinary problem. It’s rare to be around this level of talent across so many domains, and that makes it a really stimulating place to work.
Q: How does your engineering background influence how you lead the company?
I think about problems from first principles. Whether it’s EV charging, battery storage, or energy market optimization, I always try to understand the fundamentals—what’s physically possible, what’s economically efficient, and what’s scalable. That mindset carries over into how we build our products and run the company.
Q: What role do electricity markets play in the energy transition?
Markets are where all the dynamics play out. As we build out more wind and solar there’s going to be times when prices are going to be low and you want to encourage people to use as much electricity as possible – for example, charge their EVs. And there’s going to be other times when the sun goes down or the wind’s not blowing and there’s going to be a scarcity of electricity, and you want to encourage people to try to conserve and reduce their energy usage. Or call on flexible resources like batteries. Markets help us send the right signals, and Gridmatic is building the tools to respond to those signals in smart, automated ways.
Q: What are you most proud of so far?
I’m incredibly proud of the team we’ve built. Everyone here is mission-driven and takes real ownership of the work we’re doing. When you’re trying to do something that hasn’t been done before, that shared sense of purpose is what keeps people motivated and makes big things possible. And I’m even more proud of the tenure of employees – it’s one of the things that sets us apart from a lot of other companies.
Q: What’s something people might not expect about working at Gridmatic?
The team at Gridmatic are both smart but humble. The problems we’re solving don’t have obvious answers—so it helps to be someone who’s smart but also knows the edges of their own abilities and is willing to ask for help. Even though we’re working on serious, complex problems, the vibe is very collaborative and low-ego. We’re all here to build something meaningful, and that shows up in how we work together day to day.