Jim Matheson

Jim joined the HBS Faculty in 2019 and teaches the EC courses Entrepreneurial Finance and Tough Tech Ventures and is a faculty affiliate of the Business & Environment Initiative.  He is an active investor, and Board director & advisor for several companies and VC/PE investment groups including The Engine and Breakthrough Energy Ventures.

From 2000-2018, Jim was one of the four General Partners who launched Flagship Pioneering and helped grow the firm to over $3 billion+ AUM.  At Flagship, he co-founded, invested in and helped grow a wide variety of businesses and spearheaded the firm’s sustainable technology practice and was involved in myriad U.S. and international efforts to foster entrepreneurship and sustainability. 

From 2013-2018, Jim also served as President and CEO of Oasys Water, having also been the company’s founding Chairman and Lead Investor since 2008. As CEO, he led the global expansion of Oasys’ award-winning industrial wastewater treatment platform and the sale of the business to their Asian partner in 2018. 

Jim has long been active in climate, innovation and veteran related policy issues and “post-partisan” politics including supporting servant leaders who are committed to serving in public office.  In this endeavor, he serves as a Senior Advisor to New Politics and has advised numerous political campaigns including serving as Campaign Chairman and Manager for MA Congressman Seth Moulton’s (HBS/HKS 2011) 2020 Presidential Campaign. 

Before embarking on a second career in entrepreneurship and investing, Jim was a Navy F-14/18 pilot with significant combat experience and tours as a TOPGUN Instructor and Officer-in-Charge of the Navy’s Nevada-based Adversary Squadron before retiring in 2008 as Commander. He earned his BS (with honors) from the United States Naval Academy and an MBA from Harvard Business School.