Matt founded GeoEye (NASDAQ: GEOY), a leading global provider of satellite and aerial imagery, digital mapping information, geospatial solutions and location analytics, in 2003. In January 2013, he concluded its sale to DigitalGlobe for $1.3 billion.
Matt has been recognized as a thought leader in the satellite, digital mapping and intelligence industries. He was elected to the U.S. Geospatial Intelligence Foundation’s (USGIF) Board of Directors in 2007 and served on the board for five years. He has served on many Government and industry advisory panels, including the Interior Dept’s National Geospatial Advisory Council and NOAA’s Advisory Committee on Commercial Remote Sensing. He has won several industry awards including the USGIF’s Corporate Leader award.
From October 2015 to July 2016, Matt was CEO of OneWeb. From 2018–2020, he was a partner in Seraphim Capital, a London based venture firm focused exclusively on space.
Prior to joining GeoEye, Matt held executive positions Crest Advisors, a New York-based venture capital firm focused on telecom infrastructure, Sony Worldwide Networks, and Cablevision Systems Corporation. He began his career as a mergers and acquisitions attorney on Wall Street. Prior to his professional career, Mr. O’Connell worked for two years as a musician.
