Al Subbloie is founder and CEO of Budderfly, an energy-as-a-service company that provides efficiency and energy management services to commercial customers. Since launching Budderfly in 2017, he has grown it from a startup into a national company backed by private equity. Prior to Budderfly, he founded and led Tangoe for 16 years, taking the communications software and service management company public and expanding its operations globally.
Over the past 12 months, Subbloie said Budderfly achieved significant revenue and customer growth, scaled deployment of advanced energy technologies and closed major funding transactions. He said those accomplishments position the company for continued expansion.
Looking ahead, he cited opportunities to grow revenue, expand behind-the-meter storage and efficiency services, reduce grid stress and enter new market segments as part of a broader plan to build a multibillion-dollar business.
What qualities are most essential for effective leadership today?
Effective leadership today comes down to a few key things; having vision, communication, motivation and discipline — what you see in a winning sports team.
A vision that aligns performance with meaning is simple and highly rewarding, but it frankly eludes most companies because profit alone isn’t enough. When economic success and real-world impact move together, you inspire your team and achieve results.
Today’s pace of change favors leaders who trust their people and lead decisively with creative, yet practical, business models that work.
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What do you value most about living or doing business in Connecticut?
Born and raised in Connecticut, and a two-sport (football and baseball) Trinity College economics alum, I’ve always valued the state’s smaller size and resource base.
Connecticut offers deep intellectual talent, leading universities and colleges, and an accessible administration, giving companies like ours the ability to grow, hire and get noticed. Personally, I love the Northeast. Connecticut is perfectly located between Boston, New York and Philadelphia, and I get to enjoy the best of both worlds when it comes to sports rivalries with friends and colleagues.
I’m proud to help advance innovation and sustainability across the state. Access to talent has been instrumental to our growth strategy, and the networking opportunities are both plentiful and effective.
What is one change that would make Connecticut more competitive economically?
Connecticut — and, frankly, all states — can become more competitive by making energy efficiency a core economic strategy, not just a climate initiative. Cutting energy waste in commercial and industrial buildings lowers operating costs immediately, improves grid reliability and delivers emissions reductions faster than any new generation build-out.
The irony is that there is unlimited private capital available to execute this vision using proven business models like Budderfly. For the state, this translates into tens of millions of dollars in direct annual energy savings and hundreds of millions more in broader economic value through reinvestment, job creation and more resilient businesses.
High-efficiency HVAC systems, controls and demand optimization can reduce energy use by 30% or more — quickly — using proven technology available today.
Book recommendation: “Table for 5: A Father’s Story of Life, Love and Loss” by Ted Yang
Hobby or leisure activity: Spending time with family and friends, boating, snowmobiling and working out.