PeopleofSuperintelligence

Builder

Nathaniel Manning

Also known as Nat Manning

As of October 2026, Nathaniel Manning is CEO of LGND AI, a company that makes Earth data actionable through geographic embeddings. He co-founded Kettle, a reinsurance startup that uses deep learning to address California wildfire risk, after serving as CEO of Ushahidi. TIME named him to its 2023 TIME100 AI list. Earlier, he joined the 2012 class of Presidential Innovation Fellows and worked on open data for USAID. In November 2024 Kettle named Isaac Espinoza as its CEO, and Manning moved into an advisory role.

Now at
LGND AI

Timeline

  1. 2012

    A Presidential Innovation Fellow

    He joins the 2012 class of Presidential Innovation Fellows, working on open data for USAID and later as its Chief Data Coordinator.

  2. 2016

    Chief operating officer at Ushahidi

    In 2016 he is chief operating officer at Ushahidi, which builds software that helps people raise their voice.

  3. 2021

    Co-founding Kettle

    He co-founds Kettle with Andrew Engler after serving as CEO of Ushahidi. In November 2021 Kettle, a reinsurance startup that uses deep learning to address California wildfire risk, raises a $25 million Series A led by Acrew Capital.

  4. 2023

    A TIME100 AI selection

    TIME names him to its 2023 TIME100 AI list as COO and co-founder of Kettle.

  5. November 2024

    Moving to advisory roles

    In November 2024 Kettle names Isaac Espinoza as its CEO, and co-founders Andrew Engler and Nathaniel Manning move into advisory positions.

  6. July 2025

    A $9 million seed round

    In July 2025 LGND raises a $9 million seed round led by Javelin Venture Partners, and Manning is its co-founder and CEO.

  7. As of October 2026

    CEO of LGND AI

    He is CEO of LGND AI, a company that makes Earth data actionable through geographic embeddings.

Sources and credits

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  1. Nathaniel Manning | Presidential Innovation Fellows presidentialinnovationfellows.gov. Checked 15 October 2026.
  2. Nat Manning - NetHope Global Summit 2016 nethopeglobalsummit2016.sched.com. Checked 15 October 2026.
  3. Kettle books $25M for its reinsurance platform against fire and other catastrophes | TechCrunch techcrunch.com. Checked 15 October 2026.
  4. Insurtech Company, Kettle, Is Using AI to Insure Against Wildfires prnewswire.com. Checked 15 October 2026.
  5. TIME names 100 most influential people in AI | Daily Tribune tribune.net.ph. Checked 15 October 2026.
  6. Kettle appoints former Root SVP of Reinsurance Espinoza as new CEO - Artemis.bm artemis.bm. Checked 15 October 2026.
  7. LGND wants to make ChatGPT for the Earth | TechCrunch techcrunch.com. Checked 15 October 2026.
  8. What on Earth? Ask LGND AI: Nathaniel Manning with Scott Harley ideas.scotthartley.com. Checked 15 October 2026.
  9. LGND AI is the 2026 Snowflake Startup Challenge winner snowflake.com. Checked 15 October 2026.