M.Cubed

What M.Cubed does

M.Cubed is an economic and public policy consulting firm founded in 1993 and headquartered in Oakland, California, with additional offices in San Francisco and Davis. The firm is structured as a three-partner partnership (David Mitchell, Steven Moss, and Richard McCann) supported by approximately eight total employees, all operating from a California-only footprint. The firm's core offering is bespoke economic analysis, regional economic modeling, benefit-cost studies, utility rate setting and financial planning, natural resource valuation, and expert regulatory testimony across four practice areas: Water Resources Planning, Energy Policy & Regulation, Environmental Economics, and Regional Impacts Analysis.

Underlying technical work is grounded in statistical, econometric, and mathematical model building, with proprietary specialization in regional economic impact assessment for water transfers, environmental projects, and land use conversions. The firm does not develop software products; its "technology" is the accumulated methodological capability of its principals, who hold advanced degrees from UC Berkeley and University of Michigan in agricultural/resource economics and public policy, and who have collectively appeared as expert witnesses over 50 times before California regulatory agencies and in trial and arbitration proceedings.

M.Cubed generates revenue through project-based professional services engagements with public and private sector clients, primarily California state agencies (Department of Water Resources, Energy Commission, Public Utilities Commission, Delta Stewardship Council), municipal and irrigation water utilities, environmental nonprofits (Environmental Defense Fund, Sustainable Conservation), and industry trade associations. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is structured as custom-scoped engagements. The firm relies on direct business development, professional referrals, and visibility from regulatory proceedings as its primary go-to-market channels, with no external funding, no institutional investors, and no documented M&A activity.

Name

M.Cubed

Legal name

M.Cubed

Website

https://mcubed-econ.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

M.Cubed is a California-based economic and public policy consulting firm founded in 1993 that provides econometric analysis, utility rate setting, natural resource valuation, and expert regulatory testimony to California government agencies, water utilities, and environmental organizations through its three partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Economic and Public Policy Consulting

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (541620), Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental Reporting, Dashboards & Regulatory Submittals (Automated Reports, e-Reporting) (EUAHAKAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Permitting, Siting & Environmental Impact (EIA/NEPA) Advisory (EUAMANAB), Corporate & Voluntary Procurement Policy (PPAs, Green Tariffs, 24/7 CFE) (EUAMANAH)

Keywords

• Economic consulting services
• Water resources planning
• Energy policy analysis
• Environmental economics
• Regulatory testimony

Headquarters

HQ city

Oakland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Consulting Services: Professional consulting services providing economic and policy analysis to public and private sector clients. Revenue is generated through project-based engagements involving research, analysis, modeling, and regulatory testimony.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

M.Cubed provides economic and public policy consulting services to public and private sector clients, focused on water and energy utility resource planning and ratemaking, resource use efficiency and conservation, project impact analysis, regional economic modeling, natural resource allocation policies, and environmental plan preparation. The firm delivers expert economic analysis, regulatory testimony, and benefit-cost studies for complex natural resource and environmental policy issues.

Product overview

M.Cubed is an economic and public policy consulting firm (not a software product company) offering four interconnected consulting service areas: Water Resources Planning, Energy Policy & Regulation, Environmental Economics, and Regional Impacts Analysis. The firm provides regulatory testimony, economic modeling, and policy analysis services to government agencies, utilities, and environmental organizations. Services include rate design modeling, conservation planning, decarbonization strategies, habitat conservation plan financing, and climate adaptation economics.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Water Resources Planning Water supply and flood control consulting including water conservation planning, demand modeling, groundwater recharge assessment, and urban water management planning, delivered to utilities and government agencies.
• Energy Policy & Regulation Energy and hydropower policy and regulation consulting including rate case testimony, market design, distributed energy resource planning, and regulatory support before the CPUC and FERC, for utilities, government agencies, and industry clients.
• Environmental Economics Climate change, air quality, and habitat restoration economics consulting including benefit-cost analysis, emission impact studies, climate action plan economics, and conservation plan financing, for environmental NGOs and government agencies.
• Regional Impacts Analysis Regional economic impact assessment for water transfers, environmental projects, land use conversions, and habitat restoration including modeling and third-party impact analysis, delivered to water districts, agencies, and NGOs.

Quantifiable outcome

• Partners have testified over 50 times before numerous regulatory agencies as well as in trial and arbitration cases

Named customers17 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves2 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Broad incumbents

• Brown and Caldwell: Environmental engineering and consulting firm specializing in water and wastewater utility services. Comparable for water resource planning and utility advisory work, though with engineering emphasis versus M.Cubed's economic focus.
• Berkeley Research Group (BRG): Global consulting firm with energy and utilities economics practice providing expert testimony and regulatory analysis. Comparable in providing economic expert witnesses for regulatory and litigation engagements.
• HDR Inc. Engineering, architecture, and consulting firm with substantial water, energy, and environmental practices serving public agencies. Comparable in addressing California utility and resource planning mandates at greater scale.
• NERA Economic Consulting: Economic consulting firm with strong utility regulation, energy, and environmental practices. Comparable in providing expert economic analysis and testimony for regulatory and litigation matters.
• ICF International: Major consulting firm with extensive energy, environment, and infrastructure economics practices serving government and utilities. Comparable scope of regulatory and policy advisory work, though at significantly larger scale.
• Charles River Associates (CRA): Global consulting firm providing economic and financial analysis, including energy and environmental economics practices. Comparable for utility regulatory work and expert testimony, though broader and larger in scale than M.Cubed.

Direct peers

• Pacific Economics Group: Economics consulting firm focused on water and energy utility regulation in the western US. Directly comparable niche competitor serving California and western US utility commissions.
• Energy + Environmental Economics (E3): California-based consulting firm specializing in energy system economics, rate design, and regulatory support for CPUC and CEC. Highly comparable given overlapping focus on energy policy and rate case testimony in California.
• Synapse Energy Economics: Economics consulting firm focused on energy regulation, utility ratemaking, and environmental policy. Comparable in providing expert testimony and economic analysis to public utility commissions and environmental organizations.
• The Brattle Group: Economic and financial consulting firm with substantial utility regulation, energy, and environmental economics practices. Directly comparable for expert witness work in regulatory proceedings and economic modeling for utilities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/m.cubed

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about M.Cubed