Early Life
Michael Polsky was born in Ukraine and immigrated to the United States in 1976 with $500. He began his career in the energy industry working on the design of power plants. In 1973, he received an MSME from Kiev University Polytechnic Institute. He later earned an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business in 1987.
Rise to Success
Polsky's entrepreneurial journey began with Indeck Energy Services, which he co-founded in 1985. In 1991, he founded SkyGen Energy. In 2001, Polsky founded Invenergy, a leading privately held developer, owner, and operator of sustainable energy solutions. Under his leadership, Invenergy has developed more than 200 projects, with a combined capacity of over 33 gigawatts across 30 U.S. states and four continents. Invenergy is now the second-largest producer of wind power in the U.S..
Key Business Strategies
Polsky's success is attributed to his pragmatic and results-focused vision, driving innovation and growth in the renewable energy sector. His companies have developed some of the largest solar, wind, natural gas, and storage projects globally. Invenergy focuses on optimizing, restructuring, and linking energy assets, expertise, and capital sources, including the acquisition of energy assets, the development of niche power generation, and the exploration of new energy technologies.
Philanthropy
Polsky is a passionate philanthropist, with a commitment to various causes, including education, entrepreneurship, and climate and sustainability. He has donated over $50 million to the University of Chicago, including a major gift to expand the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. He also established the World Resources Institute Polsky Center for the Global Energy Transition and the Polsky Energy Transition Leadership Academy at the University of Chicago. In 2025, Polsky, along with his wife, made a $100 million donation to the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the University of Chicago.
