Matthew Urban attended the Philadelphia College of Art and Design, where he studied industrial design and glass. After completing his BFA, he worked at the Tyler School of Art, and the Philadelphia College of Art and Design. Urban has been a production assistant for Michael Schunke at Nine Iron Studio, and Tom Farbanish at Certified Glass, as well as an artist-in-residence, instructor, and gaffer with The Corning Museum of Glass, and a staff member at Pilchuck Glass School.

Urban has studied and worked around the world with numerous master glassmakers including Lino Tagliapietra, Pino Signoretti, Dino Rosin, Gianni Toso, Elio Quarisa, Checco Ongaro, Davide Fuin, and Davide Salvadore.

In May 2007, he completed his master's degree at Illinois State University in Glass/Sculpture. In 2010 he completed building his artist studio, focused on creating an ultra-low carbon footprint. Urban uses only recycled glass for all his designs and sculpture. He is the owner of Furnace Urbini Glass Works since 1999.