'Disaster can become opportunity': Northern Ireland renewable energy entrepreneur inspires Belfast business leaders

Lightsource founder Nick Boyle shares lessons on turning setbacks into opportunities and scaling high-growth businesses at Belfast Chamber’s entrepreneurship event

Northern Ireland renewable energy entrepreneur Nick Boyle has told Belfast business leaders that some of the greatest opportunities in business can emerge from periods of uncertainty and adversity.

placeholder image — Nick Boyle, founder of one of the UK and Ireland’s fastest-growing renewable energy companies, recently told delegates at Belfast Chamber’s Go Big or Go Home’ entrepreneurship event about how some of the biggest opportunities in business can be found in turbulent situations. Pictured is Claudine Owens, senior investment manager at Clarendon Fund Managers, John Ferris, accelerator community manger at Ulster Bank, Darragh McCarthy, President of Belfast Chamber, Nick Boyle, Paul Doherty, deputy Lord Mayor of Belfast and Clare Guinness, CEO at Belfast Chamber

Speaking at Belfast Chamber’s ‘Go Big or Go Home’ entrepreneurship event, Nick shared lessons from building Lightsource into one of the world’s leading solar energy developers before BP completed a full acquisition of the company in 2024.

The event, delivered in partnership with Belfast City Council, Clarendon Fund Managers and Ulster Bank, brought together founders, investors and entrepreneurs from across Northern Ireland’s business community for a series of keynote talks and panel discussions focused on scaling businesses, innovation and investment.

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Addressing delegates at Ulster Bank’s Belfast headquarters, Boyle said setbacks and failures are often among the most valuable experiences for entrepreneurs.

He said: “An important lesson is that not all learning comes from success. A lot of learning comes from watching what doesn’t work. What initially looked like a disaster became our biggest opportunity. That’s probably entrepreneurship in a nutshell.

“The two most important things I did in my career were waiting until the right time before becoming CEO and surrounding myself with good people. My job wasn’t to be the smartest person in the room - my job was to surround myself with smart people in their particular field and sure they worked together effectively.

“I genuinely enjoy helping founders. Experience creates unconscious competence. Many business leaders will have seen situations before, even if they don’t consciously realise it. People may come to you with a problem and you instinctively know where it’s likely to end up because you’ve either done it correctly before or done it wrong before. I find navigating that for entrepreneurs and start-ups hugely rewarding.”

The event also featured keynote addresses and panel discussions showcasing a cross-section of Belfast’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, with representatives from local businesses including Datactics, HALO Technologies, Load a Balls, Lowe, Macc Hair, OatCo Superfuel, Team FeePay, Truffleupagus Vegan Yums, and Vikela, alongside contributions from venture capital fund managers, 57 Stars and Clarendon Fund Managers.

The sessions highlighted real-world experiences of startups, scale-ups and successful exits, while exploring access to investment and international growth opportunities.

Darragh McCarthy, President of Belfast Chamber, highlighted how entrepreneurship remains central to the strength and resilience of the local economy. He explained: “It was great to hear from Nick and our event panelists who provided valuable real-world insight into what it actually takes to start, scale and sustain a business.

“Entrepreneurship is integral to Belfast’s economy, and events like this are about encouraging ambition, sharing experience and helping people take that next step. We want to create an environment in which people feel empowered to take risks, learn from others and ultimately just go for it.”

John Ferris, accelerator community manager at Ulster Bank, added: “Supporting entrepreneurs at every stage of their journey is hugely important to us at Ulster Bank, and events like ‘Go Big or Go Home’ provide an invaluable opportunity to connect with and inspire local founders and growing businesses.

“We were pleased to partner with Belfast Chamber, Clarendon Fund Managers, and Belfast City Council in delivering this important platform, which brought together insight, experience and ambition in a practical way that helps turn ideas into action.”

The ‘Go Big or Go Home’ event forms part of Belfast Chamber’s ongoing programme of activity aimed at supporting enterprise, fostering innovation and strengthening the city’s position as a leading hub for business growth and investment.