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To open this conversation, Rory Mounsey-Heysham sits down with Greg Jackson - founder and CEO of Octopus Energy - one of Europe’s most successful tech companies and a driving force in the energy transition. Greg shares how Octopus grew from humble beginnings into a global energy and technology leader, serving millions of customers and managing billions in renewable assets. From challenging incumbents to redefining regulation, Greg embodies the spirit of “benevolent disruption”: building big businesses that make the world better.
In this wide-ranging discussion, Greg reflects on his journey from Halifax to leading a multi-billion-dollar company, the philosophy behind Kraken (Octopus’s proprietary tech platform), the importance of capital and agility, and why he believes clean energy must be cheap, fast, and fair.
Key Takeaways
- Energy as a tech problem: Octopus was founded on the belief that modern software could transform an outdated, inefficient energy industry.
- Capital and resilience: Greg emphasizes raising funds before you need them - “no one ever went bust because they had too much cash.”
- Agility as a superpower: Proprietary technology allows Octopus to innovate faster and outpace incumbents in integrating renewables and new products.
- Purpose with pragmatism: Energy should be fairer, cheaper, cleaner but it must also deliver returns to scale impact.
- Regulation reform: Greg advocates for “refactoring” outdated regulation halving timelines and simplifying systems to unlock innovation.
- Energy transition politics: Clean energy must be reframed as a cost-reducing, prosperity-driving movement, not a cultural wedge issue.
- The benevolent disruptor mindset: “The Good Samaritan couldn’t have helped anyone if he didn’t have the cash.” Scale and success are prerequisites for meaningful good.
