Lynch founded and is now CEO of Intellastar, which offers real-time control systems to help facilities operate more efficiently.
Northeastern University graduate Stephen Lynch has worked on nuclear submarines, co-founded a clean energy company acquired by a Fortune 200 firm, and now leads a wireless company focused on smart buildings and microgrids.
He’s also a dedicated philanthropist with the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
How has he done it all?
“My Northeastern degree became my superpower,” Lynch recently told College of Engineering graduates at Matthews Arena. “Not only because of what I learned, but because of the person I became while earning it.”
Lynch earned his electrical engineering degree from Northeastern in 1989. He is the youngest of five siblings and the father of two children — all Huskies.
“Northeastern runs deep in my DNA,” Lynch said.
He began his career working on nuclear submarines for the U.S. Navy at General Dynamics’ Electric Boat division. He later co-founded Energy Curtailment Specialists, which was acquired by NRG Energy in 2014. Today, he is the founder and CEO of Intellastar, which offers real-time control systems to improve facility efficiency.
Lynch credited his co-op experiences at General Motors and a nuclear power plant with bringing “everything I learned in the classroom into focus.”
“These co-ops didn’t just prepare me for work,” Lynch said. “They gave me the confidence to contribute from day one.”
But the most valuable lesson, he said, was realizing that engineering is “more than just solving problems; it’s about understanding the world you’re solving them for.”
“That means staying curious,” Lynch told graduates. “It means listening — really listening — to people who think differently than you. It means not just bringing your brain to the table, but your heart, because whether you’re designing infrastructure, building clean energy, writing code or launching the next startup.”
Lynch also reminded graduates to focus on creating meaningful impact rather than chasing perfection.
“The goal is not perfection,” Lynch said. “The goal is impact.”
“You don’t have to change the world in one grand gesture — that’s not how real change works,” Lynch continued. “(Change) happens in everyday life, the way you lead a team, the way you design a solution with empathy, the way you apply what you’ve learned with thoughtfulness, honesty and heart.”
He closed with advice for the Class of 2025 — and a reminder of the strength their education provides.
“Be bold, stay grounded, keep learning,” Lynch said. “It’s now your turn to take your superpower out into the world.”