Unconventional Thinking – Suman Lal

In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Suman Lal, whose journey from medical school in India to becoming a leader in innovation is as remarkable as it is unconventional. Initially embarking on a path toward medicine, Suman realized that his true passion lay beyond traditional medical practice. An encounter during medical school inspired him to explore other fields. This decision led him into research and ultimately to Singapore, where he found himself immersed in the country's burgeoning life sciences and healthcare innovation sector. While Suman experimented with various career paths — including academia and research — he discovered that his curiosity drove him to explore new industries rather than settle into any one role.

Following his research phase, Suman transitioned into sales within the life sciences industry, a humbling experience that taught him valuable lessons in resilience and adaptability. He spent five years distributing products for early-stage companies, a role that honed his business acumen and led him to appreciate the practicalities of industry work. Afterward, he pursued an MBA at MIT Sloan, where he was drawn to Boston’s vibrant innovation ecosystem. Suman's post-MIT journey took him through several pivots, including starting a cosmetics startup, which introduced him to the world of drug discovery and eventually brought him back to Boston. His passion for innovation led him to the Cambridge Innovation Center (CIC), where he worked on building global innovation ecosystems.

Suman’s current focus is on developing the Technology Innovation Studio (TINS), a "mini ecosystem" that combines physical space, curated networks, consulting, and innovation labs to accelerate breakthroughs in healthcare, life sciences, and beyond. With partnerships spanning MIT and CIC’s global network, Suman envisions TINS as a model for fostering collaboration between scientists, entrepreneurs, and investors to solve complex problems. His ambition is to replicate this model in innovation cities worldwide, creating a sustainable platform for innovation and learning that empowers individuals and communities alike.

"Every challenge is an opportunity to create something better."

MEET OUR GUEST Suman Lal is Managing Director of Technology Innovation Studio (TINS).

Suman Lal is Managing Director of Technology Innovation Studio (TINS) - a physical space in Kendall Square that brings together business leaders, scientists, serial entrepreneurs, investors, industry experts, corporate innovation teams and policy experts to explore and apply tools, methods and models in innovation. Suman is also a Senior Advisor to the Cambridge Innovation Center (CIC) that operates innovation campuses and labs across cities in US, Europe and Asia, and in his previous role worked closely with the leadership team to advise diverse stakeholders in cities and regions around the world on building innovation infrastructure and ecosystems.

Suman is also a Senior Advisor to the Venture Cafe Global Institute (VCGI) that operates the Venture Cafe gatherings in 15 cities, often described as the heartbeat of several innovation districts. Suman has deep experience in the area of technology commercialization, by making independent inventions, licensing intellectual property from major research institutions to form NewCos, and operating venture studios where he took interim CEO roles at the portfolio companies. Prior to this, Suman did technical sales and distribution for 15 early-stage companies over a 5 year period, gaining valuable insights into how early-stage companies transitioned into profitable and scalable businesses.

Suman has an MD in clinical medicine and an MSc in human genetics and did his PhD in precision medicine & clinical pharmacology. Suman received his MBA from MIT as a Sloan Fellow, focusing on innovation and global leadership.