Sushmitha Sundar

Background

About Sushmitha Sundar

I am a Life Sciences and Management specialist with a deep-rooted passion for innovation. With a unique blend of technical expertise in biomedical sciences and strategic insight from the world of business, I am committed to fostering innovation and building entrepreneurial ecosystems in the life sciences sector. My journey into entrepreneurship began during my PhD in Biomedical Engineering and a certification in the Management of Technology at the National University of Singapore. Immersing myself in the start-up ecosystem through initiatives like Singapore-Stanford BioDesign and TechLaunch, I developed a strong inclination toward the entrepreneurial mindset—one that values curiosity, resilience, and impact. Fuelled by this passion, I ventured into entrepreneurial education at the Indian School of Business (ISB), serving as Learning Consultant for the Technology Entrepreneurship Programme (TEP) under the Centre for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (CIE). TEP empowered engineering students to connect their academic pursuits with entrepreneurial goals, mentoring them to build and launch technology-driven startups. I also contributed to social impact programs such as the Chief Minister Scheduled Tribe Entrepreneurship & Innovation (CMSTEI) Programme and Atal Catalysts by ISB, nurturing young digipreneurs and first-generation entrepreneurs from across India. These initiatives allowed me to create inclusive models of innovation education and enterprise development. Currently, I serve as the Head of Life Sciences at the Research and Innovation Circle of Hyderabad (RICH), the nodal agency of the Hyderabad Science & Technology Cluster. My role focuses on building strategic bridges between academia, industry, startups, and government to catalyze science-led innovation. I have helped forge over 90 collaborations spanning MedTech, Pharma, academia, and national and global innovation ecosystems. I lead RICH’s flagship initiative, the Acceleration Initiative for DeepTech Startups (AID), which supports health-tech startups in medical devices, diagnostics, and digital health. Through support in regulatory strategy, clinical validation, manufacturing, and fundraising, AID has accelerated 65+ startups across seven cohorts. I’ve mentored over 120 startups using BioDesign frameworks and business model innovation, while contributing to national priorities in Bio-banking, Digital Health Infrastructure, and One Health. I remain committed to translating ideas into impact, and shaping the future of health innovations.