In an industry as dynamic and fast-evolving as life sciences, staying ahead requires living in the unknown. It’s a scary place to be—but it’s also where the most exciting possibilities lie.
As a leader, I often find myself making observations, forming theories, and placing bets on where we need to go and when we need to pivot.
I love thinking about the future and what it could hold. However, it wasn’t until later in my career that I developed the right risk profile to embrace innovation truly.
From Mastery to Innovation
I started my career as an engineer, where mastery often defines success — learning the craft, solving problems, and iterating on solutions. But as I worked more with biotech companies at the forefront of innovation, I realized the power of thinking beyond the status quo and seeking the next horizon.
My mother always said I was a dreamer, and she was right. I’ve always been curious, and I’ve always questioned my surroundings. As my career progressed, I embraced my mentality as a strength.
The turning point came in 2014 when I enrolled in a class based on the book The Innovator’s DNA. The class was held in Santa Clara, California, in a think-tank environment that was nothing short of inspiring. We toured Google and learned how they balance running their core business with fostering innovation.
The experience opened my eyes to the idea that innovation isn’t a flash of brilliance—it’s an intentional process. One of the most valuable lessons I learned was about associational thinking—connecting the dots between seemingly unrelated ideas. Innovation however takes longer to get from the hope of a great ideas to the realization of value and impact.
Budgeting for Innovation
I began applying what I had learned through an “innovation budget” I was given to grow our company’s services business. I was tasked with finding ways to drive customer loyalty through service innovation.
It was a challenge, but it also gave me room to experiment and fail. We started small, incubating practices around virtualization, data, and calibration. Each began as an idea, refined through customer feedback, and eventually grew into a core business capability.
This approach taught me the value of dedicating resources to innovation. Having the space to experiment—and even fail—is critical. Those early successes gave me the confidence to think bigger. As, and as my role expanded in the company that is Stellix today, I started to apply similar processes for innovation to our entire business model.
Identifying the Right Signals
Innovation doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It requires paying attention to the signals around you and connecting them meaningfully through critical and associational thinking.
Following industry trends
A great way to identify these signals is by following trends. Here’s a good example of how that played out for me recently.
I had been closely following trends in robotics, which led me to Boston Dynamics’ Spot® robot dog, an incredible piece of technology that represents the future of humanoid-like robotics.
In life sciences, traditional robotics mostly have been confined to discrete manufacturing tasks like logistics or fill-finish processes—the steps involved in creating drug delivery systems such as pills or injectables. These robots are mechanical arms designed to move items from point A to point B.
Spot, however, is different. It looks and moves like a living thing. It walks, talks, listens, and even opens doors. Its mobility and adaptability make it a powerful symbol of what’s possible as we consider integrating humanoid-like robotics into environments that require more human-level dexterity and intelligence.
A key challenge in life sciences manufacturing is that much of the work still requires human interaction, especially in areas where sterility and precision are critical. Right now, humanoids are being used in the utility side of manufacturing facilities—the “backstage” areas that manage power, water, and maintenance. These environments are essential to operations but don’t require the strict sterility of cleanrooms where products are made.
While humanoids aren’t in the sterile areas yet, it’s not because they couldn’t be; it’s simply uncharted territory. No one has done it before, and that’s exciting to me. That’s where the real potential lies.
With all this in mind, I was excited to invest in a Spot robot dog for Stellix. We named her Stella. Stella is an opportunity to explore the practical applications of humanoid robots, mobile sensors, and a database and push the limits of how this technology can transform life sciences.
Taking note of emerging partnerships
Another important signal to watch is the partnerships emerging around innovative technologies. Sticking with the Boston Dynamics example, the manufacturing application platform Tulip, another of our ecosystem partners, recently teamed up with Boston Dynamics to explore integrating robotics into industrial workflows.
This kind of collaboration is a strong validation that robotics are moving closer to becoming a standard part of manufacturing. It’s exciting to see how these partnerships will continue to shape the industry’s future.
Paying attention to legislation
Legislation is another critical signal for identifying where innovation is headed. A perfect example is the Massachusetts AI Hub initiative recently launched by Governor Maura Healey.
Through the Mass Leads Act, this groundbreaking effort positions Massachusetts as a global leader in applied AI innovation. It fosters collaboration between government, industry, startups, and academia while advancing solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges.
This focus on AI reflects the growing importance of integrating advanced technologies across industries, including life sciences. For companies like Stellix, understanding these legislative signals helps us anticipate how AI will intersect with our work, from manufacturing processes to predictive medicine.
Navigating the Innovation Curve
Leading on the cutting edge means constantly navigating the adoption curve. It’s a delicate balance—being far enough ahead to drive meaningful change but not so far that your ideas become disconnected from the organization’s immediate needs. Investing in an innovative technology too soon can strain resources or alienate those who aren’t ready to embrace change and waiting too long can leave you behind.
I’ve often felt like I’m walking alone blocks ahead of my team, weaving through the crowds while they try to understand where we are headed. If I’m not careful, I risk taking a left turn they don’t see, leaving them unsure where to go next. It is my job to make sure they see the turn and why it has potential. Not all the turns we take pan out. The “learning” is the most valuable part of the journey to building a strong innovative culture.
It’s not enough to be ahead—you need to bring others along for the journey. That means translating bold ideas into practical steps and ensuring the pace of innovation remains sustainable for everyone involved.
At Stellix, we’re creating structures to support this balance. Our Growth Initiative Group (GIG) serves as a mini-think tank where team members can contribute ideas, no matter their role. It connects the perspectives of industry veterans, technologists, and fresh thinkers to turn concepts into actionable strategies. We are also building an Experience Center which attempts to make our innovative ideas real for our ecosystem of industry, partners, and community leaders to see and understand. The hope is that our ecosystem will actively contribute to the space by bringing their unique ideas to a space where we can collectively make those ideas real through unique experiences. Having a dedicated space to test and refine ideas helps us bridge the gap between vision and execution.
Innovation is, ultimately, a team effort. Surrounding yourself with the right mix of mavericks and collaborators inside your daily sphere and outside your network ensures that early adoption doesn’t happen in isolation—it becomes a shared journey that aligns big-picture thinking with the organization’s practical realities.
Aspire: A Celebration of Innovation
I’m excited to bring mavericks and collaborators together at Stellix’s upcoming conference, Aspire. Designed to explore the intersection of AI, life sciences, and transformative technologies, Aspire is a platform for bold ideas and actionable solutions—an opportunity to discuss and shape the future together.
The pace of technological advancement is staggering, but one thing remains constant: the power of dreaming big.
Innovation isn’t about knowing all the answers; it’s about having the courage to ask the right questions, make the right connections, and chart a new path forward. That’s what drives me—even when it’s scary—because the possibilities on the horizon are worth it.
