From Nepal to Nanotech feat. Suman Khatiwada ’13

Owl Have You Know

In this episode of Owl Have You Know, we explore the journey of Suman Khatiwada, from his roots in Nepal to becoming a trailblazing force in the chemical manufacturing industry.

Suman is the co-founder, chief technology officer (CTO), and board director at Syzygy Plasmonics, focusing on using light-driven chemistry instead of combustion to power a cleaner, safer world.

As CTO, he leads the technology team in developing, scaling up, and integrating the company’s core technologies: photocatalysts and fully electrified chemical reactors. Suman earned his Ph.D. in materials science and nanoengineering from Rice University and his bachelor’s degree in physics from Morgan State University.

Suman joins host Scott Gale ’19 to discuss his early interest in physics and how his passion evolved at Rice University. He highlights pivotal moments, like his transition from academia to entrepreneurship, forming his first company Big Delta Systems, and eventually starting Syzygy Plasmonics.

Suman shares the challenges and rewards of scaling a startup, the importance of balancing personal and professional life, and his efforts to give back to his native Nepal through mentorship and support for local entrepreneurs.

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Episode Guide:

00:39 From Nepal to Nanotechnology: Suman's Educational Journey

05:00 The Spark of Entrepreneurship at Rice University

10:13 The Birth of Syzygy Plasmonics: A Revolutionary Tech Venture

22:12 Navigating the Challenges of Commercializing University Technology

29:34 Balancing Entrepreneurship with Personal Life

36:25 Giving Back: Suman's Commitment to Nepal and Beyond

Owl Have You Know is a production of Rice Business and is produced by University FM.

Episode Quotes:

Building a sustainable future with Syzygy Plasmonics

09:38: Our aim with the company is to provide this technology and deploy it for many different market verticals, from production of hydrogen to production of sustainable aviation fuel, e-diesel, making butadiene for rubbers, making ethylene—all of those verticals—and start decarbonizing the way those chemicals, fuels, and fertilizers work. And it goes with the ethos that we cannot change the way we live anymore in this world; right, our way of life is now our way of life. So our technology, we believe, has a very sustainable pathway to still enjoy modern life that has been built with conventional petroleum products, these chemicals, fuels, and fertilizers. But in a more sustainable way, we don't have to lose our modern way of life.

Building a sustainable future with Syzygy Plasmonics

09:38: A lot of things that I find myself drawing on are the same things that are key to who I think I am as a person. Always being good with people, being eager about other people, learning from their experiences, relating to everyone equally—you never know who is going to help you in what way, whenever in life—so, being people-centric in my outlook on life. I learned from that early engagement during my graduate school, I think, still holds to this day, as we've now built a 120-person company.

The impact of environment and opportunity in Suman’s entrepreneurship journey

15:32: So, I think your surroundings and the environment that you are in play a large role. You might want to do something, but being nudged and having access to certain things, I think, plays a big part. And Rice obviously does a really good job, and now, with the Ion and Liu Idea Lab, it's, I think, even better for someone within the Rice ecosystem wanting to be an entrepreneur and start companies.

Show Links:

• Transcript
• Syzygy Plasmonics
• Rice Alliance
• Big Delta Systems - Bloomberg
• Rice Advanced Management Program
• Rice Business Helps Nepal Develop Leaders
• The Great Nepali Diaspora
  
  

Guest Profile:

• Suman Khatiwada | LinkedIn

Listen to OWL entrepreneurs Hassan Panahi, Taylor Ann Adams, and Delaney Berman in this episode titled "Giving Entrepreneurs the Tools to Change the World" here: https://business.rice.edu/owlhaveyouknow-season-3-episode-19