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Roots in Bangladesh
Mohammed Moin was born in Shyamnagar village, Sunamganj district, Bangladesh. His father, a beloved schoolteacher known locally as “Somru Master,” instilled in him the values of education, community, and perseverance. Life in their small village was humble, but full of warmth.
That warmth was disrupted by tragedy. When Moin’s father was diagnosed with cancer, the family quickly learned how prohibitively expensive and inaccessible cancer treatments could be in South Asia. Watching his father suffer—and eventually lose his battle—lit a fire in Moin that would guide his life’s purpose. He promised himself that he would work to make lifesaving drugs more affordable, so other families wouldn’t endure the same heartbreak.
The Canadian Chapter Begins
In the early 2000s, Moin left Bangladesh for Canada to pursue higher education. He began at Trent University in Ontario, then moved to the University of Prince Edward Island, focusing on computer science and bioinformatics.
Like many international students, he faced obstacles:
- Financial struggles balancing tuition with limited part-time jobs.
- Cultural adaptation, from food to weather.
- A steep learning curve, moving from life in rural Bangladesh to the fast pace of Canadian academics and labs.
But he pressed forward, driven by his father’s memory. During his studies, he gained hands-on experience in biotech research, learning how bioinformatics could unlock new approaches to drug discovery.
Planting the Seeds of Innovation
In 2012, Moin and his brother (who worked at pharmaceutical giant Amgen) co-founded Somru BioScience Inc. in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. The name “Somru” was chosen to honor their late father.
Their focus: biosimilars—affordable, nearly identical alternatives to expensive biologic drugs (used for conditions like cancer, arthritis, and diabetes). Developing biologics can cost billions and take years; biosimilars could be delivered faster and at a fraction of the cost, making treatments accessible to millions more people.
At first, the company was tiny, operating out of an incubation center supported by Canada’s National Research Council. They faced skepticism—many wondered how two immigrant brothers from a small town could disrupt the global pharmaceutical industry. But they persevered.
Growth Against the Odds
Through grit and vision, Somru grew.
- By the mid-2010s, the company had already partnered with over 100 biotech firms across 23 countries.
- They received $18.5 million in federal and provincial funding to support research and scaling.
- Their work expanded into 112 drug candidates, tackling some of the world’s most expensive and in-demand treatments.
- In 2021, they launched a state-of-the-art R&D facility in Ahmedabad, India, and announced plans for Bengaluru, India, turning their company into a truly global player.
Giving Back: The Somru Foundation
Despite his global success, Moin never forgot his roots. He created the Somru Foundation in Sylhet, Bangladesh, dedicated to supporting education, healthcare, and opportunities for underserved communities.
His entrepreneurial journey came full circle: the same man who once lost his father to inaccessible medicine was now ensuring other families had access to treatments—and investing in the very communities he came from.
Why Mohammed Moin’s Journey Matters
For entrepreneurs, Moin’s story carries powerful lessons:
- Purpose is the ultimate fuel: His company wasn’t just about profit—it was born from a personal tragedy. That kind of mission attracts support, resilience, and momentum.
- Leverage what you have: He started with limited resources but maximized incubators, research partnerships, and grants.
- Global vision, local heart: He built a company with global impact while staying deeply connected to his Bangladeshi roots.
- Embed giving into growth: Through the Somru Foundation, his success now uplifts others.
A Legacy in the Making
From a small Bangladeshi village to Canada’s biotech stage, Mohammed Moin has proved that entrepreneurship is about more than business—it’s about transforming pain into purpose, and dreams into impact.
As Moin himself once said:
“I decided that I would work to make life-saving drugs more accessible and affordable.”
✨ Entrepreneur’s Takeaway: Sometimes the most powerful startups are born not from markets, but from personal missions.
