Kyle Nel

SU Staff, Corporate Innovation

Kyle Nel is the Executive Vice President of the Uncommon Partners Lab at Singularity University (SU), which applies behavioral science insights to create transformational experiences, products and services. SU acquired Uncommon Partners in 2019, of which Kyle was the CEO and co-founder.

Kyle's journey to understand human behavior and decision-making led him to create the multi-disciplinary behavioral transformation approach, which uses tools like narrative, applied neuroscience and experimental design to help organizations break out of incrementalism. He co-authored Leading Transformation, a 2018 Harvard Business Review Press title about these tools and concepts.

Kyle also founded and previously served as Executive Director for Lowe's Innovation Labs (LIL), the disruptive innovation hub for the Fortune 40 home improvement company. He created and led a team responsible for driving the company's innovation vision and strategy, leading Lowe's to be recognized by Fast Company as the “Most Innovative Company in AR/VR” and by Fortune as the “Most Innovative Company” in their category.

Under his leadership, Lowe's Innovation Labs built a proprietary 3D content creation and asset management platform; augmented and virtual reality stores; virtual reality DIY skills clinics; the first autonomous retail service robots; soft robotic exosuits to deliver lift assistance for store employees; and 3D scanning and printing services at retail - and in space, where the first commercially-manufactured object off of the planet was a Lowe's wrench that was modified for astronauts. He also built a disruptive technology lab and incubator in Bangalore, India.

Kyle sits on the boards of emerging tech companies and is a faculty member focused on corporate innovation at Singularity University. He is also a former member of the XPRIZE Foundation Innovation Board. He was recognized on the 2015 Advertising Age “40 under 40” list, and received the 2016 “People Shaping Retail's Future” award from the National Retail Federation. He was also a founding member of the Retail Industry Leaders Association (R)Tech Advisory Council.

He previously held positions in market research with Lowe's and Walmart's Global Insights Group. He holds an MBA from the AC Nielsen Center for Marketing Research at the University of Wisconsin and a Bachelor's Degree in Business Management from Brigham Young University-Idaho.