Who's on your team?
Dr.-Ing. Alexander Gruentzig
Schools: RWTH Aachen, Boston University
Former Positions: Manager at A.T.Kearney and Fraunhofer
Jillian Gruentzig, LMHC, ATR
Schools: Boston University, Lesley University
Former Positions: Assistant Director of Inpatient Group Programming, and CBT and Art Therapy Specialist at Walden Behavioral Care
Mark Bradley
Schools: MIT Sloan School of Management, United States Military Academy at West Point
Former Positions: Special Forces Officer (Green Beret)
Craig Matthews
Schools: Harvard Business School, Princeton University
Former Positions: Associate at A.T.Kearney and Satisfi
What problem are you trying to solve?
Over the past 10 years, hemorrhage was cited as the cause of 91% of preventable military fatalities.
What is your solution?
We developed a hemorrhage control system which is integrated into clothing for military and law enforcement professionals. The system detects impact to the body, sends out a wireless distress signal, and inflates a patented layer of micro-fluidic bladders that expand across the site of the wound. The expansion puts pressure on the wound, in order to stop the bleeding.
What inspired you to start your company?
Our product was inspired by Dr. Andreas Gruentzig’s invention of the balloon catheter in the late 1970s. He used the simple principle of balloon volume expansion to apply pressure inside the human body. We are using the same basic principle, but on the outside of the body.
What's been the most surprising aspect of this process?
The willingness of people in the MIT community to support the vision.
What’s been the most valuable piece of advice you’ve received?
Showcase your vision with a working prototype.
What are you most looking forward to for the Launch finals?
Building out our networks within, and outside, the MIT community.