The CEO of EmerStat made a non-adherent hemostatic device that surgeons and paramedics say is “game-changing” — here’s why

“Imagine being told that the sun rises in the west or that ice could start a fire. That’s the kind of reaction we often receive when we explain our work at EmerStat — our approach is that unconventional. Since the advent of hemostats in the 1950s, everyone has believed there was only one way to stop bleeding: by absorbing blood.

We decided to turn that idea on its head — instead of absorbing blood, we repel it.

It sounds counterintuitive, but by repelling blood, we achieve rapid bleeding control, improving patient outcomes and potentially reducing operating times and costs for overburdened healthcare systems.

From the beginning, EmerStat prioritised the needs of our end-users — surgeons, paramedics, and military personnel. They told us what worked for them and what didn’t, and we made it our mission to turn those unmet needs into a product.

Our constant dialogue with them — which we still maintain today — kept our focus razor-sharp on what could truly move the needle in their practice and ultimately save lives. 

When we finally had a minimum viable product and promising animal data, we were excited to get their feedback. The reception was everything we could have hoped for. We’ve had surgeons tell us this could be “game-changing for patients”, a retired surgeon even said, “I wish I had this during my practice.” 

A matter of life and death

Validation like that keeps me going. It reinforces my belief in our purpose—to improve patient outcomes, make life easier for clinicians, and push the boundaries of what’s possible in MedTech. We may still be far from widespread clinical adoption, but that vision of transforming bleeding control keeps us motivated daily.

Every year, traumatic bleeding claims nearly 1.9 million preventable lives. Every three minutes, someone dies due to severe blood loss. It’s a leading cause of death in accidents and combat situations, racking up over $670 billion in medical expenses and lost productivity annually.

Existing technologies — like cotton gauze and traditional hemostats — soak up blood to stop the bleeding. But they also soak up too much, causing additional blood loss. Removing these materials can lead to re-bleeding, and their prohibitive cost limits accessibility for many people. 

At EmerStat, our technology aims to be different. We have developed the first-ever non-adherent hemostatic device that accelerates clot formation without sticking to the wound. By repelling blood rather than absorbing it, we enhance the natural clotting process and reduce blood loss — a groundbreaking solution that could make bleeding control as universal as CPR.

Success, in my line of work, is about saving lives. It’s cliché, I know, but when you’re dealing with uncontrolled bleeding, it really is a matter of life or death. Someone can bleed out in less than three minutes. If our technology can save just one of those lives, I’d call it a success.

If we can lower the annual five million deaths from traumatic bleeding to 4,999,999, that’s still progress — that’s still someone’s mother, brother, or friend who gets another chance. 

But it’s not just about the numbers. We’re also striving for equity. I want to ensure that our technology reaches underserved regions, where surgeons rely on bare cotton gauze or potentially harmful alternatives like “jungle juice” — epinephrine-soaked gauze — simply because of cost.

If EmerStat can achieve that and make this life-saving technology accessible to all, I’ll consider our mission a success.

Still, building something like this isn’t easy. There’s the weight of responsibility — a pressure that sometimes feels overwhelming. We’re carrying our dreams and those of our team at EmerStat and the patients we hope to serve.

As cliché as it sounds, I sometimes think of Spider-Man’s line: “With great power comes great responsibility.” The stakes are incredibly high, especially in a highly regulated field like healthcare. A single setback in preclinical or clinical trials can feel like the end of the road, with no do-overs. 

We’ve learned to focus on what we can control, mitigating risks and moving forward one milestone at a time. It can be lonely, too. In this role, people expect confidence and assurance. But the reality is often different — there are days when vulnerability and fear of failure become isolating.

What gives me hope

Discipline has been my anchor through all of this. It’s fundamental — in both personal and professional life. Focus is equally crucial. My scientific background is both a blessing and a curse; as much as innovation drives a healthcare startup like EmerStat, too many new ideas can be disastrous. 

I keep repeating the mantra to myself, “Patients are waiting.” We don’t have the luxury of chasing every possibility. We have to get this right — and get it to them as quickly as possible. And then there’s grit — the kind of grit my PhD instilled in me- that entrepreneurship has tested in every imaginable way.

Experiments fail, and setbacks happen — but the belief in our purpose keeps me going for that moment when everything finally falls into place.

Looking ahead, I want to impact patient lives — even if it’s just one. I want EmerStat to be a patient advocate and for our innovations to help democratise healthcare. I’d also love to become a mentor for the next generation of founders, sharing what I’ve learned from this journey — both the successes and the failures.

On a personal level, I hope to build a company culture where every team member feels valued, empowered, and inspired — where collaboration and creativity thrive in equal measure.

The resilience I see in people gives me hope, even when the journey feels overwhelming. During the COVID-19 pandemic, despite the immense uncertainty, people rallied together — scientists worked at an unprecedented pace to develop vaccines, healthcare workers risked their lives to save others, and communities restructured their lives to protect one another. There was this unshakable sense of responsibility, of solidarity. 

That kind of collective humanity reminds me that even in the face of the most daunting challenges, we are capable of remarkable feats when we work together. This belief — faith in our ability to help and heal — fuels my work as CEO at EmerStat. No matter how difficult things may seem, I know a community is ready to rally behind a cause more significant than any of us. It makes me optimistic about the future — not just for our technology but the world.”