Monti Leija

A harsh reality of combat is the lack of available blood to treat soldiers injured in battle. That’s why my partners and I ideated and translated our concept for rugged, mobile, and battery-operated refrigerators for temperature-controlled blood products for use on battlefields and in other extreme settings. Our concept advanced through the three phases of the stringent Small Business Innovative Research program—a major accomplishment—and resulted in the award of four provisional patents and manufacture of our high-quality, American-made product. We pride ourselves on adhering to the highest possible standards for medical device companies as part of our push toward commercial sales to early adopters, such as the U.S. Department of Defense. As part of product development, I also present and win buy-in for “push the envelope” changes as part of my quest to counter challenges to deliver revolutionary products.