[2026 The CEO of Jeju National University Early-Stage Startup Package] ReadyAid Lab, Developing Emergency Medical Devices Anyone Can Use in Critical Situations with Short Golden Hours

Hyunsung Kim, CEO of ReadyAid Lab

-The flagship item currently under development is a tourniquet for massive hemorrhage control. The company's core competitiveness stems from its clear problem awareness, founded upon the firsthand field experiences of a practicing emergency medicine specialist

-Capable of clearly substantiating the safety of its medical devices. Furthermore, the human and social infrastructure possessed by CEO Kim facilitates institutionalization, legislative advocacy, and the pioneering of sales channels

ReadyAid Lab is an enterprise developing the ReadyAid™ system, designed to allow anyone to seamlessly and intuitively follow critical life-saving steps in emergency situations where the ‘golden hour’ is exceptionally short. The company was founded in August 2024 by CEO Hyunsung Kim (37), a board-certified emergency medicine specialist.

The company's flagship item is a tourniquet for massive hemorrhage control, which is currently in the development phase.

“Working in the emergency room, you daily encounter people whose hearts have stopped for various reasons, people on the brink of death, and patients in critical condition,” CEO Kim explained. “When you manage to save them, you feel a mix of emotions, including relief and a profound sense of calling. However, one day, I realized that this alone was not enough. Patients go through a tremendously long and arduous journey just to reach the emergency room. From the moments of sheer panic at the accident scene to the instant 119 (EMS) paramedics arrive to assess the situation and administer first aid, to the time spent loading and transporting the patient—I began contemplating how we could improve the circumstances before they even arrive at the ER.”

There are life-threatening situations requiring immediate intervention where the critical ‘golden hour’ is extremely brief. These include cardiac arrest, massive hemorrhage from trauma, and asphyxia caused by airway obstruction. In such scenarios, not only ordinary bystanders but also trained paramedics and even doctors can panic, meaning that patient outcomes often diverge wildly depending on an individual's composure, capability, and level of training. CEO Kim stated, “We can resolve this vulnerability through standardized products and systems.”

“The core competitiveness of ReadyAid Lab can be broadly categorized into three aspects”, Kim noted. “First, because the company was established based on the firsthand field experiences of a practicing emergency medicine specialist, our awareness of the problem is exceptionally clear.”

Second is the ability to clearly substantiate the safety of its medical devices. “Because medical devices must not cause harm to the patient, they inherently require a very conservative approach”, he explained. “We can accurately determine which functions are absolutely necessary and which could be detrimental, and we can validate this through the most rigorous means available: academic research and papers.”

Finally, CEO Kim's robust human and social infrastructure serves as a distinct advantage, significantly facilitating institutionalization, legislative support, and the establishment of reliable sales routes.

“As ReadyAid Lab is still in the product development stage, we have not yet fully launched our sales channel expansion”, Kim explained. “When the time comes to initiate marketing, I plan to leverage the extensive network of fire department officials and school nurses nationwide that I have cultivated while serving as an EMS medical director for the Fire Department.”

Regarding his future plans, CEO Kim emphasized, “Because the products I am developing directly handle human lives, I will ensure they are built absolutely perfectly, even if it takes a bit more time.” He added, “For these products to be recognized in the market means they will also be recognized within the academic discipline of emergency medicine. This will introduce a new paradigm in the field, shifting the starting point of emergency first aid directly to the very first bystanders who report the incident.”
Date of Establishment: August 2024

Core Businesses: Development and sales of emergency medical devices
Key Achievements: Selected for government support programs (Early-Stage Startup Package, IP Narae)

reporter jinho lee
jinho2323@hankyung.com