STARK Industries

What STARK Industries does

STARK Industries, LLC is a privately held Columbus, Ohio-based company founded in 2016 by Joe Swantack that operates as a commercialization intermediary and specialty medical device manufacturer. Its product portfolio centers on two lines: the SPIRITUS VITALITY Ventilator—a NASA JPL-designed, FDA Emergency Use Authorized ventilator manufactured under a non-exclusive global license from NASA JPL/Caltech and priced under $10,000 per unit—and the Lifetouch Wireless Cardiac Monitoring System, a Bluetooth Low Energy body-worn smart patch that streams continuous ECG, heart rate, respiration, and motion data through Isansys Lifecare's Patient Status Engine platform for real-time Early Warning Score calculation and deterioration alerts. STARK holds U.S. business development rights for the Isansys platform and distributes those systems to U.S. hospitals, emergency centers, physicians, and research scientists, while also having demonstrated the technology in defense contexts (Tech Warrior OPS 2019, MHSRS 2018) and NASA missions (NEEMO 23 and 24).

The company earns revenue through three mechanisms: one-time sales of manufactured ventilator units (with tiered volume discounts and worldwide shipping), channel/reseller commissions on Isansys Patient Status Engine and Lifetouch deployments, and business development and consulting fees for connecting inventors with investors, production resources, and end customers across healthcare, aerospace, and research sectors. Go-to-market is relationship-driven, leveraging a curated network that includes Cleveland Clinic, Ohio State University's Center for Regenerative Medicine, Battelle Memorial Institute, Laszeray Technology, Design Net Technical Products, BIOPAC Systems, NASA JPL, the U.S. Department of Defense, and Space Center Houston. Customer segments are intentionally horizontal, spanning hospitals and healthcare systems, defense and military health researchers, emergency and disaster relief providers, and individual inventors or startups seeking commercialization support, with the ANCHOR Ohio initiative specifically targeting Midwest regional innovation intermediation. The firm is founder-owned and bootstrapped, with no disclosed institutional funding, a headcount in the 11-50 range, and concentration of operational control with CEO Joe Swantack alongside CMO Dr. Peter H. U. Lee, a double board-certified cardiothoracic surgeon with NIH, NASA, and U.S. Air National Guard credentials.

Name

STARK Industries

Legal name

STARK Industries, LLC

Website

https://stark-industries-llc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

STARK Industries is a Columbus, Ohio-based privately held company that manufactures the NASA JPL-licensed SPIRITUS VITALITY Ventilator and distributes Isansys Lifecare's wireless Lifetouch cardiac monitoring platform and Patient Status Engine to U.S. hospitals, defense customers, and research institutions, while also providing business development services connecting inventors with capital and commercialization resources.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Medical Devices

SIC

Surgical & Medical Instruments & Apparatus (3841), Wholesale-Medical, Dental & Hospital Equipment & Supplies (5047), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYHLAHAGAK

Anesthesia & Respiratory Gas Delivery Equipment (Breathing Circuits, Vaporizers, Gas Mixers)

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Medical Devices & Diagnostics/Respiratory & Sleep Therapy Devices

SECONDARYHLAKANAM

Home Ventilation, Oxygen Therapy & Respiratory DME Clinical Management

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Specialist Medical Practice/Pulmonology & Sleep Medicine

SECONDARYHLAFAEAF

Home Respiratory & Sleep Therapy Providers (DME-Integrated)

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Healthcare Providers & Systems/Home Health & Hospice Providers

Keywords

• Wireless patient monitoring
• Medical ventilator manufacturing
• Cardiac monitoring devices
• Healthcare technology distribution
• Innovation business development

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbus

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Product Licensing (NASA JPL Ventilator): STARK Industries holds a non-exclusive global license from NASA JPL/Caltech to manufacture, assemble, distribute, sell, and service the NASA JPL VITAL/SPIRITUS VITALITY Ventilator design. Revenue is generated through one-time sale of manufactured ventilator units.
2. Healthcare Technology Distribution: As U.S. business development partner for Isansys Lifecare, STARK Industries earns revenue by facilitating sales and implementation of the Patient Status Engine platform and Lifetouch wireless monitoring systems to U.S. hospitals, emergency centers, and research institutions.
3. Business Development and Consulting Services: STARK Industries connects innovators with investors, production resources, and distribution channels, taking a role in product development and go-to-market execution for client technologies across healthcare, aerospace, and research sectors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

STARK Industries manufactures and distributes the FDA Emergency Use Authorized SPIRITUS VITALITY Ventilator under a non-exclusive global license from NASA JPL/Caltech, and serves as the U.S. business development partner for Isansys Lifecare's Patient Status Engine and Lifetouch wireless cardiac monitoring system for hospitals and healthcare providers. The company also provides business development and consulting services connecting healthcare, aerospace, and research innovators with investors, production resources, and distribution channels.

Product overview

STARK Industries is a Columbus, Ohio-based innovation company founded in 2016, offering a portfolio of medical technology products and business development services. The company's product portfolio centers on the SPIRITUS VITALITY Ventilator (FDA-emergency-authorized, NASA-designed, <$10k) and the foundational NASA JPL VITAL Ventilator (manufacturing license). Additionally, STARK distributes the Lifetouch Wireless Cardiac Monitoring System, an advanced Bluetooth 'smart patch' developed in partnership with Isansys Lifecare, which provides real-time patient vital sign monitoring via the Patient Status Engine platform. The company also provides business development services connecting innovators with investors, hospitals, research institutions, and manufacturers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SPIRITUS VITALITY Ventilator A NASA JPL-designed, FDA Emergency Use Authorized low-cost ventilator (under $10,000 per unit) manufactured in the USA using off-the-shelf domestically sourced parts. Designed for emergency, pandemic, mass casualty, and resource-constrained deployment, capable of handling 80-90% of ventilator needs and freeing high-end ventilators for the most severe cases. Sold with tiered volume discounts and worldwide shipping to healthcare facilities and emergency response organizations.
• Lifetouch Cardiac Monitoring System A body-worn Bluetooth Low Energy cardiac 'smart patch' capturing real-time heart rate, ECG, respirations, and motion activity data, deployed as part of Isansys Lifecare's Patient Status Engine platform. Delivers ICU-quality wireless medical-grade continuous vital sign data, automated Early Warning Score calculation, and smart deterioration notifications to care teams in hospital, home, and austere field environments. STARK Industries serves as the U.S. business development partner, bringing the system to U.S. hospitals, emergency centers, physicians, and research scientists.
• Business Development and Innovation Consulting Services A professional service connecting inventors, startups, and established companies with the capital, manufacturing, distribution, and high-profile customer relationships needed to commercialize new medical, healthcare, aerospace, and research technologies. Includes target market identification, application mapping, customer introduction, and marketing/sales package development for client innovators, leveraging STARK's curated U.S. and European network spanning Cleveland Clinic, Ohio State University, NASA JPL, and other research institutions.

Quantifiable outcome

• Uses 1/7th the number of parts of a traditional ventilator, freeing up more expensive high-end ventilators for the most severe cases
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability1 record

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Isansys Lifecare Ltd.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSTARK Industries is the U.S. business development partner for Isansys Lifecare, bringing its Patient Status Engine wireless patient monitoring platform and Lifetouch BLE cardiac sensor to U.S. hospitals, emergency centers, physicians, and research scientists. The partnership enables STARK to facilitate sales, implementation, and support of Isansys' real-time vital sign monitoring technology across U.S. healthcare institutions.
• Battelle Memorial InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBattelle is referenced as a partner whose expertise includes conducting future research and development, managing labs, designing products, and delivering critical services. The partnership provides STARK Industries with access to advanced R&D capabilities and product development resources.
• Laszeray Technology, LLCminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLaszeray Technology is a partner specializing in design and manufacturing of world-class products, parts, tooling, testing, and regulatory compliance in healthcare and a wide variety of industries. Supports STARK's product development and manufacturing capabilities.
• ANCHOR OhiocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerANCHOR Ohio is STARK Industries' initiative to connect Ohio-based innovators with capital investing, higher education, hospitals, manufacturing, and R&D partners across the Midwest. Partners include Cleveland Clinic, The Ohio State University, and other Ohio-based institutions.
• NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSTARK Industries holds a non-exclusive global manufacturing license from NASA JPL/Caltech to produce and distribute the VITAL/SPIRITUS VITALITY Ventilator designed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The partnership includes collaboration on the SPIRITUS VITALITY product as well as joint participation in exhibits such as Space Center Houston's NASA pandemic innovation exhibit.
• The Ohio State University — Center for Regenerative MedicineminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSTARK Industries participates as an industry partner with Ohio State University's Center for Regenerative Medicine, exhibiting DoD warfighter uses of Isansys Lifetouch wireless cardiac telemetry at the 2018 MHSRS and collaborating on research applications.
• Space Center HoustonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSTARK Industries supported Space Center Houston's exhibit on NASA innovations during the pandemic by loaning the NASA JPL-designed VITAL Ventilator, enabling public education on NASA's COVID-19 response through ventilator technology.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Isansys Lifecare: UK-based developer and manufacturer of the Patient Status Engine and Lifetouch wireless cardiac monitoring platform — the same product line STARK Industries distributes in the U.S. Directly comparable as the technology IP owner behind STARK's main monitoring product.
• Hamilton Medical: Swiss specialist in ICU and transport ventilators (Hamilton C1, C3, T1). Directly comparable as a focused ventilator manufacturer — and one of the principal rivals any NASA JPL VITAL license holder faces in hospital tenders and pandemic stockpile contracts.

Broad incumbents

• Masimo: Global leader in patient monitoring (SET pulse oximetry, rainbow sensors, Root monitor) with a broad installed base in U.S. hospitals. Directly comparable as a hospital-grade continuous wearable monitoring competitor to the Isansys/Patient Status Engine platform STARK distributes.
• GE HealthCare: Major medical device manufacturer with CARESCAPE patient monitors, anesthesia delivery systems, and ICU-grade monitoring infrastructure across U.S. hospitals. Comparable broad-incumbent player in continuous patient monitoring and respiratory care devices that competes with both STARK's ventilator license and its monitoring distribution.
• Philips (Royal Philips): Manufacturer of IntelliVue patient monitors and a major global ventilator/Respironics producer. Comparable broad incumbent competing head-on with both STARK's ventilator offering (Respironics E30/E340) and its hospital monitoring distribution.
• Medtronic: Acquired Covidien's ventilator business and also sells Vital Sync patient monitoring platforms and continuous monitoring solutions. Comparable broad incumbent across both of STARK's core product verticals (ventilator manufacturing and continuous patient monitoring).
• Dräger: German manufacturer of Oxylog and Evita ventilators, plus acute-care patient monitoring. Directly comparable in the ventilator category against STARK's NASA JPL-licensed SPIRITUS VITALITY product, particularly in hospital and emergency-response channels.
• Baxter International (Hillrom acquisition): Acquired Hillrom in 2021 to add connected patient monitoring (Voalte, RDI), smart beds, and vital signs monitoring into the care continuum. Comparable broad incumbent in the same patient monitoring category, with deeper scale and more integrated offerings for hospital systems.

Emerging players

• iRhythm Technologies: U.S. wearable cardiac monitoring company (Zio long-term cardiac patch). Comparable as a pure-play wearable/Bluetooth cardiac monitoring business that competes for the same U.S. hospital-monitoring budget STARK's Isansys distribution targets.
• Preventice Solutions (Boston Scientific): Maker of the BodyGuardian wearable cardiac monitoring patch, now part of Boston Scientific. Directly comparable as a wearable Bluetooth cardiac monitoring solution competing with the Lifetouch/Patient Status Engine in U.S. cardiology and hospital channels.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/a_stark_company
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/stark-industries-llc---u.s.a.

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about STARK Industries