This Christmas season, Angela Buckalew isn’t just celebrating innovation; she’s sharing a deeply personal story of resilience, compassion, and a determination to save lives.
Buckalew, CEO of CorVita and founder of HTH Safety Solutions, knows what it means to be vulnerable.
A former foster child who was finally adopted as a teenager, she grew up navigating uncertainty and systems that didn’t always work together. Years later, that lived experience would inspire a breakthrough innovation designed to protect others in their most critical moments.
Buckalew developed a universal AED adapter that allows any automated external defibrillator to connect seamlessly with any emergency response system. The technology addresses a little-known but dangerous reality: when first responders arrive on scene, AEDs often aren’t compatible, forcing EMS teams to remove adhesive pads and reconnect patients to different devices, costing precious seconds when every heartbeat matters.
Solving a Life-Threatening Problem
Her idea gained momentum through the UC Venture Lab, a program inside the UC 1819 Innovation Hub that accelerates startups from idea to product launch. There, Buckalew found more than business support; she found belief. With mentorship from industry experts, technical guidance, and access to critical resources, she refined her concept, strengthened her business model, and accelerated CorVita’s path toward commercialization. The program played a pivotal role in her navigation of product development, FDA pathways, and real-world validation.
Today, Buckalew’s journey from the foster care system to the founder of a life-saving technology company stands as a powerful holiday story of hope, purpose, and impact. CorVita’s work is already drawing national attention from EMS providers, hospitals, and public safety leaders who recognize the urgent need for change.
“Most people don’t realize that the AED in your workplace may not be compatible with the AED used by first responders,” Buckalew said. “When that happens, pads have to be ripped off; they’re painful and sticky, and the patient must be disconnected from one machine and reattached to another. In those moments, seconds truly mean life or death.”
FDA clearance for CorVita’s universal AED adapter is currently in progress, with approval anticipated in 2026.
WHY IT MATTERS
• More than 350,000 cardiac arrests occur each year in the United States
• Survival rates drop 7–10% for every minute without defibrillation
• AED pad incompatibility forces EMS to replace pads on arrival, wasting critical time
• CorVita’s universal adapter is designed to eliminate these delays and help save more lives
“I kept thinking, if we can create universal phone chargers, why can’t we create universal AED connectors?” Buckalew said. “So I did.”
