Biography
Sanna Gaspard has a passion for entrepreneurship, healthcare, medical devices, and innovation. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Engineering (BME) at the University of Miami in Miami, FL (‘04). She completed her Masters (’05) and PhD (’11) in BME at Carnegie Mellon University.
While earning her graduate degree she received two patents for two medical technologies she invented. Her two inventions include an infant therapy device to support preterm infants’ health and an optical device for early bedsore detection. To support the commercialization of these technologies she founded two medical device companies, TLneoCare, LLC and Rubitection Inc. As CEO she developed the business strategy, IP strategy, and raised initial financing.
She has received recognition and awards recognizing her engineering skill and entrepreneurial including being selected as an American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)-Lemelson Invention Ambassador (’17), an ASME ISHOW finalist (’18), a finalist for the UpPrize Competition (’17), 1st place winner for the AlphaLab Gear Hardware Cup (’17), SPIE Startup Challenge Semifinalist (’16), 2nd place winner at the HitLab Healthcare Challenge(’15), a finalist for the Mass Challenge Business accelerator in Boston (’13), 1st place at the 3 Rivers Investment Venture Fair’s Technology showcase (‘11), and IEEE New Face of Engineering (’10).
Her passion for science, health innovation, technology, inventorship, mentorship, and entrepreneurship is only match by her desire to help students develop an interest in STEM fields and jobs and helping others.
Sanna was a speaker at IEEE Rising Stars 2019.
Watch an interview with Sanna speak by IEEE Entrepreneurship’s Randi Sumner at the AlphaLab Gear Hardware Cup in 2017.