Clinical-grade wearable health intelligence for veterans and the military community · A 1845 Ventures Company
Chief Executive Officer
Veterans lost to suicide — most never connected to care
Eligible veterans consistently accessing VA care
Monthly CMS reimbursement per veteran via RTM CPT codes — billable today, no FDA required
Units deployable within 60 days via SensorBio partnership (MOQ confirmed)
Optimus OS is building the first clinical-grade wearable platform purpose-built for veterans and the military community. The device monitors heart function, sleep, stress, and recovery at a standard that consumer wearables — Apple Watch, WHOOP, Oura — cannot match clinically or culturally. We are not a wellness brand. We are building health infrastructure for a population that has been systematically underserved by both the commercial market and the VA.
We have completed our clinical validation phase, secured a hardware and software partnership with SensorBio (trusted by Duke Health, Pfizer, NASA, Stanford — 10,000 units on standby), begun active conversations with the VA, and assembled a founding team with deep veteran community credibility. The company is backed by 1845 Ventures and is currently raising its seed round. What we need now is a CEO to take the helm.
This is a founding CEO role. You are not stepping into a built company. You are building it — the culture, the team, the distribution infrastructure, the clinical and government relationships, and the business model execution. The strategies are defined. The assets are in place. The opportunity is enormous. The execution is yours.
What this role actually requires — in order of priority.
Build the Culture and the Organization from the Ground Up
You are not inheriting a culture — you are creating one. Every early hire reflects your judgment, and the organization will take the shape of the standards you set in the first 90 days.
- ▸Define the operating principles, hiring bar, and communication cadence that will govern how the team works
- ▸Make the first 2–3 critical hires: VSO partnerships director, clinical operations lead, and RTM billing and compliance specialist — the roles that unlock distribution and revenue simultaneously
- ▸Build out and round out the Advisory Board — recruiting clinical experts, veteran leaders, healthcare operators, and domain specialists who give the company credibility, network access, and the best possible counsel across every major function
- ▸Establish OKRs, KPIs, reporting rhythms, and accountability structures that scale with growth
- ▸This culture must be mission-credible — veterans inside the organization and in the community will be watching how this company behaves
Build Distribution Through Veteran Service Organizations and NGOs
The veteran community organizes through VSOs. The American Legion, VFW, DAV, Team Red White & Blue, Wounded Warrior Project, and dozens of chapter networks represent direct access to millions of veterans who trust these organizations before they trust a company.
- ▸Identify, prioritize, and pursue national VSO partnership agreements that enable distribution of Optimus OS devices to members
- ▸Design VSO-specific program structures — group pricing, chapter-level pilots, member benefit integrations — that give VSO leadership a clear value proposition
- ▸Develop NGO relationships with organizations that serve specific veteran populations: post-9/11, women veterans, rural veterans, combat-injured
- ▸Target: 3–5 national VSO agreements signed within the first 12 months, with chapter-level rollout infrastructure in place
Develop Corporate Procurement Partnerships to Fund Veteran Distribution
Corporations that employ veterans — defense contractors, healthcare systems, financial services firms, veteran-focused employers — have active ESG mandates and genuine desire to demonstrate care for their veteran workforce. This is a procurement strategy, not philanthropy.
- ▸Build a corporate partnership program where companies purchase devices in bulk for veteran employees, veteran customers, or as community investment
- ▸Target defense primes, large healthcare networks, and companies with veteran hiring initiatives as anchor partners
- ▸Structure tiered programs: device purchase, co-branded health programs, data reporting partnerships
- ▸Each corporate partnership is also a distribution channel — company purchases directly fund device access for veterans who cannot self-purchase
- ▸Align with the Buy One / Fund One model to create a self-sustaining distribution flywheel
Build and Execute a Multi-Stream Revenue Model
Optimus OS is not a single-revenue-stream business. The model is architected across four distinct channels that reinforce each other — consumer, institutional, clinical reimbursement, and mission-driven distribution.
- ▸Direct to Consumer (D2C) — Veteran-facing retail and subscription model. High-agency veterans who want clinical-grade monitoring without a provider intermediary. The brand's first proof point in the market.
- ▸VSO & NGO Distribution — Group pricing, member benefit integrations, and chapter-level programs that place devices at scale through trusted veteran networks. Revenue recognized through institutional licensing and device sales at volume.
- ▸Reimbursable RTM Management — Remote Therapeutic Monitoring is billable today. CMS CPT codes 98975–98981 allow clinical providers to bill approximately $146/month per enrolled veteran for monitoring our platform enables — no FDA clearance required. Build the clinical provider network, billing infrastructure, and compliance systems that make this scalable. Post-FDA clearance: RPM unlocks a parallel and expanded reimbursement pathway. Explore TRICARE for active duty and transitioning service members.
- ▸Buy One / Deploy One — Corporate procurement partners purchase devices for veteran employees, veteran customers, or community investment. Each corporate purchase funds device access for a veteran who cannot self-purchase. A mission flywheel that drives distribution revenue and brand equity simultaneously.
Advance the VA Partnership and Build the Government Distribution Strategy
We have opened conversations with the VA. The strategic thesis: pilot a distribution program where veterans receive Optimus OS devices through VA-adjacent channels, generating aggregated health data the VA can use to better understand and serve its population.
- ▸Own the VA Innovation Ecosystem engagement — move from conversation to pilot program agreement
- ▸Design the data-sharing framework: non-PII aggregated insights that give the VA population-level visibility they currently do not have
- ▸Navigate VA procurement, HIPAA data governance, and the regulatory requirements that make a formal partnership viable
- ▸Explore DOD channels for active duty distribution and performance monitoring applications
- ▸The VA relationship is both a distribution channel and a legitimacy signal that accelerates every other partnership conversation
Manage the Hardware Foundation and Own the Long-Term Data Platform Strategy
We launch with SensorBio hardware. The roadmap takes us to an owned Optimus OS device and a proprietary data platform. The health data generated at scale is not a byproduct — it is a strategic asset and a fifth revenue stream.
- ▸Oversee the SensorBio relationship: quality, supply chain, deployment logistics, and product roadmap alignment
- ▸Build the internal engineering, data, and product capabilities required to develop the Optimus OS proprietary device (Years 2–3)
- ▸Define and protect the company's data ownership strategy — we own the health data generated on our platform, and that data is the long-term moat no competitor can replicate
- ▸Develop the non-PII data sharing framework for VSOs, VA, and clinical research partners — creating value for partners without compromising veteran privacy
- ▸Build a data insights revenue strategy — aggregated, de-identified veteran health data at scale has significant commercial value to pharmaceutical companies conducting clinical trials, the VA and DOD for population health research, US government health policy programs, and academic medical institutions. Architect a structured data monetization model that creates recurring institutional revenue while maintaining rigorous veteran privacy standards and community trust
- ▸Evaluate and pursue additional clinical-grade hardware partnerships to diversify beyond SensorBio as the company scales
Phased priorities. Measurable outcomes. The playbook is yours to refine — these are the milestones we're building toward.
Foundation
- ▸Land and orient — Deep-dive on the SensorBio partnership, VA conversations, and founding team relationships. Audit what exists. Build your operating plan.
- ▸Make the first critical hires — VSO partnerships director, clinical operations lead, and RTM/RPM billing specialist. These three unlock the primary revenue and distribution strategies simultaneously.
- ▸Activate VSO outreach — Identify the top 8–10 national and regional VSOs. Make contact. Begin pilot program design conversations with the top 3.
- ▸Close the first corporate procurement partner — One anchor company, purchasing devices for veteran employees or community distribution. This validates the model and generates initial capital.
- ▸Establish the RTM provider network foundation — Identify and begin contracting with 2–3 clinical partners (telehealth groups or VA-affiliated clinics) capable of enrolling veterans in RTM programs.
- ▸Begin SensorBio deployment prep — Complete the logistics, compliance, and onboarding infrastructure required to deploy the first 1,000 devices.
Activation
- ▸Execute VSO pilot programs — First 2–3 VSO partnerships producing active device distribution. Measure adoption, engagement, and health outcome signals. Build the case for national rollout.
- ▸Scale RTM enrollment to 500+ veterans — Clinical network generating consistent reimbursement revenue. Identify the provider model that scales most efficiently and invest in it.
- ▸Advance the VA relationship toward a formal pilot agreement — Non-PII data sharing framework drafted, pilot program scoped, stakeholders aligned on both sides.
- ▸Build the corporate partnership pipeline — 3–5 corporate partners active or in contract. Develop the inbound program so companies are approaching us, not just the reverse.
- ▸Complete seed round — Lead the capital raise alongside the founding team. Use the VSO traction, RTM revenue, and VA engagement as proof points.
- ▸Begin FDA clearance process — Engage regulatory counsel. Map the 510(k) pathway for the SensorBio device. FDA clearance unlocks RPM and dramatically expands the revenue ceiling.
Scale
- ▸National VSO rollout — 10–15+ national VSO agreements active. Chapter-level distribution infrastructure operating. Device access reaching tens of thousands of veterans through trusted channels.
- ▸RTM to RPM transition — FDA clearance achieved. RPM enrollment begins. Reimbursement per veteran increases significantly. Clinical credibility unlocks VA and DOD procurement conversations at scale.
- ▸VA pilot → formal program — Aggregate data flowing to VA partners. Formal distribution or procurement agreement in place. The VA relationship becomes a reference that opens every other government door.
- ▸Begin Optimus OS proprietary device development — Engineering team building. SensorBio remains the operational foundation while the owned device is developed. Data platform architecture finalized.
- ▸Series A readiness — RTM/RPM revenue, VSO distribution scale, VA partnership, and corporate procurement pipeline combine to support a Series A raise at a significantly higher valuation. Lead the process.
- ▸Build the data strategy into a competitive moat — Non-PII veteran health data shared with VSOs and VA creates institutional lock-in. No competitor can replicate a dataset of this scale, clinical quality, and community trust.
- ✓ SensorBio Hardware Partnership Signed
Clinical-grade biosensor platform. 10,000 units deployable within 60 days of funding. Open API, EMR integration, used by Duke Health, Pfizer, NASA, Stanford.
- ✓ VA Conversations Active
Engaged with VA Innovation Ecosystem. The relationships are warm. The pilot strategy is defined. Needs a CEO to close it.
- ✓ RTM Revenue Framework Defined
CMS CPT codes mapped, billing model built, clinical reimbursement rates validated. Needs provider network and enrollment infrastructure.
- ✓ Seed Capital in Place
1845 Ventures backing. Pre-seed funded. Seed round being led by incoming CEO alongside founder team.
- ✓ Advisory Infrastructure in Place
Chief Wellness Advisor credentialed in performance and longevity. Defense tech advisor with corporate-level expertise in military procurement and government partnerships. Mission-first brand positioning in place. Veteran community relationships active.
- Trey Bowles — Cofounder & Interim CEO
Multi-exited entrepreneur at the intersection of technology, AI, and entrepreneurship. Driving capital strategy and company vision. CEO will run the business; Trey provides strategic and investor infrastructure.
- Ryan Brown — COO
Mission architect and experienced entrepreneur. Military contracting and manufacturing operations. Day-to-day operational partner to the CEO.
- Mateen Aini — CMO
TheBlaze Media, Casper, Hims & Hers, Colossal Biosciences. Brand and growth architecture. Has built veteran-adjacent consumer brands at scale.
- Wade Myers — Venture Partnerships
Army Ranger, Combat Veteran. Investor and operator in category-defining platforms. Veteran network and capital relationships.
- Ed Le Cara — Chief Wellness Advisor
Performance and longevity specialist. Bridges physiological data to clinical application. Supports the RTM/RPM wellness framework and veteran health programming.
- Hayden Meredith — Advisor, Defense Tech
Expert in defense technology at the corporate level. Deep relationships and operational expertise across defense contractors, military procurement, and government partnerships.
- Community Credibility
Has served, or has spent years earning genuine trust inside the veteran community. Understands how service members think, what they distrust, and how institutional trust is built differently in this ecosystem.
- Healthcare Distribution
Has navigated clinical distribution — ideally within government health systems, VA, DOD health, or large-scale Medicare/Medicaid programs. Knows how RTM/RPM reimbursement actually works in practice.
- Organizational Builder
Has built something from early stage — a company, a division, a program — and can point to the team, the culture, and the outcomes as evidence. Has made hard hiring decisions and accountability calls.
- Partnership Developer
Comfortable closing complex, multi-stakeholder agreements with government agencies, non-profits, and corporations simultaneously. Understands that VSO and VA relationships require sustained presence, not just a pitch.
- Digital Health Fluency
Understands wearable health tech, FDA regulatory pathways, data governance, and the clinical credibility standards that separate a medical device from a consumer product.
- Field Operator
Must be willing to travel. VSO chapters, VA facilities, military installations, corporate partners. This role is built in the field, not behind a desk.
This conversation starts with a direct introduction. If this is the right role, you'll know it when you read this.