PerSys Medical was created in 2006. In its earlier form, Performance Systems was a marketing company founded by Ofer Molad in the late 1980s. The original focus was innovative technologies that came out of Israel, the “Startup Nation.” At that time, Israel was building an international reputation as a center for innovation. But while the small country excelled in technology, it tended to fall short in marketing its products, especially in the US. Seeing an opportunity, PerSys Medical (under its early name Performance Systems) signed a contract with the Israeli government and the Technology Incubator Program.
Under that contract, Performance Systems provided a variety of marketing services for Israeli Incubator companies, paving the way to bring their products to the US market. There were twenty-six Incubators with hundreds of startup companies; many needed marketing services once their technologies and patents turned into products, or at least proved their feasibility. For the next decade, this demand brought great success to Performance Systems as a marketing services company. Then, in 2001, the events of 9/11 marked a significant shift in the Israeli and US startup market sector.
Many of the Israeli technology companies who focused on the US market lost their prospective investments due to the economic recession; at the same time, the catastrophic event forced the US to realize that it was not prepared for Mass Casualty Incidents. This created a new demand for Pre-hospital and First Responders’ medical products. As a result, Performance Systems modified its operations to adapt to this changing market. The company moved beyond marketing and began to offer commercial services to distribute products and shifted its focus from technological innovations to medical innovations. Furthermore, the company narrowed its focus to ‘life-saving innovations’ for the pre-hospital space.
After this pivot into the medical world, Performance Systems’ first commercial success was with the Emergency Bandage® (also known as The Israeli Bandage®), which was produced by First Care Products, LTD, an incubator company from Jerusalem. The second commercial success came from Waismed Medical LTD, an incubator company based in the Technion in Haifa.
Identifying an opportunity, Performance Systems evolved into a medical device company, developing, manufacturing, and bringing products to market. It was time for Performance Systems to create a new name and a new message. The company became PerSys Medical; our new focus called for a new logo that would symbolize life-saving medical products.
Among the designs under consideration, one was based on an image resembling an angel spreading its wings. The company had received countless testimonies about its products saving lives in a variety of situations and circumstances. The image of a guardian angel representing the individuals who use the products to save lives—healthcare providers, first responders, medics, soldiers, and ordinary people—emerged as most fitting. The uniting theme is that in times of life-threatening emergencies, anyone can become a guardian angel.
About a year ago, the American Red Cross contacted PerSys Medical, stating that the logo, when used in small size, projected an image similar to the logo of the Red Cross organization. It was never the intention of PerSys Medical to replicate any imagery belonging to the Red Cross. Despite our rejection of the claim, The Red Cross expressed an opposition to a TM application PerSys Medical had with the US Patent Office, an application which included the logo. Following discussions with the Red Cross, PerSys Medical decided to modify the logo by altering the image to emphasize the concept of angels’ wings, further distinguishing it from a cross.
The Red Cross organization welcomed PerSys Medical’s proposed design change, and the two organizations entered into a settlement agreement about the logo dispute. The new logo is in the works and will be shared soon with our friends, partners, distributors, and customers around the world.
PerSys Medical’s guardian angel will continue to fly and spread its wings over the enduring effort to save lives!