About Us
Over a century of life-saving innovation
From a small Boston laboratory in 1917 to more than two million defibrillators deployed worldwide — the heritage behind every Heart2Start device is one of the longest and most consequential in emergency medicine.
The story behind your defibrillator
The technology inside every Philips HeartStart AED traces its roots to 1917, when the Sanborn Company was founded in Boston to manufacture electrocardiograph machines. Over the following decades, Sanborn pioneered portable cardiac monitoring equipment that would lay the groundwork for modern emergency care.
In 1961, Hewlett-Packard acquired Sanborn, bringing its engineering rigour to bear on a growing range of medical devices. Three decades later, a group of former Physio-Control engineers founded HeartStream — the company that would create the world's first consumer AED, the Forerunner, in 1996. Hewlett-Packard acquired HeartStream in 1998, recognising that accessible defibrillation was about to change emergency response forever.
When Philips acquired the Healthcare Solutions Group from Agilent Technologies in 2001, it inherited not just a product portfolio but over eighty years of accumulated expertise. Philips launched the HeartStart HS1 in 2002 and the HeartStart FRx in 2005 — devices that remain among the most trusted and widely deployed AEDs on the planet.
Key milestones
A continuous thread of innovation from Boston to the world.
1917
Sanborn Company founded
Boston-based Sanborn begins manufacturing electrocardiograph equipment, pioneering portable cardiac monitoring.
1961
Hewlett-Packard acquires Sanborn
HP brings its engineering excellence to cardiac care, accelerating development of diagnostic and monitoring technology.
1992
HeartStream founded
Former Physio-Control engineers establish HeartStream with a singular mission: put defibrillation in the hands of bystanders.
1996
Forerunner AED launched
HeartStream introduces the world's first consumer AED — a device designed for use by anyone, without medical training.
1998
Hewlett-Packard acquires HeartStream
HP recognises the transformative potential of accessible defibrillation and brings HeartStream into its healthcare division.
2001
Philips acquires the healthcare division
Philips acquires Agilent Technologies' Healthcare Solutions Group, inheriting 84 years of cardiac care innovation.
2002
Philips HeartStart HS1 AED launched
The HS1 sets a new benchmark for workplace AEDs — clear voice guidance, self-testing, and unmatched reliability.
2005
Philips HeartStart FRx launched
The rugged, IP55-rated FRx extends professional-grade defibrillation to high-risk and outdoor environments.
2020
Two millionth AED shipped
Philips reaches a landmark milestone — two million HeartStart defibrillators deployed in over 100 countries worldwide.
Philips Emergency Care today
Philips Emergency Care is the dedicated business unit carrying forward the full legacy of HeartStart innovation. With a focused mission — to give every bystander the confidence and tools to act in a cardiac emergency — Philips Emergency Care continues to develop the world's most trusted defibrillators.
Heart2Start is proud to partner with Philips Emergency Care to bring the HeartStart HS1 and FRx to workplaces, schools, sports facilities and public spaces across the UK. Every device we supply is backed by that century-long commitment to reliability, simplicity and life-saving performance.
Get a Philips HeartStart for your workplace
Join thousands of organisations who trust Philips — the world's most deployed defibrillator brand.