Medical device firm hearts Sarasota

Inventor and entrepreneur Arthur Lih spent three years and about $300,000 to bring a unique medical device designed to save people who are choking to the marketplace.

But like many startups, Lih's primary challenge with the product, LifeVac, is to generate and maintain marketing traction. And even though Lih is based on Long Island, N.Y., he credits organizations in Sarasota with driving early success.

“Sarasota has been the most receptive part of the country,” Lih tells Coffee Talk. “This is our petri dish.”