The People Behind OxSHIELD
30+ years of operational and technology leadership, applied to the intersection of bioelectronics and human wellness.
John Hynds
Founder & Inventor
John brings 30+ years of operational and technology leadership across 11 industries — from avionics in the U.S. Marine Corps to building engineering teams of 150+, leading through an IPO and a $2 billion acquisition, and manufacturing FDA-regulated diagnostic test systems.
He also opened one of the first low-carb food stores in the U.S. — because he's always signed the front of paychecks, not just the back.
View LinkedIn ProfileEducation & Credentials
MBA — Acton School of Business
Jordan Peterson Fellow in Entrepreneurship & Leadership. Acton's rigorous case-method program focuses on building entrepreneurs who create value through independent thinking and operational excellence.
MIT xPRO — AI Learning Facilitator
Teaching role (not a certificate) — John facilitates MIT xPRO's Designing and Building AI Products and Services program for practitioners.
Patents & Inventions
Co-authored patent for optical/IP network architecture (ClearStream Communications). OxSHIELD provisional patent filed — bioelectronic wearable device, currently in prototyping phase.
U.S. Marine Corps Veteran
Avionics specialist. The discipline, precision, and mission-first mindset of military service continues to inform every venture John builds.
30+ Years Across 11 Industries
A track record of building, scaling, and leading teams through enterprise technology, medical devices, networking, and beyond.
U.S. Marine Corps
Avionics
Boeing
747 Production Line & Advanced Technology Group
Genetic Systems
Manufactured first in-field AIDS test systems under FDA regulation
Cabletron Systems
Systems Engineer of the Year
Xylan Corporation
Built team to 150+ engineers, led through IPO & $2B Alcatel acquisition
Corvis Corporation
OC-192 Optical Networking
ClearStream Communications
CTO / Chief Network Architect
Avaya
Unified Communications
Polycom
Director of Architecture & Solution Engineering — 13 years, 45+ engineers
Device Authority
Built Customer Success from zero
Why I Built OxSHIELD
“My wife and I are deeply health-conscious — functional medicine, clean eating, and I've done CrossFit high-intensity training for years. When I researched the science behind grounding, the evidence was compelling — reduced inflammation, improved recovery, better sleep. But for most of us, staying grounded throughout the day just isn't practical.
As a serial inventor, I knew I needed to solve for that. OxSHIELD is a bioelectronic wearable that delivers the benefits of grounding without requiring bare feet on bare earth. It's the intersection of what I live personally and what I build professionally.”
— John Hynds, Founder
Publications & Presentations
MIT xPRO AI Program Facilitator
Ongoing teaching role — Designing and Building AI Products and Services
Patent: Optical/IP Network Architecture
Co-authored at ClearStream Communications
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers & NSF Presentations
Presented network architecture innovations during ClearStream era
Thought Leadership Blog
Active writing on AI architecture, cost analysis, and operational transformation at hynds.ai/blog
Our Mission
At Grounded Ventures, we believe the next frontier of wellness technology lies at the intersection of bioelectronics and the Earth's own electrical systems. OxSHIELD represents our commitment to translating peer-reviewed science into practical, wearable solutions that may help combat oxidative stress — wherever life takes you.