Bedford Businessman Honored at the White House

Story reported and written by Charlie Breitrose.

Amar Sawhney went to the White House to be recognized as an immigrant innovator and entrepreneur. 

The president and chief executive officer of Ocular Therapeutix in Bedford was among the 11 people honored as a "Champion of Change."

Working in the medical device industry, Sawhney has received more than 120 patents.

"He has founded six companies, which account for over 1,600 jobs created and over $1.5 billion in revenue to date. Amar helps foster entrepreneurship by mentoring young innovators and creating companies through Incept, a medical device incubator he helped co-found," according to a White House release.

Sawhney moved to the United States in 1987, and started inventing because he was rejected from 30 jobs due to the lack of a Green Card, according to a piece on siliconhillsnews.com. 

“If you have not much to lose, you take more risk and you try harder,” Sawhney said in the YouTube video from the Immigrant Learning Center.