In this episode of Athletes to Entrepreneurs, Rob Finkelstein sits down with Marco Benitez—a former Taekwondo national champion turned biomedical engineer, health tech innovator, and co-founder of ROOK. From the dojang to data, Marco’s journey is all about using technology to unlock healthier, more empowered lives.
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Rob and Marco dive deep into the challenges athletes face when transitioning out of sports and how the skills honed in competition—discipline, consistency, and resilience—can fuel business success. Marco shares how his experience in martial arts shaped his mindset and ultimately led him to major roles at Roche and Novartis, before stepping into entrepreneurship to solve one of the biggest problems in health tech: fragmented health data.
Today, Marco is the Co-Founder of ROOK, a powerful API platform that helps health and insurance companies make sense of real-time fitness and health data. What started as a wearable tech project has grown into an industry-leading solution used by major players across healthcare. And at the core of it all is Marco’s mission: to make health data accessible, accurate, and actionable for everyone.
Whether you're an athlete planning your next chapter, a tech-minded innovator, or someone passionate about wellness, this episode will open your eyes to what’s possible when you combine athletic mindset with purposeful innovation.
🔑 Key Takeaways:
Sports Build the Foundation: Discipline and consistency drive success in any field.
- Martial Arts Molded the Entrepreneur**: Taekwondo taught Marco resilience, humility, and focus.
- Transitioning is Tough—but Powerful**: Identity shifts are real, but they open new doors.
- ROOK is Transforming Health Tech**: From wearables to a robust data API, it’s making health smarter.
- Data is Power—When It’s Accessible**: Standardizing fitness and health data empowers users.
- **Start Networking Early**: Build your tribe while you’re still competing.
- **NIL Gaps Still Exist**: Especially in sports like Taekwondo—more awareness is needed.
- **Tech + Purpose = Impact**: ROOK is a case study in mission-driven innovation.
- **Athletes are Built for Business**: The mindset translates—you just need the right tools.
- **Never Stop Building**: The journey doesn’t end after sports—it evolves.
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About Marco Benitez:
Marco Benitez is a former national Taekwondo champion turned **biomedical engineer and entrepreneur**, with a career at the crossroads of health, sports, and technology. After leadership roles at **Roche and Novartis**, Marco co-founded **ROOK**, a company focused on making real-time health and fitness data accessible through its powerful API platform. Today, ROOK powers solutions across healthcare and insurance sectors—all built on Marco’s mission to **empower healthier lives through better data**.
“I’m still competing—just on a different playing field.”
Connect with Marco Benitez:
💼 LinkedIn: [Marco Benitez](https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcobzg/)
🌐 ROOK: [tryrook.io](https://www.linkedin.com/company/tryrookio/?viewAsMember=true)
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🔗 Connect with Alumni Direct:
At Alumni Direct, we’re creating a better way for athletes and alumni to **connect, grow, and thrive beyond the game**. Whether you’re exploring new career paths, building a business, or just looking to expand your network—we’re here to support the next step in your journey.
📸 Instagram: [@AlumniDirect](https://www.instagram.com/alumnidirect)
💼 LinkedIn: [Alumni Direct](https://www.linkedin.com/company/alumnidirect)
📘 Facebook: [Alumni Direct](https://www.facebook.com/alumnidirect)
**You’ve already built the mindset—now let’s build the mission.**
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