#524 Data-Driven Health: Marco Benítez on Building the API Powering the Future of Preventive Medicine

In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, host Mehmet Gonullu welcomes Marco Benítez, Founder & CEO of Rook, a data infrastructure company powering the next generation of preventive healthcare.

From martial arts discipline to building one of the most promising health data platforms in the world, Marco shares his entrepreneurial journey, the evolution of wearables, and how clean data and AI are redefining human health.

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👤 About the Guest

Marco Benítez is a biomedical engineer and serial entrepreneur originally from Mexico, now based in the U.S. His company Rook connects over 400 wearables, medical devices, and lab tests through a single API—helping organizations transform raw biometric data into actionable health insights.

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💡 Key Takeaways

• How Rook’s API integrates 400+ devices to deliver real-time health intelligence

• The evolution from fitness tracking to Medicine 3.0 and preventive care

• Why data normalization and security compliance (HIPAA, GDPR) are core to scaling health tech

• The role of AI in making wearable data truly meaningful for longevity and wellness

• Marco’s founder mindset — how discipline, persistence, and transparency drive success

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🎓 What You’ll Learn

• Why the future of medicine lies in prevention, not reaction

• The intersection of biomedical engineering, AI, and human behavior

• How startups can leverage clean data to power reliable AI models

• Lessons on raising capital in the U.S. health tech ecosystem

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🕒 Episode Highlights

00:00 – Intro & Marco’s journey from Mexico to Miami

05:00 – The story behind Rook and its wearable integrations

10:00 – Overcoming data privacy and compliance challenges

18:00 – The shift from fitness apps to clinical-grade health platforms

24:00 – Medicine 3.0 and the power of preventive data

27:00 – AI’s role in transforming wearables into insights

37:00 – Building a B2B SaaS model for health tech scalability

40:00 – Marco’s advice for founders raising in the U.S.

44:00 – The future of health data and Rook’s vision

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🔗 Resources Mentioned

• Rook Official Website: https://www.tryrook.io/

• Medicine 3.0 by Peter Attia (book reference)