What happens when a NFL Player and leading medtech engineers play on the same team?

Many know Ben Utecht as a Gopher and Super Bowl Champion. Recently, Utecht has added entrepreneur to his list. He’s been traveling the world as a strong advocate for hygiene health. A few years ago, he developed the Shower Sockᵀᴹ, creating the first prototype with Bakken MDC. 

Finding inspiration from injury

While playing in the NFL in 2008, Utecht contracted a terrible foot fungal infection. “I got it in an NFL shower facility cleaned twice a day,” says Utecht. “It was painful, embarrassing, and even left physical scarring.”

The injury also left him with some unexpected inspiration. “After retiring and joining a national fitness club brand, I was appalled by the lack of cleanliness on the shower floors,” says Utecht. He wondered: has anyone ever created a disposable antibacterial and antifungal shower wearable? To his surprise, there wasn’t such a product.
 

Ben Utecht playing for the NFL Indiana Colts

Ben Utecht playing for the NFL Indiana Colts.
 

After experiencing a career-ending concussion in 2009, Utecht decided to pursue his passion for helping others protect their physical wellness. “Concussions taught me how valuable our brains and bodies are. The healthier our bodies are, the greater our purpose can become,” says Utecht. “My purpose now is to help people be healthy, in both life and business.”

Collaborating with Bakken MDC

In 2019, he returned to his alma mater and collaborated with engineers at the Earl E. Bakken Medical Devices Center (Bakken MDC) at the University of Minnesota Medical School, where Utecht already had a shared history aligned with the mission of Bakken MDC for enhancing and accelerating development of medical technologies and innovations to directly help patients. “Ben has been a colleague on a number of topics as an expert for concussion-related projects,” says Paul Rothweiler, Bakken MDC’s Technology Development Program Manager. When Ben shared his story and dreams of helping prevent foot bacterial and fungal infections, it was a perfect fit, according to Rothweiler. “He shared the same passion as we do here at Bakken MDC in helping make a real health impact in society.”

The Shower Sockᵀᴹ

By gathering a team through Bakken MDC’s network of industry experts and competitive Undergraduate Research Assistant program, Utecht was able to create a prototype alongside then-undergraduates Ryan Krutchen and Julia Clarin. With expertise from leading Medical School clinicians, the students helped develop the first wearable solution that would later be advanced to create the product. After developing the prototype, Utecht partnered with global med tech executive, Mario Nozzarella and Heinrich Von Solms, the innovator behind the design of the sock, to further develop the product.
 

Images of Shower Sockᵀᴹ prototype advanced through expertise from UMN clinicians

Shower Sockᵀᴹ prototype advanced through expertise from the U of M Medical School clinicians
 

They secured the US and International Patent and trademarks for what became the Shower Sockᵀᴹ and developed the manufacturing and chemical application process, which will be applied in the US. The Shower Sockᵀᴹ and developed the manufacturing and chemical application process, which will be applied in the US. The Shower Sockᵀᴹ is a disposable sock worn in a shower that allows water to flow through for normal hygiene routines while preventing fungal infections.

To Utecht, the product has potential to make a global impact for foot health. “20-25% of the world’s population is suffering from bacterial and fungal foot infections at any given time. Our product can prevent those infections and positively impact billions of lives,” says Utecht. “From hospitals, to fitness clubs, university housing, hotels, sports facilities, camping, and even at home, all will benefit from a preventative product like the Shower Sock.”
 

 

Future plans with Bakken MDC

To reach his goal of protecting feet across the whole world, Ben Utecht is teaming up with Bakken MDC again to further develop the shower sock towards enhanced treatment solutions and other products. “The Bakken group and the University are no strangers to innovation. We are excited to work together again and continue building strong partnerships among clinicians, researchers,  students and industry,” says Nozzarella.

For Bakken MDC’s Director Hubert Lim, “we’re proud to collaborate with innovators like Ben who are part of the local community and yet making an impact at an international level. Bakken MDC is dedicated to helping entrepreneurs tackle healthcare needs and integrating academia and industry partnerships into sustainable business ecosystems.”