Inundated with recovery protocols after her knee surgery, Megan Hanrahan felt a drive to help make the healing process simpler. She is now developing the solution as a founder in the Master of Business Creation (MBC) program at the University of Utah’s David Eccles School of Business.
Hanranhan’s product — a knee brace that combines cooling and stabilizing technology in an integrated system — came to life through her physical therapy consulting business, Vibe Wellness.
“As a physical therapist, I see a need to help make self-care easier and more convenient,” Hanrahan said. “I just saw a solution of integrating as many tasks as I could into this knee brace.”
Hanrahan said her goal is to offer natural therapy techniques in one stand-alone product to help patients heal faster and avoid pain medications.
The brace is now in the final stages of testing as proof-of-concept. With multiple samples, Hanrahan’s product has been demonstrated to work.
“What I need now is the MBC program to help me take it to the next level of the quality and professional grade to commercialize it,” she said.
Alongside her own experience, Hanrahan said she received a lot of encouragement to fulfill her creative drive. After several people brought the Master of Business Creation program to Hanrahan’s attention, she thought it would aid in her journey to launch a product while mid-career.
“Once the program starts, you’re continuously working on your company and learning every day. That directed focus, with rigorous deadlines, has been really key for me,” Hanrahan said.
More articles like this in ‘Student Innovation @ the U!’
Find this article and a lot more in the 2021 “Student Innovation @ the U” report. The publication is presented by the Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute to celebrate student innovators, change-makers, and entrepreneurs.
