LAS VEGAS–Rachel Otto and Efoe Femi Nyatepe-Coo, doctor of audiology students at Northwestern University, were named the winning team here earlier this month in the second annual ADA Student Business Plan Competition, sponsored by EarQ.
Efoe Femi Nyatepe-Coo and Rachel Otto show the reward for their victory.
The two fourth-year students were honored during the 2014 Academy of Doctors of Audiology (ADA) Convention. They received a $5000 cash grant to be used toward developing their business objectives and skills in order to improve their ability to help people overcome hearing loss.
Ed Keller, president of EarQ, said, “At a time when our industry’s future has never been brighter, we are deeply committed to helping audiology students understand the value of owning their own practice and offering them the tools they need to achieve their professional goals.”
A panel of judges selected the winning team based on the creativity, feasibility, completeness, cohesiveness, professionalism, and polish of the business plan they entered in the competition.
A native of Ghana, Nyatepe-Coo received a BS in communication science and disorders from Northwestern in 2012. Currently he is doing an externship at St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center.
Rachel Otto, an audiology extern at the University of Chicago Medicine, Ear Machine LLC, also earned her undergraduate degree from Northwestern.
The winning team was one of 19 contestants from 13 universities. The finalists received an all-expense paid trip to the ADA Convention at the Red Rock Resort and Casino, where they presented their business plans to a live audience and a panel of judges.
For more on the ADA Convention, see Wayne Staab’s report.
Congratulations to you both! Excellent business plan and presentation. Well done.