| UC Students Rise to the Cardinal Challenge Submitted: 3/30/2009 10:57:07 AM • Congratulations to UC engineering and business students Philip Gettinger and Amro Kamel on winning the 110% Rhythm Award and being one of only 12 team finalists presenting in the 2009 Cardinal Challenge Graduate Business Plan Competition hosted by the University of Louisville. Their new venture idea, DiabetiTec LLC, made the final cut from over 36 schools competing to be among the finalists and beat out the overall field of 12 for the award. By: E-Center StaffLouisville, KY. Congratulations to UC engineering and business students Philip Gettinger and Amro Kamel on winning the 110% Rhythm Award and being one of only 12 team finalists presenting in the 2009 Cardinal Challenge Graduate Business Plan Competition hosted by the University of Louisville and sponsored by Brown-Forman. Their new venture idea, DiabetiTec LLC, made the final cut from over 36 schools competing to be among the finalists and beat out the overall field of 12 for the award. “The 110% Rhythm Award goes to the team that demonstrates unwavering vision, passion and commitment to their chosen business,” noted Joel Adams, CEO of RJS, LLC and creators of Rhythm, a citrus liquer beverage. “We at RJS believe that the team matters most and a solid team will make the difference between success and failure.” The award includes a $1,000 prize to the team.
"I have been and continue to be most impressed with the insight and enthusiasm that team DiabetiTec brings to this problem," commented Dr. Charles H. Matthews, Executive Director of the UC Center for Entrepreneurship Education & Research and one of the team's faculty advisors. "They embody the essence of entrepreneurship - drive, determination and dedication. They know that this health crises can be averted and they are taking action. They are most deserving of this recognition." Both Kamel and Gettinger took Matthews' graduate course "Entrepreneurship: New Venture Creation" this past Fall. While DiabetiTec could not get past an outstanding team from the University of Oregon which moved on to the final four, they did move on to the Fast Pitch round where teams had one minute to impress the judges. Kamel did the honors for team DiabetiTec LLC laying out in 60 seconds the problem and solution: Over $13 billion is spent annually on the treatment of 1.2 million foot ulcers in diabetic patients; the solution: Diabetitec has developed UlcerScale, an easy to use at-home device that detects the formation of and aids in the prevention of diabetic related foot ulcers. UlcerScale is part of an initial three product solution including UlcerCom, providing a proprietary IT solution for tracking and physician uplink, and SoleComfort, shoe inserts that help reduce friction and prevent ulcers. Next up, the team will compete as one of the 20 finalists in the 5th Annual Spirit of Enterprise Graduate Business Plan Competition February 26-27, 2009, hosted by the University of Cincinnati and sponsored by Cincom Systems. For more information on the UC Spirit of Enterprise please go to www.uc.edu/ecenter. Below are the results from the Cardinal Challenge. Final Four: First place - The University of Manitoba, "Purus Technologies Tied for second place - The University of Louisville, "necoPlastics" and - Queen's University (Canada) "Epitherapeutics" Third place - The University of Oregon, "Fan Experience" Fast Pitch winners:
First place – University of Arkansas, “Tears for Life” Second place – Brigham Young University, “Wasatch Organics” The 110% Rhythm Award: University of Cincinnati, DiabetiTec LLC Photo: L to R: DiabetiTec LLC founders, Philip Gettinger and Amro Kamel, prepare for the Fast Pitch Round of the 2009 Cardinal Challenge in Louisville, KY About DiabetiTec LLC DiabetiTec LLC is the developer of UlcerScale, an at-home device that detects the formation of and aids in the prevention of diabetic foot ulcers. It is similar in appearance and ease of use of a standard bathroom scale. Medicare spends over $13 billion a year treating over 1.2 million foot ulcers. The financial burden also affects patients with an average annual out-of-pocket expense of $1,400 per patient for all ulcer related treatments. Recent studies have shown that an increase in temperature is one of the earliest measurable signs of ulcer formation. UlcerScale, set to launch in 2011, examines specific sites on the feet and provides a convenient and timely warning to the user of the risk of ulcer growth and is the first in a family of products representing a total solution for ulcer prevention. UlcerCom will launch in 2012, and is an IT solution to facilitate tracking, physician uplink, and insurance compensation. SoleComfort insoles will launch in 2013, and will actively prevent ulcers by reducing friction and pressure on feet. About the UC Center for Entrepreneurship Education & Research: The UC Center for Entrepreneurship Education and Research, established in 1997, seeks to create a world-class center for entrepreneurship education, research, and service. Under the leadership of the E-Center founder and Executive Director, Dr. Charles H. Matthews, the center's vision and mission is to provide a state-of-the-art entrepreneurship curriculum not only for potential entrepreneurs, but also for people in the many organizations that interact with small, entrepreneurial and family owned businesses on a daily basis. Located in the in the College of Business, the UC Center for Entrepreneurship seeks collaborative efforts between students from across the university. The E-Center was nationally ranked as a top entrepreneurship program in 2001, 2003-06, and in 2008 was ranked number 21 by the Princeton Review. E-Center programs and initiatives including its Small Business Institute®, and rigorous curriculum and competitions, among others, facilitate the entrepreneurial journey. Contact: Charles Matthews, PhD • Printer-Friendly Version • E-mail this information to a friend |
