Two undergraduate students from the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University received third place and an honorable mention during the 14th Annual Baylor New Venture Competition in March for their prototype of a medical language translation platform.
The recognition highlights the growing interest in technology solutions that address language barriers in healthcare settings. Such innovations aim to improve communication between patients and medical staff, which can be critical for effective care.
Anthony Even-Vaca, a sophomore studying International Security and Law, said he and his cofounder felt like underdogs among more experienced competitors. “I definitely was the youngest there,” Even-Vaca said. The national competition, held at Baylor University’s Paul L. Foster Campus for Business and Innovation in Waco, Texas, attracted student entrepreneurs from across the country who pitched their startup ideas to panels of judges.
Even-Vaca partnered with Jayden Banks, a graduating senior majoring in government and international politics. Together they developed Doctors United DPT, a self-funded platform designed to translate medical terminology across approximately 200 languages using artificial intelligence. The pair earned $1,500 as an honorable mention prize and $500 for placing third in the elevator pitch segment of the event.
Banks said his experience working as a clinical technician at Inova Fairfax Medical Campus inspired him to develop the app after witnessing challenges caused by language differences between patients and staff. He began building it about eighteen months ago before recruiting Even-Vaca to help expand its capabilities—including adding features such as a “confidence meter” that indicates how reliable AI-generated translations are. “The judges loved it,” Banks said.
Looking ahead, Banks and Even-Vaca are seeking advice from George Mason alumni and business professors as they work to further develop their award-winning business.
