Entrepreneurs recognised with UQ awards, scholarships

Startups and social enterprises have been celebrated at The University of Queensland’s 4th annual Entrepreneurship and Innovation Awards for their social and economic impact. 

Presented by UQ Ventures with support from UniQuest and the Food and Beverage Accelerator (FaBA), the awards highlight the impact of innovative student-led ventures and research-based startups. 

Three new UQ scholarships were also awarded to students who are using their creativity, leadership, and entrepreneurial spirit to create impact.  

2025 Award Winners: 

• UQ Student Entrepreneur of the Year: Nicholas Egan – co-founder of MyHive, a safety app helping older Australians live independently. 

• UQ Startup of the Year: Polinate – a SaaS logistics platform revolutionising hospitality procurement. 

• UQ Social Enterprise of the Year: Kolmi – an edtech startup making English learning accessible via WhatsApp. 

• FaBA Food and Beverage Startup of the Year: My PlantCo – a plant-based innovation company leading a $5.6M research collaboration with FaBA. 

2025 Scholarship Recipients: 

• Madison Group Enterprises Tech Entrepreneurship Scholarship: Chaitanya Devane – developed a mobile app, Free Flow, a real-time water usage monitor for Australian households. 

• Madison Group Enterprises Tech Entrepreneurship Scholarship: Sam Gonzalez Altahona – created a modular, swarm-capable drone system, MantaRay, designed for flexible missions from disaster response to medical supply drops. 

• Carl Hartmann Future Entrepreneurs Endowment: Patricia Cottrell – designed a micro fuel cell, BlueGrid, that powers ocean sensors by generating its own electricity using seawater and bacteria.  

• Ventures Scholarship: Nicholas Egan – co-founder of MyHive. 

Acting Head of Entrepreneurship Dr Veronica Nolan praised the winners for their contributions to advancing society beyond the scope of university.  

“These awards showcase the bold ideas and deep purpose driving UQ’s startup community,” Dr Nolan said.  

“From local impact to global reach, our founders are creating positive change that extends far beyond campus – and that’s something worth celebrating.” 

Media Contact: 
Rachel Ellison, Senior Manager, Entrepreneurship 
Email: r.ellison@uq.edu.au 
Phone: 0420 830 258