Innovation City: The Entrepreneurial Spirit of Queen’s Students and Graduates
Belfast is an ever-growing hub of innovators, industry disrupters and budding entrepreneurs. Find out more about the recent success of students and graduates below.
AI-powered logos
Liam Coyle from BrandCanvas
Computer Science graduate Liam recently showed off his business chops in the final of the QUB Dragon’s Den competition, and is now running AI-powered graphic design service BrandCanvas. The aim of the business is to provide companies with efficient and affordable logo creation.
From travelling in Europe with Enterprise SU, to speaking at leading events such as Digital DNA, Liam is showing strong entrepreneurial potential in the machine learning and data science industry.
Truly amazing sports technology
Naomi McGregor from MoveTru
Product Design Engineering graduate and TEDx speaker Naomi has developed cutting-edge wearable technology for athletes which is due to launch in Autumn this year. Using a special software algorithm, MoveTru’s sports technology aims to prevent injury and improve recovery time.
Naomi was inspired to start her business following a severe ballet-related injury in her teenage years; and started making waves during her time at Queen’s. The support offered by Enterprise SU and winning the prestigious QUB Dragons’ Den competition allowed Naomi to enter the start-up world and hit the ground running.
A multi-business entrepreneur
Claire Ford, Liberal Beauty and Cell Stop
Balancing your business with academic studies is no small feat, but Business Management student Claire is finding success in her entrepreneurial journey.
Claire currently runs four businesses: a beauty-based business ‘Liberal Beauty’, a phone and watch accessory brand ‘Cell Stop’, a digital design business and drop shipping business, all alongside her studies. She credits the Queen’s ‘Innovateher’ programme for providing initial support and insight into the world of business.
Read more about how she finds a balance between being a student and being a budding entrepreneur here.
The future of diabetes management
Lucie Munier from Insurin
Medical student Lucie Munier has combined her medical background with her business acumen to develop Insurin, a mobile app dedicated to managing insulin dependency. The app will encourage independence and education in newly diagnosed type 1 diabetics.
Working smarter and harder
Peter Gillan and Jack Fullerton from Atlas Smart Technologies
Graduates Peter and Jack recently won a top prize at the Engineers in Business Champion of Champions Final, for their smartphone-controlled dumbbell (SmartBell) and its accompanying work-out tracking app (Stronger).
SmartBell offers 26 weight levels and pairs with Stronger Mobile to create dynamic work-out data and statistics. With over 30,000 downloads as at end-2022, the team’s innovation is proving popular with users and shows no signs of stopping.
Find out more
Got an idea? Check out our Inventor's Guide
Opportunities with Enterprise SU
Further reading: 15 Queen’s students slaying the Belfast start-up scene
Staff Writer