Ventures is proud to announce the first recipients of its new scholarship program - four bold students who embody creativity, leadership, and entrepreneurial spirit.
These scholarships are designed to support bold thinkers from all backgrounds who are ready to challenge the status quo. They're more than just financial support; they're a signal that The University of Queensland (UQ) backs students who are ready to lead.
UQ's Acting Head of Entrepreneurship, Dr Veronica Nolan was thrilled to see such a high calibre of applicants for the UQ Ventures Scholarships.
"It's inspiring to witness the passion and ambition of students ready to make their mark, and we can't wait to see even more future innovators to get their start with Ventures in the years ahead. Our thanks to our generous donors for their continued support of Ventures and entrepreurship here at UQ."
Meet the inaugural recipients of the UQ Ventures Scholarships
Madison Group Tech Entrepreneurship Scholarships
Chaitanya Devane – FreeFlow
Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) / Commerce, 2nd Year
Chaitanya’s startup, FreeFlow, emerged from a Ventures-partnered hackathon and has already made strong technical and commercial progress. He brings a mindset of experimentation and action, and we’re excited to support his journey through both Ventures and the Madison Group. FreeFlow is a real-time water usage monitor for Australian households that integrates with plumbing and displays insights through a mobile app. The prototype is already functional and tested, with revenue models being explored across direct consumer sales and water data partnerships.
Chaitanya has also launched Mentors for Excellence, a tutoring and mentoring platform with school engagement already in place. He’s also an active contributor across Ventures and the UQ Innovation & Entrepreneurship Society (UQIES) hackathons and plans to join Ventures’ programs Validate and Momentum.
Samuel Gonzalez Altahona – MantaRay
Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) / Business Management, 1st Year
MantaRay is a modular, swarm-capable drone system designed for flexible missions — from disaster response to medical supply drops. Built using 3D printing for part replacement, Sam is currently prototyping and validating market fit.
Sam is a Blackbird Protostar, Ventures Curiosity alum, and he has already been contacted by multiple investors. He has shown strong initiative by combining learnings from Curiosity and Protostars to validate a high-impact product. With strong early traction and a deep commitment to technical learning, Sam is well on the path to becoming a successful founder.
The Carl Hartmann - Future Entrepreneurs Endowment
Patricia Cottrell – BlueGrid
Bachelor of Advanced Finance and Economics (Honours), 3rd Year
BlueGrid is a microbial fuel cell designed to autonomously power ocean sensors using seawater and bacteria. Patricia has completed technical design, initiated patent work, and is now raising funds for prototype testing. She plans to apply for further grants (CSIRO Kick-Start, Blue Economy CRC) and collaborate with cleantech founders.
Patricia’s project reflects cutting-edge thinking at the intersection of energy and environment. Her focus on scalable, autonomous infrastructure for the marine sector shows both ambition and alignment with the future of sustainable technology.
UQ Ventures Scholarship
Nicholas Egan – MyHive
Bachelor of Politics, Philosophy and Economics (Honours), 3rd Year
MyHIve is an AI-driven platform designed to reduce loneliness among older Australians by connecting them through shared interests via audio.
Nicholas has participated in Ventures programs Curiosity, Startup AdVenture (San Francisco), and iLab — where he secured $30k in funding. He’s also contributed to the Ventures community as a speaker, mentor, and Curiosity judge.
Nic exemplifies the Ventures spirit. He’s taken full advantage of our programs, secured investment, built a working product, and continued to give back to other students. He represents the kind of impact-driven founder we aim to support. Nicholas; co-founder, Paul Egan, joined us at the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Awards to recognised the awarding of this scholarship.
These four students truly embody the spirit of Ventures — bold thinkers, makers, and doers. We’re proud to support them as they build their futures and shape what’s next for their industries, communities, and the world.
This support wouldn’t be possible without the generosity of our donors. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Madison Group Enterprises and Carl Hartmann, whose contributions make these scholarships, and so many of our programs, possible.
Looking ahead, we’re excited to welcome Daniel Wessels, UQ alumnus and CEO of Jacaranda Finance, as the founder of the Daniel Wessels Entrepreneurship Scholarship. Like the Carl Hartmann Future Entrepreneurs Endowment, this scholarship will support one student entrepreneur annually in perpetuity — a lasting investment in the changemakers of tomorrow.
