Ministerial Visit Highlights the Power of Student Entrepreneurship at Ventures

Last week, we had the absolute pleasure of welcoming Queensland’s State Education Minister, the Honourable David Langbroek, to UQ Ventures. Hosted by our Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Global Engagement) Mr Rongyu Li and our Ventures team, the visit was a chance to spotlight the growing wave of student entrepreneurs at UQ — and to share how we’re supporting them from their very first idea through to real world impact.

One of the big signals that momentum is building? Applications to our entry-level program, Curiosity, have doubled this semester. More and more students are stepping outside the classroom to explore how they can shape the future, not just participate in it.

At Ventures, we’ve built an ecosystem designed to support students across that journey — from sparking their interest in innovation to helping them grow startups and investment-ready ideas. After Curiosity, students can progress into Validate, where they test and refine their ideas, before joining Hustle, our milestone-driven program designed to push real progress. There’s also our ilab Accelerator for high-potential founders, and Startup AdVentures, which sends students out into local and global startup ecosystems for hands-on experience.

We’re also proud to run dedicated initiatives like LeadHers and Empower, which create space for women to thrive as leaders and innovators. These programs support women through connection, mentorship, and tailored development opportunities — helping close the gender gap in entrepreneurship and giving more women the tools and confidence to lead ventures of their own.

A highlight of the Minister’s visit was hearing from our current Chief Student Entrepreneur, Yarra Kiseleva, who shared how Ventures helped shift her career trajectory — from investment banking to innovation. She’s now the co-founder of SeatFinder, a startup born through Ventures. Already, SeatFinder has helped travellers save over 10 million steps, using smart tech to locate free seats in public spaces.

Yarra demonstrated the platform for Minister Langbroek, who was impressed and even offered to help with a few key introductions. It was a powerful example of what’s possible when innovation education is combined with the right support and real belief in student potential.

At Ventures, this is what we’re here for. Helping students think differently, build boldly, and shape their own futures — whether that’s through startups, social impact, or bringing new ideas to the industries they care about.

Thanks again to Minister Langbroek for visiting and to our students, staff, and community who continue to bring Ventures to life.