There are many ways entrepreneurs, industry, and government can connect with UQ to take ideas to impact
Host internships
Our students can provide your startup or organisation with innovative ideas and new perspectives, a range of up-to-date technical skills, and an eagerness to learn.
Professional development
Our team offers a range of courses and workshops for local and international partners to broaden their skills entrepreneurial mindsets.
Sponsor students or programs
Our leading programs are designed to prepare our students to adapt to a disruptive future. With donor support, these and other programs can grow and provide even more opportunity for practical learning.
Be a mentor or guest speaker
Give back to the entrepreneurial community by mentoring the next generation of leaders, judging and guest speaking at competitions, pitch events and hackathons.
Connect with researchers
UQ boasts world-class researchers who are leaders in their fields. Business, government and community partners can engage this expertise for contract or consultancy engagements through our Consulting and Research Expertise services.
Give us your problem
Bring your challenges to UQ and have students solve them through a range of programs and activities – such as hackathons, design thinking workshops, or through existing validation or acceleration programs.
Partnerships in action
Innovating real-world problems
The Ventures Industry Challenge gives UQ students the opportunity to collaborate with industry to help develop a real-world solution to a real-world challenge. In 2020, for the inaugural challenge, Ventures partnered with WaterStart, a not-for-profit water innovation agency. Over 40 cross-disciplinary teams of UQ students came together to develop innovative solutions on the topic of water scarcity. The result was the development of diverse solutions ranging from smart water farms to hydration stations and community water projects.
Creating global entrepreneurs
Startup Adventures — the only program of its kind in Australia — is a four-week intensive internship offered in Singapore, Cairns and Brisbane. We've partnered with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to provide fully-funded scholarships to ensure all students can access this opportunity regardless of their financial background. During the program, students learn how to navigate and thrive in working in environments that are being revolutionised by technological progress, and to meet the growing demand for entrepreneurial mindsets and transferable skill sets.
Learning to be entrepreneurs
UQ Ventures brought together Uniquely Australian Foods ARC Industrial Transformation Training Centre staff and students to take part in an all day workshop on how to be an entrepreneur; including a special panel of Indige on the native botanicals market, the challenges faced in the industry as well as opportunities available. "I found [Ventures] so easy to approach and work with, a really great facilitator as well as an excellect session all round." Sophie Ader, Engagement Officer, Centre of Nutrition and Food Science at ARC Training Centre shared her experience.
Transforming the future of law
King & Wood Mallesons partnered with UQ to offer the Transform Law KWM Prize worth $10,000. Automation in legal practice is the next frontier for law research. The competition couraged students to explore the role of technology in the future of law and will help them develop digital fluency and agility to help them succeed in their careers. Students were encouraged to investigate issues such as electronic signatures and cybersecurity, the role of blockchain in commercial transactions, and the use of machine learning in pro bono work. A number of legal experts from KWM have mentored entrants in generating ideas and assessing their suitability in the workplace.
Ventures Partner Newsletter
The Ventures Partner Newsletter is a quarterly newsletter for industry, alumni, government and interested community members. Subscribe to find out about the latest partnership opportunities, news, programs and events.