April

Where there’s muck there’s money! ‘What’s the Big Idea?’ Awards 2014

Queen’s University Students’ Union is excited to announce the winners of their ‘What’s the Big Idea?’ awards. The awards, organised by Enterprise SU, a dedicated enterprise, volunteering and employability centre in Queen’s Students’ Union, celebrated the students’ achievements and saw 10 awards and an impressive prize pot of £1,800 presented to the winners.

The aim of the competition is to encourage and support both undergraduate and postgraduate students to devise business ideas, such as a new product or service, or even a new market for an existing idea. Enterprise SU received hundreds of entries from a diverse range of students and departments across the University.

The ‘Best Overall Business Idea’ accolade and a cheque for £500, sponsored by Ormeau Business Park, was awarded to a team of five entrepreneurial students: Colum Mackle, Owen Carragher, Paul McElroy, Richard Gibson, and Richard Primrose, for their product idea ‘Slurry Safety Solutions’ - an effective and portable safety product for the agricultural sector.

The ‘Most Innovative Idea’ award, also sponsored by Ormeau Business Park, was presented to Andrew Paul, Catherine Smyth, Gregory Murray, Mark Black, and Matthew Nethercote, along with £500 for ‘H2C’ - their innovative phone case that will enable the user to charge their mobile device on the go.

This year’s winning teams are delighted to have received their awards and are positive that this will generate the exposure that they need to promote their ideas, and propel them to even greater things.

Remarking on the awards and the services that Enterprise SU provides, Lynne Weir, Enterprise & Development Officer at Queen’s Students’ Union, said, “Extracurricular activities such as this competition helps to ignite the creative spark amongst many students and it encourages and rewards entrepreneurial behaviour. We are always impressed by the quality of creative ideas that are submitted.”

Judith Maguire, Enterprise & Development Officer at Queen’s Students’ Union said: “The event was hugely enjoyable. I’m really impressed by the creativity and innovation shown by the students involved and I am already looking forward to next year’s competition!”

Patricia McNeill, CEO of the main competition sponsor Ormeau Business Park said, “We are delighted to collaborate with Queen’s Students’ Union for the seventh year. The ‘What’s the Big Idea?’ competition allows students to embrace entrepreneurship and it celebrates and showcases the talent that continues to flourish at Queen’s. Deserved recognition should be given to all who applied this year and we look forward to watching the ideas develop and grow to fruition.”

Image Caption: Colum Mackle from Co. Armagh, Owen Carragher from Co. Armagh, Paul McElroy from Co. Tyrone, Richard Gibson from Co. Tyrone, and Richard Primrose from Co. Tyrone with Patricia McNeill and Phil Murray of Ormeau Business Park and Judith Maguire of Queen’s Students’ Union’s Enterprise SU.