A leading university across the island of Ireland and a member of the Russell Group, Queen’s University Belfast combines excellence in research and education with a student-centred ethos and strong cognisance of their civic and social responsibility.
Queen’s is ranked number two in the UK for entrepreneurial impact and together with their commercial arm, QUBIS, they have developed in excess of 100 companies with an estimated combined annual turnover of circa £500m.
Supporting entrepreneurial activity is a key focus for the university in delivering significant impact.
The work of the Students’ Union Enterprise team (SU Enterprise) is central to this, offering support to students and recent graduates who want to start or grow their own business.
This support ranges from one-to-one advice, programmes, competitions and funding opportunities, with an emphasis on cultivating an entrepreneurial culture and connecting aspiring entrepreneurs with resources to help turn their ideas into successful ventures.
One such success story is that of Peter Gilleece who completed his mechanical engineering degree at Queen’s in 2020, all the while working on his entrepreneurial ideas with the support of SU Enterprise.
Queen’s University
Peter entered the What’s the Big Idea? competition in 2019, securing a £500 initial investment for his business venture, quickly followed by a £4,000 investment from the QUB Dragon’s Den programme.
Since then, he has gone on to develop Vikela – a 3D printing technology company creating lightweight body armour and game-changing composites, now a rapidly growing business that was recently recognised in the 2025 Startups 100 Index for ‘Most Disruptive New UK Startups.’
In July 2024, Vikela closed an investment round, securing significant funding from Two Magnolias Venture Capital, ScaleX Investments and other angel investors. This has enabled Peter to open Vikela’s brand new, state of the art factory in Bangor, in addition to expanding his already established team of staff.
Belfast Telegraph Business Awards
He often revisits the Students’ Union to support the next generation of entrepreneurial talent and to share his journey to inspire current students.
Beyond the provision of niche support to the next generation of budding entrepreneurs here in Northern Ireland, Queen’s University is a key player in the Belfast Region City Deal (BRCD), accelerating economic growth and ensuring a talent pipeline of fully equipped, future ready graduates to meet future business demand.
The economic impact of the university extends across the UK, with a London Economics Report estimating the total impact at over £3bn per annum.
As Queen’s celebrates its 180th anniversary this year, their ambition as a university remains steadfast– to shape a better world through life-changing education and research.
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