15/04/2025
🚀 Engineering Entrepreneurship in Action: Insights from Industry Leaders
On March 26, 2025, the UQ IEEE HKN Mu-Kappa Chapter hosted an inspiring Engineering Entrepreneurship Panel, uniting students, academics, and industry professionals for a compelling discussion with three incredible founders:
🔹 A/Prof Arkady Fedorov (UQ, Co-Founder of Analog Quantum Circuits) – Pioneering superconducting device design for quantum computing
🔹 Dr David Noon (UQ Alumnus, Founder of GroundProbe) – Leading innovations in geotechnical and geospatial monitoring
🔹 A/Prof John Williams (UQ, Co-Founder of Rapidflare) – Building high-accuracy, explainable AI for complex electronics
Each speaker shared their startup journey—highlighting early-stage challenges, especially around raising capital, and the strategies that helped turn their visions into scalable businesses. Dr Noon shared how strategic grant use enabled GroundProbe to build revenue-generating prototypes and grow globally. A/Prof Williams emphasized rigorous testing and team culture as key to Rapidflare’s scalability, while A/Prof Fedorov spotlighted quantum computing as a fertile ground for student innovation.
đź’ˇ Advice for aspiring founders included:
- Consult experts in your field (A/Prof Fedorov)
- Start small, iterate fast with a minimum viable product (A/Prof Williams)
- Get close to the user to deeply understand their needs (Dr Noon)
The event wrapped up with networking and refreshments, leaving attendees inspired and energized to explore their own entrepreneurial paths.
🙌 A big thank you to our panellists for their insights—and to everyone who joined us for an evening of learning, connection, and innovation!
