This week marked the conclusion of the Net Zero Ignite programme, with a celebratory event held at Queen’s University Belfast’s Riddel Hall.

Over the past eight weeks, eight academic teams from across Queen’s University Belfast have taken part in the intensive pre-spinout initiative, aimed at helping researchers explore the commercial potential of their work.

Delivered by Grand Scale and supported by Bag of Bees Design for branding, the programme equipped participants with tools and strategies for customer discovery and early-stage venture development. This hands-on approach helped researchers identify pathways to transform their innovations into real-world impact.

The final showcase brought the teams together to present their learnings, challenges, and next steps toward building successful ventures.

The Net Zero Ignite programme was funded by the Higher Education Innovation Fund (HEIF) through the Department for the Economy Northern Ireland (DfE NI).