QMU innovators secure places in national Converge Impact Challenge

Carolyn Kent, Lecturer in Sports Rehabilitation and Physiotherapy at QMU, has secured a place in the Impact Challenge cohort with her not-for-profit ‘Women’s Football Hub C.I.C.’. Working alongside Susan Anderson from Glasgow Caledonian University, they aim to boost female participation in football ahead of the 2035 UK-hosted Women’s World Cup. Their upcoming event, Boots, Boobs and Banter at Hampden Park, combines female health education, a Q&A with women in sport, and comedy, creating a fun and engaging way for the community to get involved in playing, coaching, and refereeing. 

FussEat, founded by QMU graduate Morven Summers, is designed to empower parents with the tools and confidence to help children develop healthy eating habits. The programme provides practical strategies, fun activities, and supportive resources to make nutritious, balanced meals enjoyable for the whole family. 

Their selection highlights the strength of socially focused innovation emerging from the QMU community, and places them among just 16 projects chosen from across Scotland’s universities. 

This limited-edition Converge Challenge has been created in collaboration with The Ventures Lab to support staff and students from Scotland’s universities accelerate mission-driven, early-stage ideas and academic projects that will benefit the economy, society or the environment. 

Successful applicants will take part in tailored business training, benefit from expert mentorship, connect with seasoned entrepreneurs, and compete for a £10,000 prize fund to help launch and grow their ventures. 

The cohort will participate in an intensive two-day entrepreneurial business training session in January, after which they will prepare business cases and pitches for the final judging in March, where they will compete for £10K and in-kind business support.  

To find out more about the Converge Challenges and how you can apply, regardless of your background and entrepreneurial readiness, visit: www.convergechallenge.com. 

Find out about each of our two successful applicants’ ideas below:  

Carolyn Kent (in partnership with Susan Anderson)  

“Women’s Football Hub CIC empowers women and girls in football through creating research backed performance resources, including global expert podcasts, and community-building initiatives. Our upcoming event, Boots, Boobs and Banter, combines female health education, a Q&A session with women in sport, and comedy to encourage our community to participate in playing, coaching, and refereeing. Growth is supported through our environmentally conscious merchandise store and partnerships with organisations including Walking Football Scotland. Our health and wellbeing focus, led by experienced coaches and health care professionals, aims to increase female involvement in football ahead of the 2035 UK hosted Women’s World Cup.” 

Morven Summers (QMU Graduate: MSc in Gastronomy, graduated 2025; BSc in Nutrition and Food Science, graduated 2017) 

“The F.E.D-Method is a simple 3-step programme providing the tools busy parents need to ensure their child is eating healthy, well-balanced meals. Created by a trained nutritionist, it includes an in-depth understanding of developing eating habits, fun VEG-ativities, fussy-friendly recipes, and a supportive community, all designed to give parents the confidence they need while encouraging children to develop appetites for healthy food! But we know we can do more! So, we're developing a range of online resources that deliver the F.E.D-Method in the press of a button, providing everything a parent needs to overcome fussy eating.”