Beedie initiatives to lift next generation of First Nation entrepreneurs – The Globe and Mail
May. 29 2015
The Globe’s biweekly business-school news roundup.
Nurturing a new generation of First Nation entrepreneurs is a priority for some business schools, donors and aboriginal communities.
The most recent example is a $1.3-million pledge over 10 years from Royal Bank of Canada to fund two initiatives at Simon Fraser University’s Beedie School of Business: $1-million to support startups and social ventures in B.C.’s First Nation communities and $300,000 for aboriginal undergraduate and graduate students to pursue entrepreneurship as a career.
“We know aboriginal communities are key players in the economy focusing on developing entrepreneurs who can lead the way through innovation in both social and business ventures,” says Zabeen Hirji, chief human resources officer for RBC. “Graduates of the [Beedie] program will inspire others and will go back to their communities and mentor others.”
