News

Social Entrepreneurship Accelerator brings student concepts to reality

Aug 3, 2012

Over the last semester, students at the Beedie School of Business have been bringing to life projects to address tomorrow’s social, environmental and economic challenges with help from the new Social Entrepreneurship Accelerator (SEA) program. The brainchild of Beedie lecturer Shawn Smith, the program ran for six weeks at the SFU Surrey campus, with $10,000 in support from Vancity, and allowed students to enter as teams or individuals in order to generate a feasible business […]

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SFU MBAs showcase social entrepreneurship projects at Opportunity Fest Fair

Jul 27, 2012

Students from the MBA program at Simon Fraser University’s Beedie School of Business last week demonstrated their social entrepreneurship business plans at the Opportunity Fest Fair. The exhibition, held in the atrium of the Harbour Centre towers on Wednesday, 18 July, was part of Beedie Professor Eric Gedajlovic’s MBA Entrepreneurship class. Students were split into groups and tasked with creating their own business plans before presenting to a panel of judges consisting of members of […]

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Beedie entrepreneur marks launch of social venture with award

Jul 12, 2012

A Beedie School of Business alumna has parlayed an initial $30,000 advance from a prestigious entrepreneurial leadership program into a new business venture – and has subsequently seen the business voted best launch product at a renowned education conference. Jessica Fan’s business Penyo Pal, an app that teaches children to speak Mandarin, beat off stiff competition from 31 other entrants to be named Best Overall 1.0 Startup at the Launch EDU conference. The two-day, education-focused […]

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Beedie undergrad goes to the extreme for action sports enthusiasts

Jul 11, 2012

A Beedie School of Business undergraduate student is putting experience into action – by launching the country’s first indoor action sports training venue. Fourth-year BBA student Jesse Robson undertook the Venture Connection co-op placement in early 2012, using it to develop his business plan for an action sports training facility. The facility, which would be the only one of its kind in Canada, would provide a safe, controlled learning environment to allow participants of all […]

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Students create a recipe for success

Jul 6, 2012

The following article was published by Burnaby Now on July 6, 2012. Two Simon Fraser University students have created a business where immigrant women host cooking classes; gaining work experience while sharing their cultures. Surrey resident Chantelle Buffie and New Westminster’s Sonam Swarup – both in their early 20s – came up with Fusion Kitchen in a social entrepreneurship class at SFU. “It was just natural for us to gravitate towards working with immigrant women. […]

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Start-Up Acquisition is Music to Ears of BBA-EMBA Duo

Jul 2, 2012

MetroLyrics, with strong Beedie roots, brings the words of Beatles, Bublé and Bieber songs to web browsers everywhere. The recent acquisition of a wildly successful Burnaby based start-up by one of the world’s largest entertainment companies is music to the ears of Simon Fraser University’s entrepreneurship community. MetroLyrics.com, the most comprehensive database of music lyrics in the world with longstanding roots at SFU, along with its company assets, have been integrated into CBS Interactive Music […]

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Beedie students building socially impactful careers

Jun 20, 2012

As a result of economic uncertainty and a less-than-optimal employment outlook both globally and locally, some students at the Beedie School of Business at Simon Fraser University are taking an alternative path to growing their careers. In the process, they are making hands-on contributions to the economy and society through entrepreneurial activity, community engagement, and international development. A case in point is Education Generation, founded by Shawn Smith, a Beedie School of Business alumnus and […]

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Opportunity Quest sees SFU MBAs deliver business ideas to Vancouver’s Heritage District

May 31, 2012

Students from the MBA program at Simon Fraser University’s Beedie School of Business have been pounding the pavement in an effort to bolster business prospects in the Heritage District of downtown Vancouver during evenings and weekends – when thousands of area office workers have gone home. The district – the historic commerce and banking area of Vancouver’s West Hastings Street – is a dynamic area for retailing and includes some world-renowned brands in addition to numerous small- and […]

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New program accelerates social ventures

May 16, 2012

Contact: Shawn Smith, Beedie School, 778.782.9262, ssmithe@sfu.ca Derek Moscato, Beedie School, 778.782.5038, derek_moscato@sfu.ca Chantelle Buffie, 604.763.7211, clb14@sfu.ca Sonam Swarup, 604.809.5477, slswarup@sfu.ca Lorraine Wilson, 778.837.0394, mediarelations@vancity.com Students at the Beedie School of Business at Simon Fraser University can further their social venture ideas with the launch of the new Social Entrepreneurship Accelerator (SEA) program, starting this semester at the SFU Surrey campus. The program provides students with the resources to generate feasible business models, meet with clients to discuss project details, and gain an […]

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Start-up investment in students leads to big social returns

Apr 30, 2012

For many people, the notion of investing in a business involves an eventual return of capital and ultimate profitability. However, financial gain was the last thing on the mind of Beedie School of Business lecturer and PhD student Adam Mills when he made his latest investment in BBA student projects – ultimately leading to funds raised for children with chronic illnesses and disabilities. In his Business 478 strategy class, Mills tasked his students with starting […]

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