World-Class Spirit & Innovation
As the World’s #1 university for Entrepreneurial Spirit and #1 in Canada for Innovation*, Simon Fraser University is recognized as one of Canada’s most supportive post-secondary ecosystems for innovative research and education across disciplines. The heart of its entrepreneurship education pillar beats in the Charles Chang Institute for Entrepreneurship, SFU’s interdisciplinary home and academic hub for unleashing the entrepreneurial mindset and catalyzing the entrepreneurship community. Established in 2016 through a $10M gift from alumni Charles Chang and led by Executive and Academic Director Dr. Sarah Lubik, the Institute is a Canadian leader in delivering a comprehensive and inclusive continuum of interdisciplinary, experiential programming to develop the entrepreneurial mindset. Underpinned by research and thought leadership and in partnership with all SFU faculties and innovation partners, the Chang Institute supports everyone within the SFU community to develop their potential as future founders, change-makers or innovators.
Entrepreneurial Mindset
Core to the Chang Institute’s purpose is the recognition that post-secondary institutions have a moral obligation to ensure students are ready for an uncertain future. In developing an entrepreneurial mindset, risks or challenges are redefined as opportunities for building resilience, self-efficacy and adaptability. Recognizing entrepreneurial behavior is needed everywhere, the Chang Institute is seeding the ecosystem with impact ventures, intrapreneurs, ecosystem leaders, connectors and system-changers, all of equal value to society.
Development of the entrepreneurial mindset is enhanced through experience and community, so the Chang Institute unites around integrated interdisciplinary experiential learning experiences and embeds them in a wider community through a variety of co-curricular offerings.
An Innovative Approach
The Chang Institute’s innovative approach to entrepreneurship education has been intentionally designed and built upon six principles:
• Interdisciplinary collaboration
• Shaped by (and Shaping) Research
• A Focus on the individual, founder and team
• A Continuum from K-12 through to Incubation
• Multi-generational Mentoring
• Everyone gets to chase their entrepreneurial dreams
Comprehensive Programming
Programs developed and led by the Chang Institute have benefited tens of thousands of participants, launched hundreds of startups, and continue to seed the ecosystem with innovation talent.
Continuum Approach
Embracing that entrepreneurial mindset needs to be nurtured long before students get to university, the Chang Institute works with a continuum of partners, starting with K-12 programs like PowerPlay Young Entrepreneurs, creating opportunities for SFU student mentors in classrooms and K-12 students on campus.
Interdisciplinary Education
It’s choose-your-own adventure at SFU for students on their entrepreneurial journeys. Interdisciplinary courses and programs from across the university are integrated into the Charles Chang Certificate for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and students can pursue their own startups through funded entrepreneurship co-op (eCoop) semesters.
Inspirational Talks and Hands-on Learning
From pitch practice socials, a weekly book club, speaker events, hands-on workshops to specialized round-tables and more, there are year-round activities online and throughout SFU’s three campuses to inspire, connect and build skills.
Accessible Pre-Incubation & Mentoring
Flexibility abounds with SPARK: an online, self-driven workbook guides participants through the early stages of defining a problem, articulating a solution and crafting a business model. The Chang Institute’s mentors-in-residence offer online sessions via Mentor Meet and support classes at SFU through an Embedded Mentors program.
Customized Incubation & Acceleration
Early-stage incubator program Coast Capital Venture Connection has helped to launch over 275 startups – from locally impactful non-profits to scalable tech companies. Notable alumni include MetroLyrics, Buyatab, Ionomr, Moment Energy & Employ to Empower. For scientist entrepreneurs, the Chang Institute offers a new Science Entrepreneur Accelerator (SEA) that helps to bridge the gap from lab bench to commercialization. Program alumni of both SEA and Venture Connection access extended founder support through Founders Circle.
Showcasing & Celebration
The Opportunity Fest showcase brings together undergrad student entrepreneurship with junior innovators from the K-12 system and 50+ community mentors annually. Celebrating product entrepreneurs, throughout SFU’s campus events and activities. SFU’s startup competition Coast Capital Venture Prize provides competitors with training, mentoring and pitch practice as they compete for $75K cash and in kind prizes to accelerate their ventures. Notable past winners include Mala the Brand, Zennea Technologies and Spexi Geospatial.
While many university entrepreneurship programs focus only on creating scalable ventures, the Charles Chang Institute for Entrepreneurship – within the Beedie School of Business – is guided by belief and experience that catalyzing the entrepreneurial mindset in everyone can have much greater impact than ventures alone. It means more resilient, imaginative and connected people innovating through the entire ecosystem, creating opportunities for themselves, others and a better world.
“Entrepreneurial mindset is something we are all born with elements of: imagination, resilience, self-efficacy and opportunity recognition. We create the conditions to help it thrive in everyone.” Dr. Sarah Lubik
