Schulich and North Horizon Partner to Advance Innovation and Student Success
TORONTO, Oct. 16, 2025 /CNW/ - The Schulich School of Business is proud to announce a generous $250,000 gift from North Horizon Foundation, a five-year gift focused on supporting innovation, mentorship and entrepreneurial leadership in Canada.
North Horizon, a Canadian investment firm with a focus on responsible investing, innovation, and community impact, shared the commitment on October 14th at Schulich's Desjardins VIP Series. This was a fitting partnership announcement as the event featured keynote Wattpad co-founder Allen Lau on why Canada must urgently rethink how we support, scale and retain world-class companies if we want to compete globally. The donation supports the Office of Innovation & Entrepreneurship also known as Schulich Startups and its Innovation & Entrepreneurship Experience Fund - enabling startup events, competitions, venture panels, and student work placements with Venture Capital firms and startups.
"North Horizon's support will supercharge our innovation programming," said Chris Carder, Executive Director of Schulich's Office of Innovation & Entrepreneurship and The Jay Smith and Laura Rapp Chair in Innovation & Entrepreneurship. "Their investment will accelerate our ability to empower founders, investors, and changemakers who will strengthen Canada's business ecosystem."
Schulich also announced the creation of the North Horizon Entrepreneur in Residence, a position that will be held by Schulich EIR, Instructor and Co-Creator of the Schulich Venture Academy, Cherry Rose Tan. The North Horizon Entrepreneur in Residence will play a key role in mentoring Schulich students and alumni as they continue to transform bold ideas into thriving ventures.
The partnership will launch the North Horizon Mentorship Match Award, creating internships for students eager to gain real-world experience working with Schulich Startups companies and Venture Capital firms.
The partnership will also establish the North Horizon Roots & Impact Award, supporting a total of 10 exceptional incoming BBA and MBA or Tech MBA students who demonstrate academic excellence, leadership, and a desire to take root in Canada and create positive, lasting change in their careers, communities, and the nation they call home.
"At North Horizon, we see education and innovation as the foundation for Canada's future," said Xiaobo Wang (MBA '08), Executive Vice President of Corporate Development. "Our partnership with Schulich reflects our belief in empowering entrepreneurs and supporting institutions that prepare the next generation of business leaders." This gift marks part of North Horizon Foundation's commitment to building Canada's next generation of innovators and community leaders.
As part of its continued commitment to student success and innovation, North Horizon will also join as a matching donor for Schulich Giving Day on November 13, 2025. This initiative will double the impact of contributions made, encouraging the Schulich community to come together in support of entrepreneurship, mentorship, and expanded student opportunities.
"We are deeply grateful to North Horizon Foundation for their generosity and vision, and to our alumni leaders whose advocacy made this partnership possible," said Detlev Zwick, Dean of the Schulich School of Business. "Together, we are empowering the next generation of Canadian business leaders and fostering innovation that will have a lasting impact on our students, our community, and the country."
About Schulich School of Business
Known as Canada's Global Business School™, the Schulich School of Business in Toronto is ranked among the leading business schools in Canada and the world by a number of global MBA surveys, including the Financial Times, LinkedIn and QS.
Global, innovative, and diverse, Schulich offers business programs year-round at its state-of-the-art complex at York University. The School also has strategic and academic partnerships with a number of the world's leading business schools in North America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America. Schulich offers undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate business degrees that lead to rewarding careers in the private, public, and nonprofit sectors, and has more than 37,000 alumni working in over 90 countries. The School pioneered North America's first ever cross-border Executive MBA degree, the Kellogg-Schulich Executive MBA. The School has one of the largest portfolios of one-year, specialized Masters programs of any business school in North America. Schulich's Executive Education Centre provides executive development programs annually to more than 5,000 executives in Canada and abroad.
About North Horizon Holdings
North Horizon Holdings is a Toronto-based investment firm committed to investing in people and ideas to make a difference in improving communities for generations to come. NHH employs more than 100 people, deployed across multiple business lines including real estate, private equity investments, and venture capital funding with a strong focus on modern technologies in health care, artificial intelligence and the new digital work.
More information about NHH may be found by visiting their website at https://www.northhorizon.com/
SOURCE North Horizon Holdings Inc