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Schulich Startups Advisory Program

Entrepreneur in Residence

Entrepreneur in Residence
Schulich Student and Alumni Founders and Innovators can schedule concierge support or ongoing coaching sessions with our Entrepreneur in Residence (Cherry Rose Tan). Our EIR is joined in supporting our community by an active team of Schulich Alumni Volunteers (Entrepreneurs & Venture Capitalists) and our Executive Director, Chris Carder.
Meet our Advisors

Cherry Rose Tan

The Schulich North Horizon Entrepreneur in Residence

Executive Education Lead - Schulich Venture Academy

Founder of #REALTALK

Chris Carder

Executive Director; Jay Smith and Laura Rapp Chair in Innovation & Entrepreneurship

Serial Entrepreneur & Angel Investor

Investor Advisory Council

Investor Advisory Council
This advisory program provides founders with direct access to seasoned investors who understand the realities of early-stage venture building. Members of the Council include leaders from venture capital firms, family offices, accelerator funds, and corporate investment teams. Their collective expertise supports founders through story refinement, fundraising preparation, pitch coaching, and strategic advisory conversations — all designed to help ventures move from early traction to meaningful growth
Meet the Advisory Council

Aashna Kumar

Senior Associate

Vis

Alexander Barclay


VP, Banking

RBCx

Feiran Zhou


Director of Commercialization

Ontario Centre of Innovation

Jaime Wong

MBA 2001

CEO

Maddison Wong Investments

Jenny L


Associate

Sixty Degree Capital

Jillian Malcolm


Senior Investment Associate

MaRS Investment Accelerator Fund

Jude Sacramenthas


VP of Ecosystems

Graphite Ventures

Leah Perry

MBA 2022

Senior Associate, Innovation Fund

Wittington Ventures

Mohan Markandaier


Managing Partner

Good News Ventures

Moien Giashi


Principal

GreenSky Ventures

Mudit Rawat

MBA 2009

Head of M&A

TAO

Nikhil Nayar

MBA 2021

Senior Associate

Rogue Insight Capital

Paul Manias

BBA 1998

Partner & Co-Head

Diagram ClimateTech Fund

Peyvand Melati

EMBA 2018

General Partner

Axion Fund

Prathna Ramesh


Partner

FutureSight

Robbie Marks


Director, Investments

MaRS Investment Accelerator Fund

Sarah Willson


Principal

Panache Ventures

Shelley Li

BBA 2013 + MBA 2019

Principal

Maple Bridge Ventures

Sherry Liu


Analyst

Whitecap Venture Partners

Snita Balsara

MBA 2012

Principal

BDC Sustainability Fund

Stuart Browne

MBA 2009

CEO

Pycap

Ujwal Arkalgud

MBA 2009

Managing Partner

Investment Ark

Umair Anjum

EMBA 2024

Global Director, Private Equity

Dayforce

Usama Mostafa

EMBA 2025

CEO-in-Residence

Gulmohar Capital Partners

Founder Days

Founder Days
Founder Day is a recurring, in-person founder engagement initiative brought to you by AWAKE Chocolate. On Founder Days, selected Schulich Startup founders are invited into the Schulich Startups space to receive high-touch strategic support, visibility, and community integration.
Founder Day is a dedicated experience for standout teams to:
  • Work out of the Schulich Startups Office for the day
  • Connect 1:1 with our team and receive strategic mentorship
  • Be spotlighted through a personalized marketing interview
  • And contribute to our startup library with a book that's inspired your journey


All participants of Founder Days also receive a package of AWAKE Chocolate - Co-Founded by Schulich Alumni and ENTR Instructor Dan Tzotsis (MBA '10)

Schulich Startups Signature Events

Schulich Startup Night

Schulich Startup Night
Schulich Startup Night is a premier startup pitch competition where students and alumni from the Schulich School of Business present their startups for a chance to win cash prizes and professional services. Schulich founders pitch their ventures to a hand-selected judging panel of top industry professionals, as well as an audience of elite entrepreneurs, investors, students, and other members of the innovation community.
One of Schulich Startups’ signature events, Startup Night is hosted annually in the spring. Since the inaugural event in 2014, it has grown to over 300 attendees and is recognized as a “must-attend” pitch competition.
Meet our Latest Champions

Student Champion

Ayomikun Akintayo (Tech MBA '24)
Kian Rastegar (Tech MBA '24)
Co-Founders of Edufund

Alumni Champion

Abdel Ali (MBA '21)
Co-Founder of Kiwi Charge

People's Champion

William Jones (MBA '14)
Co-Founder of Leynek Medical

VIP Series

VIP Series
In the VIP series, fireside chats and keynote addresses bring you face-to-face with trailblazers from Canada's innovation ecosystem. Hosted by a leader from the Schulich Startups community, these sessions offer an intimate glimpse into the lives and minds of some of the most influential figures in the industry.
Our fireside chats are candid and engaging, featuring a blend of personal and professional insights. Founders share their passion for entrepreneurship, while venture capitalists discuss their dedication to supporting the ecosystem. From inspiring crowd-sourcing stories to the journeys of unicorn founders, our VIP Sessions showcase a rich tapestry of innovation and leadership.
Recent VIP Speakers
Trung Pham
CEO and Founder
RYSE
Kishore Moorjani
Former Senior Managing Director & Head of Tactical Opportunities
Blackstone
Janet Bannister
Managing Partner
Staircase Ventures
Uri Levine addresses the Schulich community in his keynote.
Uri Levine
Co-Founder
Waze
Peter Marrone
Executive Chairman and CEO
AlliedGold
Eva Wong
Co-Founder & COO of
Borrowell

Venture Series

Venture Series
The Venture Series brings together Toronto’s venture capital leaders for a high-caliber panel discussion. Selected for their deep experience and contributions to the event's theme, these experts represent the pinnacle of the VC world.
At Schulich, we’re proud of our extraordinary community of venture capitalists. The conversations at our Venture Series are infused with high-level insights and engaging dialogue. Each panel brings a diverse array of perspectives, sparking curiosity and providing a wealth of experience. Expect stimulating discussions that not only captivate but also inspire, offering attendees a front-row seat to some of the most compelling conversations in venture capital today.
Recent Venture Series
Women in VC Leadership
Zahin Hussain - VP, Partnerships at Ankur Capital
Sonia Lagourgue - Purpose and ESG Leadership at Georgian
Snita Balsara - Principal at BDC
Shambhavi Mishra - Director, Growth & Portfolio at Antler
Starting your Angel Investment Journey
Abdel Ali - Co-Founder of Kiwi Charge
Sarah Stevens - CEO and Founder of Innov8 Green
Jennifer Turliuk - Founder of Koru Labs
Peyvand Melati - CEO of QEA Tech

Idea Jam

Idea Jam
Innovation meets collaboration in an electrifying brainstorming session! In these dynamic events, the founder of a high-potential startup from the Schulich Startups community takes the stage to present their top challenges—unfiltered, candid, and real.
These sessions offer a deep dive into the actual issues that founders face. As they open up about their struggles, our community of innovation leaders, armed with diverse expertise, rallies to brainstorm actionable solutions.
Recent Idea Jams
Eatable Idea Jam
Featuring Charlene and Vincent Li

Community Connection Night

Mercier Lecture

Schulich Startups Ecosystem Initiatives

Together Mission

Together Mission
Entrepreneurship Bootcamp and Venture Competition

The Entrepreneurship Bootcamp and Venture Competition features pairs of inspired Indian Student Entrepreneurs (handpicked from over 17,000+ Indian colleges and 700+ universities), working with Schulich MBA Students. Each venture team presents ideas across sectors of national importance for India and works with Canadian/Indian Mentor Pairs.

Schulich Venture Academy

Schulich Venture Academy (SVA)
Schulich Venture Academy (SVA) is a first-of-its-kind academy empowering the next generation of Canadian startup/venture talent. Backed by $3.3M in support from the Government of Canada through FedDev Ontario, SVA delivers specialized 30-hour certificate courses that accelerate tech founders and growth-stage teams through proven frameworks, practical tools, and expert-led mentorship.
 
We have partnered with prominent figures in the ecosystem, who serve as SVA Program Directors:
Venture Talent

Jenny do Forno

Chief People Officer at Touch Bistro and ex-Head of Talent at OMERS Ventures

Venture Operations

Izabella Gabowicz

VP of Operations at Q2 and ex-COO at Sensibill

Venture Finance

Leen Li

Ex-CEO of Wealthsimple Foundation and Ex-CFO at Wealthsimple

Venture Talent

Prashant Matta

General Partner at Panache Ventures

Venture Sales

Josh Guttman

CEO & Co-Founder

at SELLIT9

Not just a program or a certificate, Schulich Venture Academy provides these benefits:
  • Access to two in-person Venture Alumni Events each year, bringing together all Program Directors, Venture Alumni, and key influencers/leaders brought by Schulich Startups
  • Being part of an extended network of veteran founders and VCs, as you upgrade your job/career network in the startup/VC space
  • Walk away with real world collateral - alongside the skills, processes and strategies you will acquire, each track culminates in a Practical Capstone Project applicable to your business or career.
  • A Schulich Masterclass Certificate in the venture track of your choice, plus a badge to showcase on your resume/LinkedIn
Schulich Venture Scholars Program
Each cohort, there are a limited number of students who are accepted as Schulich Venture Scholars. A one-time scholarship opportunity for exceptional candidates with outstanding and/or high-potential backgrounds, we look for candidates who possess the drive and commitment to take their startup/venture career to the next level.

Want to know if you are eligible for one of our limited Venture Scholar spots? Contact Shivam Sharma, Assistant Director, to learn more.

JumpSTART York Region

Project JumpSTART
Schulich Startups, in collaboration with YSpace, Treefrog Accelerator, and the Town of Georgina, are leading Project JumpSTART, an international entrepreneurs accelerator with specialized support for women tech founders, attracting Foreign Direct Investment and supporting women entrepreneurship.

The Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship welcomes partners committed to the advancement and education of entrepreneurship.

2nd Floor, Schulich Executive Learning Centre

56 Fine Arts Rd. North York, ON M3J 3M6

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