NEXT Canada F21 Annual Report - Report - Page 33
CELEBRATING THE SATCHUS
For the Satchus, support for NEXT runs in the family. Having founded NEXT Canada in 2010,
Reza Satchu has continued to lead the organization as Chair of the board, supported NEXT
as a donor and teaches the incredibly popular Economics of Entrepreneurship course for
participating founders.
NEXT Canada is also proud to present the Satchu Award to the top Next 36 entrepreneur at
Venture Day each year. His parents, Rustom and Zarina Satchu, and his brother, Asif Satchu,
have all been incredibly generous in their support for NEXT over the years.
In June of 2021, the team at NEXT decided that a virtual
celebration was in order to thank this incredible family for
HONOURING FOUNDING PATRON
W. GALEN WESTON
On Venture Day, NEXT Canada was honoured to present this year’s
W. Galen Weston Award to Sheryl Song. The W. Galen Weston Award
is presented to the top entrepreneur in the Next Founder program. The
award honours NEXT Canada founding patron, the late W. Galen Weston,
and is in recognition of his many contributions to NEXT since inception
and to the Canadian entrepreneurial community at large.
Sheryl Song is the co-founder of Ryna, a co-living and apartment rental platform
that leverages technology to make renting easier and safer for people who
identify as women, while giving them the proper tools to pave their own path and
build a life they love.
In September, the Weston Family Foundation renewed their support for NEXT
Canada, signing a pledged commitment of $500,000 for an additional 3 years - a truly
transformational commitment to our mission. We are grateful to the Weston Family
Foundation for believing in NEXT as an organization and allowing us to continue our
important work.
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all of their support. Unbeknownst to Reza, invited to the
event was every Satchu Award winner since its inception
as well his parents Rustom and Zarina, his brother Asif, his
wife Marion, and his daughter Talia. NEXT Canada Board
Co-Chair John Kelleher led the call, during which we heard
some incredible stories from alumni, who expressed their
thanks for NEXT and the impact winning the Satchu award
has had on them as entrepreneurs.
At the end of the event NEXT Canada CEO, Kyle Winters
unveiled “the Satchu Family Room” – an informal meeting
space at the NEXT headquarters which has been designed
to bring people together. “This is a small gesture to
recognize the enormous generosity of the Satchu family”.
“
NEXT was one of the things
that changed my trajectory
and challenged me to think bigger. A lot of that came directly from Reza, who
pulled me to the front of the class and had me defend thoughts and arguments.
That was incredibly impactful because it made me strive for more.
Emily Bland
Founder of Succeed
Next 36, 2018
Canada's only socially-driven hydroponics company
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