Purpose-Driven: UBC Entrepreneurs Innovating in a Changing World

About Purpose-Driven

UBC Purpose-Driven is a career-building and networking experience organized by the UBC Career Centre, in partnership with Alumni UBC.

Attend these events to learn about the latest research, current trends, challenges, opportunities, and more in various industries. You’ll get to hear from amazing alumni and industry professionals from different backgrounds who are tackling global matters with creative solutions.

UBC Entrepreneurs Innovating in a Changing World

Curious about careers in the entrepreneurship world, no matter your degree? Explore diverse career paths you didn’t know existed and connect with industry professionals, experts, and alumni that followed the entrepreneurial route.

This session is open to students and alumni from all faculties and degrees.

The event will showcase how UBC Alumni Entrepreneurs have turned ideas into purposeful careers that make a difference in the world.

The event format will consist of 4 Entrepreneur Talks (Keynote Speeches), an interactive Q&A, and closing with career conversations and networking between alumni industry professionals and students.

We will have booths from the following Student Clubs: E-Projects, Innovation Onboard, Enactus UBC, Bioinnovate UBC and UBC Startups

DATE & TIME: Tuesday November 18th, 2025

5:30pm: Doors open

6:00pm – 6:45pm: Four UBC Entrepreneur Talks

– Rian Gauvreau: Co-Founder & CEO @ Aeon Health | Co-Founder & Board Member @ Clio (2025 Recipient of UBC Alumni UBC’s Entrepreneurship Award) – UBC Alum MBA 2011

– @omgheysam: Full-time Digital Content Creator (Instagram and Tiktok) – UBC Alum BEd 2018

– Abigail Aidoo: Co-Founder @ Zerone AnalytiQs – Successful side business (full-time Program Director at Mastercard Foundations Scholar Program – UBC Alum MBA 2021

– Wilson Lee: Co-Founder @ Play3.AI (BC Business 30 under 30 nomination) – UBC Alum BArts 2009

6:45pm – 8:00pm: Career conversations with Industry Professionals (Networking with Alumni Industry Professionals)

Light refreshments are available throughout the event.

 

Other UBC Alumni Entrepreneurs coming to meet you:

 

1.Clinton Large

• Company: Large Tutoring Inc. (BC Business 30 under 30 nomination)
• Role: CEO & Founder
• Degree: Chemical & Biological Engineering
• Year of graduation: 2017

2.Veljko Brcic

• Company: Vida Energy
• Role: Co-Founder & CEO
• Degree: BCom Hons
• Year of Graduation: 2012

3.Aakash Taneja

• Company: Cloudscout Legal
• Role: Founder and Managing Lawyer
• Degree: BArts, Economics and History / Doctor of Law (JD)
• Year of graduation: 2015 / 2020

4.Joban Bal

• Company – One Blood For Life Foundation (BC Business 30 under 30 nomination)
• Role: Founder and President
• Degree: MD, Doctor of Medicine
• Year of graduation – 2024

5.Steven Pelech

• Company: Kinexus Bioinformatics Corporation
• Role: President and Chief Scientific Officer
• Degree: PHD, BSC. Biochemistry
• Year of graduation: 1982, 1979

6.Mir Fazeli

• Company: Evidinno Outcomes Research Inc.
• Role: Founder & CEO
• Degree: PHD
• Year of graduation: 2017

7.Shreyansh Manchanda

• Company: CaterDash
• Role: CEO
• Degree: BCom
• Year of graduation: 2022

8.Suzanne Siemens

• Company: Alliance Strategies | formerly Period Aisle
• Role: CPG Founder & CEO
• Degree: BCom, CPA, CA
• Year of graduation: 1988

9.Alicia Koo

• Company: The Daily Atelier Inc.
• Role: Founder
• Degree: BSc. Chemistry
• Year of graduation: 2016

10.Francois Lucas

• Company: etfkitchen.com
• Role: Founder
• Degree: MBA
• Year of graduation: 2006

11.Negin Farivar

• Company: SnapCyte Solutions Inc.
• Role: CTO & Co-Founder
• Degree: PHD, Experimental Medicine
• Year of graduation: 2023

12.Antonio Zivanovic

• Company: ElektraFi Innovations Inc
• Role: CEO
• Degree: Bachelor’s degree in Human Kinetics
• Year of graduation: 2005

13.Shayna Rector

• Company: 7Gen | Urban Climate Leadership
• Role: Co-Founder | Sr Advisor, Clean Energy & Transportation
• Degree: BA
• Year of graduation: 2000

14.Natik Aggarwal

• Company: Prompt Genie
• Role: CTO
• Degree: BASc. Electrical Engineering
• Year of graduation: 2021

15.Robert Britton

• Company: Carbaform Biosciences, Cloudburst Biotech
• Role: CTO, CEO
• Degree: PHD Chemistry
• Year of graduation: 2002

16.Kataneh Sherkat

• Company: Bridge Strategies
• Role: Co-Founder
• Degree: BCom
• Year of graduation: 1995

17.David Brett

• Company: Pacific Bay Minerals ltd.
• Role: Executive Chair
• Degree: BA, Religious Studies
• Year of graduation: 1984

18.Lanna Lucas

• Company: Van Research Services
• Role: Archival Producer, Principal
• Degree: BA Psychology
• Year of graduation: 2004

19.Gokhan Basaran

• Company: ISED (Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada)
• Role: Senior Innovation Advisor
• Degree: MBA
• Year of graduation: 2020

20.Josh Bender

• Company: Vancouver Athletic Football Club
• Role: Executive Director
• Degree: BCom
• Year of graduation: 1997

21.Caroline Alvarez

• Company: Insurance Training Center
• Role: Founder & CEO
• Degree: MBA
• Year of Graduation: 2012

22.Kuzi Mutonga

• Company: Journey Capital
• Role: Product Manager
• Degree: BA in Economics, minor in Commerce
• Year of graduation: 2016

23.Amaan Panchbai | Student Entrepreneur

• Degree: BCom, Marketing and Entrepreneurship
• Year of Graduation: May 2026

24.Ryan Ching | BC Business 30 under 30 nominated

• Company: Vision2Reality Foundation
• Role: Co-Founder & Co-CEO
• Degree: MBA Candidate

25.Jason Hsu

• Company: Pillar Digital
• Role: Founder & CEO
• Degree: Major in Food Market Analysis
• Graduation Year: 2020

26.Isabeau Iqbal

• Company: Isabeau Iqbal Coaching
• Role: Owner
• Degree: BSc, Dietetics / MA, Adult Education / PhD, Education
• Year of graduation: 1993 / 2004 / 2012

27.Eric Franzo

• Company: Purposely.co / The Tea Drawer
• Role: Founder / Co-owner
• Degree: MA, Public Policy Analysis
• Year of graduation: 2012

28.Angèle Beausoleil

• Company: UBC Sauder
• Role: Assistant Professor of Teaching, Entrepreneurship and Innovation
• Degree: MA, Interdisciplinary Studies: Business Innovation, Strategic Design and Visual Analytics / PhD, Innovation Process Pedagogy and Design
• Year of Graduation: 2013 / 2016

…more coming soon!

For more information about the event, or if you would like to register as a student or alumni please go to CareersOnline (if you are unable to register through CareersOnline please send an e-mail to recruit.talent@ubc.ca asking to register for this event with your full name and e-mail).

If you would like to be an Alumni Volunteer, please contact the UBC Career Center at career.centre@ubc.ca