The new Centre is in partnership with University of Guelph’s John F. Wood Centre and Humber Polytechnic’s Longo Centre for Entrepreneurship
Pictured above: Business Administration student Aaron Dawang delivering remarks at the Guelph-Humber Centre for Entrepreneurship launch event
Being an entrepreneur means taking the seed of an idea and growing it into innovation; it means taking a risk while working hard to build an impactful business. These principles can be nurtured at the University of Guelph-Humber’s (U of GH) new Centre for Entrepreneurship, launched in partnership with the University of Guelph’s John F. Wood Centre and Humber Polytechnic’s Longo Centre for Entrepreneurship.
The U of GH Centre for Entrepreneurship is a new hub that bridges resources offered to Guelph-Humber students through its partner institutions in a central place. The Centre will serve as an incubator for students to develop bold business ideas, and be supported with mentorship and educational resources including hands-on workshops, and opportunities to compete for funding.
It’s available to U of GH students of all programs – not just Business Administration students.
“As someone who is an entrepreneur myself, those opportunities of being able to receive funding, receive resources, and receive knowledge from mentors is something that's very, very important,” fourth-year Business student and beauty entrepreneur Aaron Dawang said, who is also the president of the student-run Guelph-Humber Entrepreneurs Society.
Dawang owns and operates his own home spa business. His interest in the industry began as a teenager who dealt with severe acne. Receiving treatments for his skin helped him feel pampered physically, but emotionally and mentally as well – something he wants his clients to feel. Dawang completed a high school co-op on a spa’s administration team, which is where his dream really began.
For students like Dawang, U of GH is a place where ideas can be nurtured to turn passion into livelihood, whether that’s through the Centre for Entrepreneurship or the course BADM*4110 Planning a Small Business that’s open to Business students.
“At Guelph-Humber, we aren’t just teaching students how to manage businesses; we are teaching them how to build them. This Centre is the bridge where classroom theory meets real-world execution. By giving students a space to test their ideas, fail safely, and pivot quickly, we are ensuring they graduate with the resilience and agility the modern workforce demands,” Business Administration Chair Dr. Karey Rowe said.
And in terms of guiding students, the Centre will be supported by U of GH Business instructor Prince Khan, who will serve as faculty advisor, bringing his experience in entrepreneurship and business consulting. Khan is also an alum of the Business Administration program (class of 2015). He currently serves as supervisor of the Brampton Entrepreneur Centre and has immersed himself in entrepreneurship throughout his career. According to Business Administration Associate Head Dr. Farkhanda Shamim, there will also eventually be a student representative.
Examples of students whose ideas have been supported by the Longo Centre for Entrepreneurship include Media and Communication Studies student Evan Mangiarelli, who won $10,000 after placing second in the 2026 BMO Launch Me Finals for a business he co-founded called Running Uphill, and alum Gabe Abass (Business Administration, class of 2025), who also won $10,000 from the competition previously, earning him a total of $13,000 in funding to launch his fragrance bracelet business through the Longo Centre.
This victory meant so much more to Mangiarelli than prize money alone.
“This win reinforces our drive to continue working and grow our business, but it has also given us the opportunity to connect with other young entrepreneurs. The prize money will go towards equipment upgrades and client outreach, but the connections we made through this process are just as valuable,” he said. “We want Running Uphill to be the definitive partner when creating immersive events in Toronto, and the win at the BMO Launch Me Finals is one huge step towards that goal.”
The Centre’s mission is clear: providing students with an entrepreneurial spirit a place to explore, learn experientially, and be set up for success. Students from different programs each carry unique perspectives and can come into the space with a broad spectrum of ideas, Dr. Shamim said. She underscored the importance of entrepreneurship as a means of driving economic growth and creating jobs, propelling communities forward with big ideas.
“Entrepreneurship provides an opportunity for someone to be their own boss and follow their passion,” Dawang said. “It's also an opportunity for people to financially provide for themselves, to provide for their loved ones or for their families.”
The Guelph-Humber Centre for Entrepreneurship will be housed in GH 208 M.
To learn more about the Business Administration program and the experiential learning opportunities it offers, click here.