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September 18, 2026

Opening Doors: Agrotek and SFU Invest in the Next Generation of Indigenous Leaders

On September 17, Agrotek Industries and Simon Fraser University came together at the First Peoples’ Gathering House at SFU’s Burnaby campus to celebrate the launch of two new undergraduate awards supporting Indigenous students in the Faculty of Environment and Beedie School of Business.

The event brought together representatives from Indigenous communities, academia, government, industry and community organizations to mark an important milestone: creating more opportunities for the next generation of Indigenous leaders.

Opening doors through education

For Agrotek CEO Jonathan Mathias, the initiative has a personal meaning.

Growing up on a reserve in Quebec, Jonathan saw firsthand what limited resources can mean for young people who want to pursue post-secondary education. Indigenous communities do not always have enough funding available to support every young person who wants to attend university, meaning difficult choices sometimes have to be made about who receives that support.

According to Statistics Canada, 12.9% of Indigenous adults aged 25 to 64 held a bachelor’s degree or higher in 2021, compared with 33.8% of non-Indigenous adults.

As Jonathan shared during the event:

“I know that two awards aren’t going to solve that problem. But I believe we can each do something. We can open a door. We can give someone an opportunity they might not otherwise have had.”

The new awards build on Agrotek’s existing support for Indigenous education at SFU. In 2025, the Agrotek Undergraduate Award for Indigenous Students in the Faculty of Environment was established to recognize academic success and lived experience while advancing Indigenous leadership in environmental stewardship, land-based knowledge and agriculture. The inaugural award was presented to Nia Clifton, a student from the Gitga’at Nation.

The award recognizes agriculture broadly, including food systems, land-based practices, Indigenous food sovereignty and environmental justice.

Supporting students in Environment has a natural connection to Agrotek’s work in agriculture and soil health. Building a more sustainable future requires the next generation of Indigenous leaders helping shape how we care for our land, restore our soils, produce our food and strengthen our communities.

“The SFU Faculty of Environment values the knowledge and leadership that our Indigenous partners contribute to environmental knowledge, teaching, and research. We are deeply grateful to Agrotek for investing in Indigenous student success and helping to strengthen environmental stewardship for generations to come,” said Sean Markey, Dean of SFU’s Faculty of Environment.

But Indigenous leadership is equally important in business. We need Indigenous entrepreneurs, executives and leaders participating in the places where decisions about our economy, organizations and future are made.

The new award in SFU’s Beedie School of Business expands Agrotek’s support into this area, creating another opportunity for Indigenous undergraduate students pursuing their education and developing their leadership in business.

“The SFU Beedie School of Business is dedicated to creating more opportunities for Indigenous students. We are grateful for Agrotek’s support in launching this new undergraduate award and look forward to continuing this important partnership,” said Marvin Washington, Dean of the Beedie School of Business.

Each award will provide $2,000 annually to one Indigenous undergraduate student, with recipients selected according to eligibility criteria established by SFU.

Reconciliation requires collaboration

Meaningful reconciliation cannot happen through the efforts of one organization or community alone. It requires relationships and collaboration across Indigenous communities, academia, industry, government and society.

That spirit of collaboration grew during the event when two other Canadian companies in the agriculture sector, CZROBio and GreenFlow, announced that they will match Agrotek’s contribution to the initiative, extending the support available for Indigenous students and bringing more members of the industry into the effort.

Through these awards, Agrotek and Simon Fraser University are providing an example of what ReconciliACTION can look like: walking hand in hand to create real opportunities for Indigenous students and the next generation of leaders.

With the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation approaching on September 30, this partnership is also a reminder that reconciliation is not only a conversation. It requires institutions, businesses and communities to work together to create opportunities and remove barriers.

Jonathan Mathias and SFU staff from Indigenous Student Centre

Moving forward together

For Agrotek, building a sustainable future goes beyond the agricultural solutions we develop. It also means investing in people, knowledge and opportunities for the generations who will inherit the challenges we are working to address today.

We are grateful to Simon Fraser University and to everyone who joined us to celebrate this milestone. Most importantly, we look forward to seeing where these opportunities take the students who receive them.

Learn more and apply

Applications for the Agrotek Award for Indigenous Students in the Faculty of Environment are open until January 31, 2027. Students can find eligibility and application information through the Faculty of Environment award page.

Applications for the Agrotek Award for Indigenous Students in the Beedie School of Business are open until September 20, 2026. Eligibility and application information is available through the Beedie School of Business awards page.

Learn more about the Faculty of Environment award →

Learn more about the Beedie School of Business award →

Jonathan Mathias and Nia Clifton

Dean Sean Markey – Faculty of Environment

Dean Marvin Washington – Beedie School of Business