Lazaridis School of Business and Economics

What Lazaridis School of Business and Economics does

The Lazaridis School of Business and Economics is the business and economics faculty of Wilfrid Laurier University, a public post-secondary institution located in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. Founded in 1966 and renamed following a major donor contribution, the school offers undergraduate and graduate academic programs in business and economics, including a newly launched MBA in Sports Management delivered at a Toronto campus co-located with the 2026 FIFA World Cup venue. The school is AACSB accredited, a credential held by less than 6% of the world's roughly 13,000 business programs, and supports its academic mission with student services (academic advising, Prism resources), donor-sponsored research centres, and community-engagement programming including the 'Coffee with Kyle' podcast hosted by Dean Kyle Murray.

The institution generates revenue through two primary streams: recurring tuition and academic fees from enrolled undergraduate and graduate students, and philanthropic donations channelled through Wilfrid Laurier University's fundraising initiatives, including a prominent 'Give Now' call to action on the school's digital properties. Its go-to-market motion is direct-to-consumer, relying on the central Wilfrid Laurier admissions portal, campus visits and events, an organic social presence across Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram, and LinkedIn, and a dedicated 60th anniversary campaign in 2026. Customers are segmented horizontally into prospective undergraduate students, prospective graduate students, faculty and researchers, alumni, and industry/community partners, with no disclosed enterprise customer concentration.

The school's value proposition centres on academic rigor, experiential learning through industry partnerships, and impact-oriented research in consumer behaviour, market trends, and emerging technologies. It maintains active research centres and donor-sponsored researchers, and is positioning AI literacy as a thematic focus, evidenced by the Dean's published book on AI for business leaders. As a non-profit academic unit embedded within a public university system, the Lazaridis School does not operate on commercial revenue maximisation logic, has no disclosed financials, and is not subject to PE/VC-style ownership, fundraising, or exit dynamics.

Name

Lazaridis School of Business and Economics

Legal name

Lazaridis School of Business and Economics at Wilfrid Laurier University

Website

https://lazaridisschool.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1966

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

The Lazaridis School of Business and Economics is the AACSB-accredited business faculty of Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario, offering undergraduate, graduate, and MBA programs (including a new MBA in Sports Management) to prospective students, supported by industry partnerships, donor-funded research, and community-engagement programming.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Business Schools and Computer and Management Training (6114)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAHAHAA

Undergraduate Business Schools (BBA/BSBA Programs)

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Business Schools & Management Institutes

SECONDARYEDAMAHAJ

Career Exploration & Industry Exposure (Guest Speakers, Company Visits)

Education/Supplemental & Enrichment Programs (Arts, STEM, Language)/Entrepreneurship & Business Enrichment

Keywords

• Business education
• MBA programs
• Economics programs
• Undergraduate business
• Graduate business degrees

Headquarters

HQ city

Waterloo

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Tuition and academic fees: Revenue generated from undergraduate and graduate program tuition fees charged to enrolled students.
2. Donations and philanthropy: The school receives donations through Wilfrid Laurier University's fundraising initiatives. The website prominently features a 'Give Now' CTA and the school is named after a donor (Lazaridis).

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Lazaridis School of Business and Economics is an AACSB-accredited business school within Wilfrid Laurier University offering undergraduate and graduate academic programs in business and economics. Core offerings include undergraduate business and economics degrees, graduate degrees including MBA and specialized master's programs (such as the MBA in Sports Management at the Toronto campus), and student experience services such as academic advising and Prism resources that support academic and career development.

Product overview

The Lazaridis School of Business and Economics at Wilfrid Laurier University offers a unified portfolio of academic programs and student services. The core offerings include undergraduate and graduate programs in business and economics, with specialized offerings such as an MBA in Sports Management. Supporting these academic programs are student services including academic advising and Prism resources, along with community engagement through the Coffee with Kyle podcast series.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Undergraduate Programs Business and economics academic programs at the undergraduate level providing high-demand knowledge and skills for career readiness, delivered at the Waterloo campus.
• Graduate Programs Advanced business and economics programs including MBA and specialized master's degrees for career advancement, leadership development, and specialized expertise.
• MBA in Sports Management Specialized MBA program focused on sports management, delivered at the Toronto campus near the 2026 World Cup venue.

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Industry PioneerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe school maintains partnerships with industry pioneers to foster innovation and social responsibility. These partnerships provide students with practical learning opportunities and experiential education while connecting the academic mission with real-world business challenges.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Rotman School of Management: University of Toronto's flagship business school offering undergraduate, MBA, and graduate management programs in Canada. Directly comparable Canadian AACSB-accredited peer competing for the same applicants and employer relationships.
• Smith School of Business: Queen's University business school offering undergraduate commerce, MBA, and executive programs. Comparable AACSB-accredited Canadian peer with strong national reputation.
• HEC Montréal: French-language business school in Montreal offering undergraduate, MBA, and graduate management programs with AACSB, EQUIS, and AMBA accreditations. Comparable Canadian peer with overlapping program mix.
• DeGroote School of Business: McMaster University's business school in Hamilton, Ontario offering undergraduate, MBA, and specialized programs. Comparable Ontario-based AACSB-accredited peer competing for the same regional applicant pool.
• Ivey Business School: Western University's business school, one of Canada's top AACSB-accredited programs with strong case-method brand. Closely comparable in program mix, AACSB status, and recruiter footprint.
• Desautels Faculty of Management: McGill University's business faculty in Montreal with undergraduate, MBA, and graduate programs. Comparable AACSB-accredited Canadian peer with strong international student base.
• Schulich School of Business: York University's business school offering undergraduate, MBA, and specialized master's programs in Toronto. Comparable Canadian AACSB-accredited peer with overlapping MBA specialties and Toronto employer access.
• Sauder School of Business: UBC's business school in Vancouver offering undergraduate, MBA, and graduate programs. Comparable Canadian AACSB-accredited peer at a major research university.

Broad incumbents

• Harvard Business School: Global benchmark business school at Harvard University offering MBA, executive education, and doctoral programs. Comparable in academic mission and AACSB-equivalent prestige but operates at vastly larger scale and broader portfolio.
• INSEAD: Global business school with campuses in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East offering MBA, executive education, and graduate programs. Comparable in offering academic business education at scale, with triple-accredited status analogous to AACSB-tier quality.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/LazaridisSchool
• Facebookfacebook.com/LazaridisSchool
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/15100380
• Instagraminstagram.com/lazaridisschool

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Lazaridis School of Business and Economics