MAO Yu Lynn Yuan Designated as Entrepreneurship Mentor at Canada's National-Level Entrepreneurial Organization Futurpreneur

September 25, 2025 (Toronto, Canada) - Recently, FANIQUE, a multinational enterprise focused on building sustainable innovation ecosystems, has collaborated with Futurpreneur Canada–a national nonprofit entrepreneurship support organization （ESO) in Canada–to back the incubation of social innovation and entrepreneurship projects as well as talents dedicated to sustainable development. Starting from September 2025, Ms. MAO Yu Lynn Yuan, Founder of FANIQUE, will officially take up the long-term role of Entrepreneurship Mentor at Futurpreneur Canada. Guided by the shared vision of supporting youth entrepreneurship, FANIQUE will integrate resources from China, Canada and other global communities to provide professional mentoring and development support for relevant projects. This collaboration seeks to empower Canadian young entrepreneurs to scale into international markets while facilitating the cross-regional propagation of advanced notions pertaining to sustainable innovation and technology for good.

Futurpreneur Canada is a national nonprofit organization in Canada specializing in youth entrepreneurship support. Since its establishment in 1996, it has been committed to supporting youth to turn high-quality entrepreneurial ideas into established business models, building a nationwide community of young entrepreneurs, and advancing cross-regional cooperation. Among the youth-led startups it supports, over 40% are led by women, more than 20% are owned by Black and Indigenous founders, and the remainder cover small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) owners from diverse backgrounds, industries and regions. The organization offers end-to-end support for these entrepreneurs, including startup loans, mentoring guidance and resource connectivity, solidifying its position as a core enabler for youth entrepreneurship in Canada.

The Government of Canada has steadily intensified its support for Futurpreneur Canada. The federal government has invested a total of CAD 161.5 million since 2001, and in April 2024, announced an additional CAD 60 million in funding over the next five years to further expand youth entrepreneurship opportunities. This move not only underscores the Canadian government’s high priority on youth entrepreneurs but also reflects its strategic commitment to driving economic diversification and achieving sustainable development goals, laying the groundwork for an inclusive and diverse social-economic ecosystem.

In this collaboration, FANIQUE adopts a core framework of "Resource-Integration to Capacity-Building to Market-Linkage" to facilitate the effective implementation of sustainable innovation projects with international potential. At the resource integration level, FANIQUE aims to bridge high-quality projects with relevant government departments, investment institutions, supply chain vendors and marketing channels in Mainland China and Hong Kong SAR, China. In terms of capacity-building and market-linkage, leveraging its seasoned entrepreneurial incubation experience, FANIQUE commits to provide customized support for project development based on the specific demands.

Notably, the "FANIQUE Innovator Program" (2019-2023)–an educational initiative operated by FANIQUE from 2019 to 2023–has emerged as a key platform for empowering youth employment and entrepreneurship. Combining online and offline delivery models, the program offers structured mentoring, hands-on cooperative  support and issues completion certificates to youth participants. To date, it has nurtured over 300 international innovative talents and established partnerships with more than 50 universities and educational institutions across North America (Canada and the United States), forging a solid youth talent foundation for this collaboration with Futurpreneur Canada.

Amid the global movement of sustainable development, innovation serves as a pivotal driver of social progress and economic growth. When focusing on the business sector, Sustainable Business Model Innovation (SBMI) is gradually emerging as a critical strategy for enterprises to stand out in fierce market competition. In the future, SBMI may no longer be an option but a mandatory component of corporate strategy formulation—mastering its logic and methods enables enterprises to gain a competitive edge. To understand SBMI, we first distinguish it from traditional Business Model Innovation (BMI). Traditional BMI centers on creating, delivering, and capturing economic value for shareholders, while SBMI, as its advanced form, deeply integrates environmental and social value creation with business objectives and drives value creation from the perspective of diverse stakeholders.

As illustrated in Figure 1: The Two Engines of Sustainable Business Model Innovation, SBMI is an advanced form of traditional BMI. It is not a simple combination of "business + public welfare" but achieves value symbiosis at the intersection of "creating business advantages for shareholders" and "generating environmental and social benefits for stakeholders". In terms of business outcomes, it builds competitive advantages, enhances shareholder value, and ensures long-term corporate sustainability through innovation; in terms of environmental and social outcomes, it drives economic vitality, environmental sustainability, social empowerment, and inclusive development. In short, SBMI is not a trade-off but a win-win synergy—it helps enterprises achieve financial growth while driving positive changes in the environment and society.

Definition of Sustainable Business Model Innovation (SBMI)

While focusing on corporate value creation mechanisms, SBMI expands the concept of value to incorporate social and environmental value from the perspective of diverse stakeholders. It aims to balance social and environmental benefits (such as pollution reduction and the promotion of social equity) while meeting economic goals. This means enterprises implementing SBMI not only pursue financial growth but also actively assume social responsibilities to advance sustainable development.

Why Does SBMI Matter?

• Business Benefits: It helps enterprises cut costs and unlock new revenue streams. For instance, adopting eco-friendly production technologies reduces energy consumption costs; developing sustainable products or services attracts environmentally conscious consumers and expands market share.

• Enhanced Corporate Advantages: It contributes to improving corporate reputation and brand image, strengthening organizational resilience, and attracting top-tier talents. Consumers tend to support socially responsible enterprises, which boosts customer loyalty; meanwhile, a positive corporate image facilitates talent attraction and retention.

• Addressing Sustainable Development Challenges: Against the backdrop of global sustainability issues, SBMI enables enterprises to proactively respond to future regulatory changes, mitigate operational risks, and achieve long-term stable development.

Furthermore, SBMI offers strategic insights for enterprises of all sizes—such as helping them prepare for environmental regulations in advance, enhance organizational resilience, and simultaneously improve brand reputation to attract high-quality talents.

• Large Multinational Enterprises: Should integrate sustainability into core strategies and operations. Leveraging their resources and influence, they can promote sustainable development practices globally and lead industry transformation (e.g., setting long-term sustainability goals, advocating sustainable standards in supply chains, and driving the joint development of upstream and downstream enterprises).

• SMEs: Can achieve differentiated competition through SBMI. By focusing on specific sustainable development fields, meeting niche market demands, and building a unique brand image (e.g., SMEs specializing in eco-friendly products can attract target customers and enhance market competitiveness with their distinctive offerings).

How to Implement SBMI?

To unlock the full potential of SBMI, enterprises can refer to the four-step structured cycle model proposed by Boston Consulting Group (BCG):

(1) Expand Business Scope: Adopt systematic thinking to examine the impact of business operations on all stakeholders (e.g., shifting from "selling products" to "providing green solutions") and test the weaknesses of the business model through trend analysis (e.g., carbon neutrality policies).

(2) Innovate to Build a Resilient Business Model: Design models that simultaneously create business, environmental, and social value (e.g., "product leasing + recycling and reuse" models).

(3) Align with Value Drivers: Clarify how environmental and social benefits translate into business advantages (e.g., green certification increases product premiums, and circular models reduce raw material costs).

(4) Scale Up: Rapidly pilot and promote successful models, and ultimately reshape industry rules (e.g., formulating green supply chain standards).

Relevant Case Studies

Canada: Tesla’s Innovative Practices in the Energy Sector

Though a U.S.-based enterprise, Tesla has fully implemented SBMI in Canada’s energy market. Its Megapack commercial energy storage products and Powerwall home battery storage systems have been deployed in over 65 countries and regions, including Canada. Megapack is often used for grid stability or renewable energy integration in utility and large-scale commercial projects, effectively boosting the absorption of renewable energy in Canada. With its brand and technological advantages, Tesla’s energy products enjoy high market recognition and command increased premiums. This not only meets local users’ demand for stable power supply but also drives the development of Canada’s energy storage industry and reshapes industry rules.

Mainland China: Xiaomi’s Ecosystem-based Sustainable Development Model

Xiaomi has built its "human-vehicle-home full ecosystem" to implement sustainable development strategies. In 2024, Xiaomi’s R&D investment reached 24 billion yuan; its AIoT platform has connected approximately 1 billion smart terminals, integrated over 1,000 brands, and served 10,000 partners and developers. Taking the Xiaomi SU7 as an example, 30% recycled aluminum is used in its body materials, reducing carbon emissions by 352 kg per vehicle compared with traditional manufacturing methods; the solar panels on the roof of Xiaomi’s automobile factory generate 16.4 million kWh of electricity annually, cutting carbon dioxide emissions by 9,900 tons. Xiaomi also plans to recycle 38,000 tons of electronic waste from 2022 to 2026. Through technological innovation and industrial collaboration, Xiaomi has promoted the green development of the smart home industry and its upstream and downstream industrial chains.

Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), China: Swire Properties’ Sustainable Development Initiatives

In response to Hong Kong’s high-density urban development, Swire Properties has actively carried out sustainable upgrades for its commercial properties. It has collaborated with LVMH Group to launch the Sustainable Renovation Guidelines, covering 15 measures in lighting systems, interior layout, and sustainable procurement. By 2023, Swire Properties had reduced the carbon intensity of tenant operations by 40% per square meter, far exceeding its target of a 28% reduction by 2030. Projects such as Taikoo Place have integrated green building designs, expanded public spaces and greenery, and organized community activities to facilitate neighborhood communication. This has enhanced property value and rental income, strengthened social reputation, and set a benchmark for the sustainable development of Hong Kong’s commercial real estate industry.

About Futurpreneur Canada

Futurpreneur Canada is a national nonprofit organization in Canada dedicated to youth entrepreneurship support. Since 1996, it has been committed to helping young people transform entrepreneurial ideas into mature business models, building a nationwide community of young entrepreneurs and promoting cross-regional cooperation. To date, it has supported over 20,000 young entrepreneurs, disbursed a total of CAD 236 million in startup loans, and assisted in establishing more than 20,000 Canadian SMEs.

Website: www.futurpreneur.ca

About FANIQUE

FANIQUE is a multinational enterprise focused on building sustainable innovation ecosystems. Through business activities including resource integration, incubation and cultivation, and industrial alignment, it drives the transformation of turning innovative ideas into sustainable values. Its business scope covers entrepreneurship incubation, outcome (technological) commercialization, investment linkage, industrial cooperation, international exchange and other fields. The FANIQUE Innovator Program (2019-2023) operated by FANIQUE has nurtured over 300 international innovative talents and partnered with more than 50 universities and educational institutions in North America.

Website: www.faniquegroup.com