The Lassonde Family Foundation has made another significant donation of $25 million to the University of Utah’s Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute. This brings the foundation’s total contributions to an impressive $50 million. Pierre Lassonde and his late wife Claudette MacKay-Lassonde first came to the University of Utah 54 years ago with a vision and determination.
Despite facing challenges, they graduated in 1973. Pierre went on to become a successful mining entrepreneur and philanthropist, focusing on education and the arts. After Claudette’s passing in 2000, Pierre established the Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute to honor their shared experiences.
The institute has become a nationally recognized hub for student innovation within the David Eccles School of Business. At a recent ceremony, Pierre expressed his pride in the institute’s achievements and its impact on students. “This new gift will deepen our investment in these efforts, allowing the institute to continue to dream big and support young entrepreneurs for the next 25 years and beyond,” he said.
Lassonde family deepens institute’s impact
The Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute has already shown remarkable results. It contributes to the David Eccles School of Business’s high rankings in various national assessments.
The institute facilitates the involvement of more than 6,000 students and supports over 500 startup teams annually. University of Utah President Taylor Randall highlighted the transformative impact of the institute on campus. “Pierre Lassonde and the Lassonde Family Foundation have inspired us to reimagine what it means to teach entrepreneurship at a university,” Randall stated.
Kurt Dirks, dean of the David Eccles School of Business, expressed optimism for the institute’s future. “This is a transformative investment … both in size and vision,” Dirks said.
“This is going to allow us to really touch much more than just the business school but really the entire university.”
The Lassonde Family Foundation’s recent gift coincides with the anticipation of the institute’s 25th anniversary in 2026. This marks a significant milestone in its ongoing mission to support and inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs.