Anishinaabe business based in Troy, Michigan, USA wins $1,000 and advances to the Pow Wow Pitch Grand Finale
On September 8, 2026, Pow Wow Pitch, an Indigenous-led non-profit organization that hosts Turtle Island’s premier Indigenous Business Pitch Competition for Indigenous entrepreneurs, presented in partnership with RBC and Mastercard, announced Danielle Boyer, Anishinaabe of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, Founder and CEO of The STEAM Connection, a business based in Troy, Michigan, USA, as the 2026 Pow Wow Pitch Technology Semi-Final Winner. Danielle has won $1,000 and is advancing to the Grand Finale for a chance to win $25,000 to grow her business.
More than 120 Indigenous entrepreneurs from across Turtle Island were selected as Semi-Finalists in this year’s Pow Wow Pitch. Each received training and mentorship to prepare for their semi-final pitch to the Judges, competing for the chance to advance to the Pow Wow Pitch Grand Finale. Nine Technology Semi-Finalists had the opportunity to pitch their businesses in one minute for their chance to win an industry prize and a spot in the finals.
Judges included Sydney Baldwin, Senior Commercial Relationship Manager at RBC; Shrutika Gupta, Director, Product Development at Mastercard; and Edgard Cruz, National Indigenous Youth Business Advisory Council member at NACCA.
Danielle Boyer, Founder and CEO of The STEAM Connection, is an Anishinaabe robotics inventor, educator, and advocate who founded the organization in 2019 to make technology education more accessible to young people. The STEAM Connection designs, manufactures, and distributes free robotics and technology resources, with a focus on Indigenous youth. Danielle’s work also includes SkoBots, wearable robots created to support Indigenous language learning, combining robotics and technology with community knowledge and language revitalization.
In her pitch, Danielle shared that one of her biggest challenges is keeping up with the growing demand for her robotics resources from Tribal communities and schools. If she wins the $25,000 Grand Prize, she plans to expand The STEAM Connection’s manufacturing capacity, allowing her to produce more robots and get them into the hands of more communities and young people who are waiting for them.
The judges commended Danielle for her innovative approach to technology and the work she is doing to make robotics and STEAM education more accessible for Indigenous youth. They were impressed by how The STEAM Connection brings together technology, education, and Indigenous knowledge, and by Danielle’s vision for using technology to support the next generation.
“Congratulations to Danielle Boyer on advancing to the 2026 Pow Wow Pitch Grand Finale,” said Naomi Sarazin, Executive Director of Pow Wow Pitch. “Through The STEAM Connection, Danielle is making technology and robotics more accessible for Indigenous youth while showing what is possible when technology is created with community in mind. Her work is helping young people revitalize their language while finding new ways to support Indigenous learning and knowledge sharing through technology.”
Alongside selecting a winner, the judges also recognized the Runner Up for the Technology industry category. Joseph Morningstar, Mississauga First Nation Founder and Developer of Empower App was recognized for creating a practical technology solution designed to support communities during emergencies and crisis situations. Judges were moved by the heart behind his work and the ways Empower App is supporting community preparedness, coordinating community members and accommodations, and helping communities be ready when they are needed most. They celebrated Joseph for putting technology into action in service of community care and supporting people on the ground when it matters most.
“We’re committed to playing a role in paving a path forward for Indigenous entrepreneurs, exemplified by our support of Pow Wow Pitch,” said Brittanee Laverdure, Director, Truth and Reconciliation Office, RBC Origins. “Pow Wow Pitch offers a holistic support system to power the next generation of Indigenous innovators across Turtle Island, including this year’s participants and semi-finalists.”
“The creativity, determination, and ambition demonstrated by this year’s Pow Wow Pitch entrepreneurs have been truly inspiring,” said Jennifer M. Sloan, Senior Vice President, Government Affairs, Policy and Stakeholder Engagement at Mastercard, Canada. “We’re proud to work alongside partners like Pow Wow Pitch by mentoring pitchers, representing Mastercard’s commitment to help remove barriers and open pathways to growth and economic opportunity. Congratulations to all the pitchers for sharing their business ideas, entrepreneurial journeys, and stories, and a special congratulations to Danielle Boyer for advancing to the next round.”
To watch Danielle’s winning pitch, click here. To watch the Technology Semi-Final episode, click here.
Danielle will now advance to the Pow Wow Pitch Grand Finale to pitch for the Grand Prize of $25,000, which broadcasts online on October 21, 2026. Register to watch the 2026 Grand Finale at powwowpitch.org/register.