PHOTO: Group picture of Pow Wow Pitch Mentors at the 2022 Ottawa Summer Solstice Festival

CIRA Continues Partnership to Support Online Start-Up for Indigenous Entrepreneurs

Providing Pow Wow Pitchers free .CA domains

On May 29th, Pow Wow Pitch, North America’s premier pitch competition and non-profit organization supporting emerging Indigenous entrepreneurs, announced the renewing of its partnership with CIRA, Canada’s official .CA registry, to continue uplifting Indigenous entrepreneurs through online start-ups. 

Set to support more than 2,500 Indigenous entrepreneurs in 2023 with mentorship, funding, training, marketing and a safe and trusted community of support, CIRA’s investment is helping Pow Wow Pitch to scale its virtual programs, re-enter communities with on-the-ground support across Canada and scale its programming to support Indigenous entrepreneurs. 

This year, CIRA will continue to support Pow Wow Pitch as a Seed-Level Sponsor and engage its employees as mentors and judges for Pow Wow Pitch entrepreneurs virtually and on the ground at pow wows across Canada. The partnership will focus on sharing the stories of Indigenous entrepreneurs and providing Indigenous entrepreneurs that participate in the Pow Wow Pitch community with a free .CA domain for their business with the support of their partner, Web Hosting Canada. 

Pow Wow Pitch will endeavor to launch an Indigenous Entrepreneurs Toolkit featuring .CAs and an upcoming series of CIRA Indigenous stock photos. This project is set to launch in the fall of 2023.

“We are thrilled to be extending our alliance with CIRA into another year, bringing to light the narratives of Indigenous entrepreneurs and bolstering their efforts by providing complimentary .CA domains to launch their online business pursuits,” said Sunshine Tenasco, Founder of Pow Wow Pitch. “CIRA echoes our admiration for Indigenous entrepreneurs and their ventures and we can’t wait to see where this partnership will take Pow Wow Pitch community members this year!”

“Indigenous entrepreneurs are among the most dynamic and creative in Canada. They are breaking down barriers, supporting their communities and making an impact,” said Spencer Callaghan, Director, Brand and Communications, CIRA. “CIRA is thrilled to continue our partnership with the Pow Wow Pitch community and champion their successes.”