Indigenous entrepreneurs from across Turtle Island win $45,000 in prizes
On October 21, 2026, Pow Wow Pitch, an Indigenous-led non-profit organization that hosts Turtle Island’s premier Indigenous Business Pitch Competition for Indigenous entrepreneurs, co-presented in partnership with RBC and Mastercard, announced Danielle Boyer, Anishinaabe Founder and CEO of The STEAM Connection, as the 2026 Pow Wow Pitch Winner and recipient of the Grand Prize of $25,000.
The Grand Finale was hosted by Sunshine Tenasco, Founder of Pow Wow Pitch, and brought together Indigenous entrepreneurs from Nations and communities across Turtle Island to pitch their businesses and share their entrepreneurial journeys.
Following the qualifying Semi-Final round, the top 17 Indigenous entrepreneurs from across Turtle Island went head-to-head pitching their businesses to a panel of judges who evaluated and selected the 2026 Grand Finale winners.
The 2026 Grand Finale Judges included Herb ZoBell, Vice President, Commercial Financial Services at RBC; Mansur Mirani, Vice President, Data Portfolio & Strategic Programs at Mastercard; Kendal Garlow, Co-Founder and CEO of SproutSync Ltd. and the 2025 Pow Wow Pitch First Place Winner; and Dr. Shyra Barberstock, Co-Founder and CEO of Kebaonish Inc. and the 2024 Pow Wow Pitch First Place Winner.
MEET THE WINNERS
The First Place Prize of $25,000 presented by RBC was Danielle Boyer, Founder and CEO of The STEAM Connection, an Anishinaabe entrepreneur and enrolled citizen of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians and business based in Troy, Michigan. The STEAM Connection designs, manufactures and distributes robotics and technology resources with a focus on making technology education more accessible for Indigenous youth. Danielle’s work includes SkoBots, wearable robots that combine technology with Indigenous knowledge and language revitalization. Watch Danielle’s pitch.
“Being a Pow Wow Pitch winner means being able to bring more attention to the importance of language revitalization and making it more accessible to our youth. Our voices deserve to be heard, and platforming ethical technology rooted in data sovereignty means a lot,” shared Danielle Boyer, Founder and CEO of The STEAM Connection.
Danielle plans to use the $25,000 Grand Prize to expand The STEAM Connection’s manufacturing capacity, allowing the organization to produce more robotics resources and get them into the hands of more Indigenous youth and communities.
Danielle shares this advice for other Indigenous entrepreneurs: “Start with your community and what matters to you. You don’t need a fancy degree, decades of experience, or a perfect plan to begin. Build something that reflects your values, stays true to your teachings and community, and creates meaningful change for your people.”
Danielle expresses her gratitude to Pow Wow Pitch, her grandmother Bernadine Edwards, the language keepers who share their knowledge and voices, and the Indigenous youth who help design and build SkoBots. “This work is only possible because of the communities who trust us to support their language revitalization journeys.”
The Second Place Prize of $10,000, presented by Mastercard, was awarded to Rain Ward, Founder of 2Bear: Indigenous Wellness, from Metepenagiag Mi’qmak Nation and business based in Metepenagiag Mi’qmak Nation, New Brunswick. 2Bear is a Mi’kmaq-owned wellness collective offering holistic wellness, facilitation, workshops, ceremony, traditional food and medicine education, cultural activities and community-based programming. In his pitch, Rain shared that he would create a cultural ceremony space to enhance the mental health landscape in his community and hire a staff member to support operations. Watch Rain’s pitch.
“It means the world that a little guy from the Rez can make a big difference for myself, my Nation, and the country,” shared Rain Ward, Founder of 2Bear: Indigenous Wellness. “The most meaningful part has been the validation that other people can feel the way I feel about 2Bear. All this hard work is building a future for myself and my family, and showing that Indigenous people can make a way for ourselves while staying true to our traditional ways of knowing and being.”
Rain shares this advice for other Indigenous entrepreneurs: “Find the things that make you different and that you love, and be authentic to yourself. Your first product you’re selling is yourself. Show the world what makes you so special and how you can share.”
The Third Place Prize of $5,000, presented by Pow Wow Pitch Alumni Dr. Shyra Barberstock, went to Cole Sanderson, Founder of North Wrestle, from Sturgeon Lake First Nation and business based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. North Wrestle is a Canadian wrestling media platform dedicated to growing the sport, celebrating athletes and creating greater visibility and opportunities for Canada’s wrestling community. Cole plans to use the prize money to grow North Wrestle into a sustainable national platform that tells the stories of Canadian wrestlers and creates opportunities for athletes, coaches, and wrestling communities. The funding will support expanded event coverage, media production, and a national ranking system to help grow the sport and inspire the next generation of Canadian wrestlers. Watch Cole’s pitch.
“I’m very grateful to be a Pow Wow Pitch winner. It took my community, family, and a lot of people believing in me to get here. This win means I get to keep building North Wrestle and share my story and the journey toward increasing visibility for the sport that gave me everything. This is just the beginning. You’re going to hear and see a lot more from me,” shared Cole Sanderson, Founder of North Wrestle.
Cole shares this advice for other Indigenous entrepreneurs: “Entrepreneurship is hard, and I won’t pretend otherwise. The struggles and challenges will keep coming. Your job is to keep moving. Start, even before you feel ready, and keep going when it gets heavy. The fear doesn’t go away; you just learn to move with it.”
The Alumni Choice Prize of $5,000 was presented on behalf of Pow Wow Pitch Alumni by Kendal Garlow, went to Dana Swart, Owner of Trailhead Bread, from the Métis Nation of Alberta and business based in Crowsnest Pass, Alberta. Trailhead Bread is an artisan bakery led by Red Seal Baker Dana Swart, specializing in handcrafted sourdough and baked goods while incorporating local ingredients and regional flavours wherever possible. Dana will use the funds to increase food literacy and purchase equipment to expand retail opportunities beyond wholesale. Watch Dana’s pitch.
“Being selected as a Pow Wow Pitch winner means so much to me. Starting a small business is a lot of work, and having that effort recognized and supported by my community is incredibly meaningful,” shared Dana Swart, Owner of Trailhead Bread. “[These funds] will allow me to invest in the business, grow thoughtfully, and bring my vision to life. I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity and for the people who believe in what I’m building.”
“This year’s winners remind us of the incredible diversity, creativity, and vision within Indigenous entrepreneurship,” said Sunshine Tenasco, Founder of Pow Wow Pitch. “From technology and wellness to wrestling and food, each entrepreneur is building something rooted in who they are and where they come from, while creating opportunities for their communities. We are so proud to celebrate Danielle, Rain, Cole, and Dana, and grateful to every finalist who shared their story with us. Miigwetch for bringing your ideas, your culture, and your dreams into this circle. We are honoured to walk alongside you and look forward to seeing where your journeys take you next.”
“Empowering Indigenous entrepreneurship is critical to advancing economic resilience, growth, and reconciliation,” said Brittanee Laverdure, Director, Truth and Reconciliation Office, RBC Origins. “At RBC, we are proud to support Pow Wow Pitch in providing a platform for Indigenous entrepreneurs to generate meaningful impact in their communities across Turtle Island and beyond. Congratulations to this year’s finalists and winners – we’re humbled to witness your growth and celebrate your success.”
“At Mastercard, we’ve been inspired by the innovation, drive, and creativity shown by the Indigenous entrepreneurs who took part in this year’s Pow Wow Pitch,” said Jennifer M. Sloan, Senior Vice President, Government Affairs, Policy and Stakeholder Engagement at Mastercard, Canada. “Our partnership with Pow Wow Pitch reflects our shared commitment to expanding economic opportunity and supporting Indigenous entrepreneurs. We’re proud to support their journeys and to celebrate their accomplishments. Congratulations to all the pitchers, and a special congratulations to Danielle, Rain, Cole, and Dana on winning the 2026 Pow Wow Pitch!”
To watch the Grand Finale, click here.
To schedule an interview with Pow Wow Pitch Founder, Sunshine Tenasco, Executive Director, Naomi Sarazin, or one of our winners, Danielle, Rain, Cole or Dana, please contact hello@powwowpitch.org.
About Pow Wow Pitch
Pow Wow Pitch is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to supporting and funding early-stage Indigenous entrepreneurs across Turtle Island, with the co-presenting support of Mastercard and RBC. Our vision is to create a world where Indigenous entrepreneurs thrive, feeling supported, safe, and encouraged to develop their ideas and build businesses that create a positive cycle of growth. With a mission to provide resources and mentorship, we empower Indigenous entrepreneurs while amplifying their stories to inspire future generations and foster a more inclusive world.
For more information, visit powwowpitch.org.
About RBC
Royal Bank of Canada is a global financial institution with a purpose-driven, principles-led approach to delivering leading performance. Our success comes from the 105,000+ employees who leverage their imaginations and insights to bring our vision, values and strategy to life so we can help our clients thrive and communities prosper. As Canada’s biggest bank and one of the largest in the world, based on market capitalization, we have a diversified business model with a focus on innovation and providing exceptional experiences to our more than 19 million clients in Canada, the U.S. and 27 other countries. Learn more at rbc.com.
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