Role of Judges

Being a judge means supporting and uplifting Indigenous entrepreneurs as they present their business ideas. Judges listen to pitches, offer constructive feedback and encouragement, and celebrate the participants’ creativity and vision.

Judges provide an impartial assessment, focusing on the potential, contributions to community, and feasibility of each pitch, while maintaining a fair, inclusive, and culturally safe environment for all participants.

Judge Commitments

Pow Wow Pitch is committed to fostering a collaborative, supportive, and culturally safe environment that empowers Indigenous entrepreneurs to start and grow thriving businesses.

Thank you for supporting Indigenous entrepreneurs through Pow Wow Pitch. By participating as a judge, you agree to uphold the following commitments to help ensure a respectful, supportive, and positive experience for all participants.

Professional Conduct & Communication

• Maintain respectful, professional, and culturally mindful interactions with all participants and members of the Pow Wow Pitch team.
• Uphold the Pow Wow Pitch values of respect, responsibility, reciprocity, love, relationships, courage and fun in all interactions.
• Listen attentively to each pitch, ask thoughtful questions, and contribute to a safe, welcoming, and inclusive environment.
• Provide fair, constructive, and encouraging feedback that recognizes participants’ efforts and supports their confidence.

Program Participation

• Attend any required orientation, briefing, or technical sessions (if applicable).
• Fulfill your scheduled judging session, evaluating pitches impartially and with focus.
• Evaluate each pitch based on the judging criteria and scoring guidelines, ensuring fairness for all participants.
• Collaborate respectfully with fellow judges during deliberations.
• Notify the Pow Wow Pitch team as soon as possible if scheduling changes or issues arise.
• Arrive prepared and on time, ready to support a positive and professional experience for all participants.

Confidentiality & Respect for Ideas

• Respect the confidentiality of business ideas, materials, and discussions shared during Pow Wow Pitch programming.
• Maintain confidentiality; do not share or discuss pitches, sensitive information shared, or scoring outside of the judging panel. 
• Disclose any real or perceived conflicts of interest, even if you are not directly involved in that panel, and recuse yourself where necessary to ensure fair and unbiased evaluations.
• Maintain a professional and respectful attitude toward all participants’ ideas, recognizing their effort and creativity.

Judge Acknowledgement

By registering as a Pow Wow Pitch Judge, you confirm that you have read and understood the Judge Guide. Judges play an important role in supporting Indigenous entrepreneurs as they share their pitches, celebrate their ideas, and contribute to the growth of Indigenous innovation.

Pow Wow Pitch judges are expected to provide thoughtful, respectful, and constructive feedback, and to help maintain a fair, inclusive, and culturally safe environment for all Pow Wow Pitch participants.

Tips for a Great Judging Session

Sample Judge Questions

Presentation

• We’d love to hear who you are, where you’re from, and what you’re building.
• Can you walk us through what products or services you’re offering and who it’s designed for?
• How are you currently promoting or introducing your product/service to your audience?
• What makes your product or service stand out? What

Execution

• What concrete steps have you taken so far to move your business from idea to action? Or how do you plan to bring your business idea to action?
• What key milestones have you achieved to date?
• What does success look like for the next 12 months?
• What helps you stay focused and committed to following through on your business goals?

Motivation

• Can you clearly outline how you would use the $25,000 to take the next step in your business?
• What specific activities or milestones would this funding support in the short term or long term?
• How will this funding help move your business forward in a meaningful way?
• What progress have you made so far, and how will this funding support your next steps?
• What are your immediate and longer-term goals, and how does this funding help you move toward them?

Community Uplift

• Can you describe the specific positive changes your business has created, or aims to create, for you, your family or your community?
• How are Indigenous values, knowledge, or cultural practices meaningfully integrated into your business model and decision-making?
• In what ways do you actively engage, support, or collaborate with your community and/or communities through your business?
• What legacy do you hope to leave?
• Who supports you in your business, do you have a team, mentors, family, or community members helping you?
• What changes have you seen in your family or community because of your business?