SEMI-FINALISTS ANNOUNCED FOR THE
2020 POW WOW PITCH
100 Emerging Indigenous Entrepreneurs Selected to Pitch up to $25,000 in Prizes
Ottawa, ON – September 24, 2020 | Today, Pow Wow Pitch, Canada’s premier pitch competition for emerging Indigenous entrepreneurs, announced it’s top 100 Semi-Finalists selected to pitch next week at the 2020 Pow Wow Pitch National Semi-Finals, presented by RBC with the support of Shopify, Canada Post, BDC, and NACCA.
According to a recent study by RBC, Canada’s Indigenous economy is worth $30 billion and is expected to triple in size over the next five years to more than $125 billion by 2025. The study reports the number of Indigenous business owners growing at five times the rate of self-employed Canadians, with Indigenous women starting businesses at twice the rate of non-Indigenous women. Supporting Indigenous entrepreneurs is more important than ever before.
Pow Wow Pitch Semi-Finalists from across Canada are matched with mentors, gain access to support from Indigenous and non-Indigenous acceleration and growth partners, and have a chance to pitch for non-repayable seed funding to get their new businesses off the ground.
Announcing the 2020 Semi-Finalists
ADAM NEPON
AILEEN BROOKE BRANDON
ALEX STARBLANKET
ALEXANDRIA BIPATNATH
AMBER BELANGER
AMY MILLER
ANDREA BENNETT
APRIL MITCHELL BOUDREAU
APRIL MOOSOMIN
ASHLEY MACDONALD
BERNICE CLARKE
CARL ARCHIE
CAROLE WHITEDUCK
CASS SPENCE
CHARLENE SANJENKO
CHARMAINE JOE
CHARMAINE STARCHIEF
CHEYENNE ISAAC GLOADE
CHRISTIAN EMOND
COLLEEN NOLAN
CONNOR MARTIN
CRYSTAL SEMAGANIS
CYNTHIA BELL
DALE STONEHOUSE
DALLAS COURCHENE
DALLAS POOTLASS
DARIAN SAMPARE
DAVID SEGERTS
DAWN WILSON
DAYNA DESJARDINE
DUSTY LEGRANDE
EDIE ASSINEWE
ELLIOTT CORSTON-PINE
ERICA DANIELS
GAVIN DECONTIE
HOLLY SMITH
JACOB CRANE
JAMIE MEDICINE CRANE
JANESSA BREAULT
JEFF BRANT
JESSE BENJAMIN
JESSE STECKLEY
JILLIAN SUTHERLAND
JODY MARTIN
JODY WHITEDUCK
JOEL ENGLISH DUBOIS
JOEL MARRIOTT
JOELY BIGEAGLE
JOHN SU
JOHNNY HAWKE
JOSEE SUNDAY
JULIE BULL
KAREN CARRIERE
KAREN MACAULAY
KAYLA STRIDE
KEENAN BEAVIS
KELLIE WUTTUNEE
KELLY SNACHE
KERI GRAY
KIAWENTONTEH SWAMP
LANCE WHITFORD
LAYTEN BYHETTE
LEIGH JOSEPH
LEILANI SHAW
LEONA SKYE GRANMOND
LYNN MARIE ANGUS
MANDY MORAES
MARIAH SMITH CHABOT
MEAGAN BYRNE
MEGANE PAUL ST.JACQUES
MIKE SCOTT
MIRANDA VOTH
MITCH GEGWETCH
MYA BEAUDRY
NATASHA ENDAAYAN
NATASHA PATLES
NIKITA WAWATIE
PAIGE POLCHES
PAM DEVONSHIRE
PETER WHITE*
RANDELL MARTELL
REID COUTURE
SALENA STARLING
SAM ELIJAH
SEASON KIRKWOOD
SELENA ARCAND
SHANNON TENASCON
SONYA BALLANTYNE
STEPHANIE PANGOWISH
TASHA POWER
TAWNYA BRANT
TESLER MOSQUITO
TONYA LEAH WATTS
TRESSA LUSTY (NIITAIKOKOMI)
TREVER ANDREW*
TRISHA GARDEPY
TYRA MOSES
VIOLET DUNCAN
WAYNE MACKENZIE
WHITNEY ALPHONSE
ZECHARIAH JAMES
“Pow Wow Pitch is committed to shining a spotlight on Canada’s Indigenous entrepreneurs and emerging business leaders, broadcasting digitally across Canada,” said Sunshine Tenasco, Founder and CEO of the Pow Wow Pitch. “Each Semi-Finalist embodies the spirit, resilience and creativity of Indigenous entrepreneurship. Each entrepreneur is committed to creating a better tomorrow through their products and services.”
Ready, set, pitch!
From September 28 to October 2, each day from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM ET, Semi-Finalists will go head to head, pitching to panels of esteemed judges, for a place in the Pow Wow Pitch Final Showdown. Twenty-five entrepreneurs will move on to the National Finals, with special recognition and prizes for regional winners from each province and territory.
Join the 2020 Pow Wow Pitch Semi-Finals live through the Pow Wow Pitch Facebook Page and participate using #PowWowPitch.
Sunshine Tenasco
Founder, Pow Wow Pitch
819-665-2150
About Pow Wow Pitch
Pow Wow Pitch is an entrepreneurship program for emerging Indigenous entrepreneurs, which provides a safe, supportive, collaborative, empowering and culturally supportive environment that addresses the unique challenges of Indigenous entrepreneurs and aspiring Indigenous entrepreneurs. Pow Wow Pitch enhances, develops and accelerates the growth for current and aspiring Indigenous entrepreneurs in a sustainable way through programs and resources. Community leadership through volunteerism is promoted as a reflection of respect and reciprocity as the foundation of the Pow Wow Pitch. Creating opportunities for Indigenous entrepreneurs to shine. For more information, visit