As part of the Partnership, Indigenous youth from across Canada starting up businesses can visit www.powwowpitch.org/tech-4-youth to submit a ‘Request for Tech’ to ask for the technology they need to start and run their businesses. Pow Wow Pitch and Best Buy will review and assess the requests to support Indigenous youth to take action on their dreams.
Futurpreneur and Pow Wow Pitch’s partnership will focus on providing Indigenous youth entrepreneurs with ongoing support through the Futurpreneur financing and mentorship programs including the Indigenous Entrepreneur Startup Program, led by a team with lived experience.
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.
This year, MNP will support Pow Wow Pitch as a Community-Level Sponsor and engage its employees as mentors for Pow Wow Pitch entrepreneurs virtually and on the ground at pow wows across Canada. In addition, this year, MNP will support Pow Wow Pitch Finalists with 8-hours of in-kind services each to help them advance significant business, strategic and financial planning goals.
Sklar Wilton’s employees will volunteer as mentors for Pow Wow Pitch entrepreneurs, with extra support and mentorship to Finalists one-on-one and through the Finalist Bootcamp program. In addition, Skar Wilton will partner with Pow Wow Pitch on a Learning Series Webinar, the development of tools and templates for Indigenous entrepreneurs, and an end-of-year Impact Report to support Pow Wow Pitch to quantify its impact on the Indigenous economy.
Today, Pow Wow Pitch, North America’s premier pitch competition and non-profit organization supporting emerging Indigenous entrepreneurs, announced the expansion of its collaboration with RBC over the next two years.
NACCA’s CEO, Shannin Metatawabin, will serve on Pow Wow Pitch Advisory Board to steward Pow Wow Pitch as it grows, and Pow Wow Pitch’s Founder, Sunshine Tenasco, will support NACCA Indigenous Business Hub entrepreneurs to start-up businesses through mentorship and workshops.
In addition to supporting Pow Wow Pitch as a Silver-Level Sponsor and engaging its employees as mentors, trusted advisors, and judges for virtual pitch contests and on the ground at pow wows across Canada, Canada Post will be available to answer questions related to shipping, e-commerce, logistics and marketing as part of the Pow Wow Pitch Ask Me Anything series.
Over the next three years, Mitacs will support Pow Wow Pitch as a Community-Level Sponsor and engage its employees as mentors, trusted advisors, and judges for virtual pitch contests and on the ground at pow wows across Canada. In addition, this year, Mitacs will support Pow Wow Pitch Finalists to connect with researchers and Mitacs innovation programs for ongoing support.
Through Pow Wow Pitch, Indigenous vendors, artists and entrepreneurs from Canada and the United States can pitch their businesses and business ideas virtually and live at pow wows and Indigenous festivals for their chance to join the Pow Wow Pitch Accelerator program and win more than $200,000 in cash prizes.
Patrick Hunter’s work ‘Red Rising’ has been selected as the official art for the 2022 Indigenous Entrepreneur Awards, and each of the 2022 Award Winners will receive a framed limited edition signed print of the work with their Award plaque.
Applications and nominations close on June 21, 2022. Winners will be announced and celebrated during a digitally broadcast awards presentation on November 3, 2022. In addition to the title, Winners receive a unique hand-crafted silver pin by Sapling & Flint, and a plaque encased with a limited edition signed print of ‘Red Rising,’ a beautiful art piece created by award-winning Indigenous artist Patrick Hunter.
As a Silver-Level sponsor, ITAC will also support the Pow Wow Creative Pitch to award $50K in grants to commission creative projects showcasing Indigenous-owned tourism businesses.
“I am so excited to be the Host of Pow Wow InstaPitch and showcase my designs as part of Pow Wow Pitch’s Motivation Mondays series,” said Amy Jackson, Founder of Nativelovenotes. “I made some wonderful friends and gained invaluable knowledge about entrepreneurship when I participated in Pow Wow Pitch last year. I hope this partnership will inspire and empower people to take action on their ideas.”
In addition to supporting Pow Wow Pitch as a Silver-Level Sponsor and engaging BDC employees as mentors, trusted advisors, and judges for virtual pitch contests and on the ground at pow wows across Canada, BDC is also supporting Pow Wow Pitch to develop on-demand resources and culturally appropriate mental health supports for early-stage Indigenous entrepreneurs.