The post Dakota Sipie, Sipie’s Mobile Wash, wins B2B Services Semi-Final appeared first on Pow Wow Pitch.

On September 7, 2022, Pow Wow Pitch, North America’s premier pitch competition for Indigenous entrepreneurs, presented in partnership with RBC, Shopify, Meta and Mastercard, announced Jody Bosse, the Nipissing First Nation Founder of Poly-B Plumbing from North Bay and Orillia, as the 2022 Pow Wow Pitch Skilled Trades Winner. Jody has won $1,000 and is advancing to the Finals for a chance to win $25,000 to grow her business.

More than 2,400 Indigenous entrepreneurs from across Canada and the United States applied to Pow Wow Pitch this year for their chance to win cash prizes and advance to the Pow Wow Pitch Finals. From the 2,400 applicants, 131 were selected as Semi-Finalists and provided with training and mentors.

Last night, Sunshine Tenasco, Founder of Pow Wow Pitch, emceed the action-packed program, where the nine Skilled Trades Semi-Finalists had the opportunity to pitch their business ideas and businesses in one minute for their chance to win. 

Judges included Supun Thalagala, Business Account Manager at RBC; Kyle St Amour Brennan Build Native Program Manager at Shopify; Meenakshi Vikrant, Implementations Manager at Mastercard; Holly Atjecoutay, Indigenous Entrepreneur Startup Program Director at Futurpreneur; and, Florence Mazerolle Account Manager at BDC. 

“'I've been working night and day helping our clients and our Team and now it's my time to step out of the shadows and let my Indigenous roots shine. It felt like something I had to do at this time. There was no question about it ,” said First-Place Winner Jody Bosse. “Having won the Skilled Trades Semi-Final, I am beaming with joy! Pow Wow Pitch has been an incredible incredible experience and platform for our business.”

Jody’s business, Poly-B Plumbing, provides both residential and commercial plumbing and water filtration services.

The Judges also issued an Honorary Mention to Nolan West, Founder of  Watchful Woodworks for an outstanding pitch; awarded Jennifer Dubois, Founder of Miyosiwin Salon Spa with 3rd place; and, recognized Samanntha De Coteau, Founder of RooferGirl Inc. as the Runner Up.

“Congratulations to Jody on her Gold Ticket win to advance to the 2022 Pow Wow Pitch Finals,” said Sunshine Tenasco, Founder of Pow Wow Pitch. “Poly-B Plumbing is an incredible business leading by example. We look forward to spotlighting and sharing Jody’s business with the Pow Wow Pitch community and growing together.” 

“Pow Wow Pitch is a tremendous showcase of Indigenous innovation and entrepreneurship, and the stories and achievements of this year’s semi-finalists are a testament to their creativity and entrepreneurial spirit,” said Dale Sturges, National Director for Indigenous Financial Services at RBC. “We’re so proud of all our participants and semi-finalists, and we will continue to support their growth and success in the future.”

"It was remarkable to take part in Pow Wow Pitch to watch such a talented and creative group of Indigenous entrepreneurs come together," said Kyle St-Amour-Brennan, Build Native Indigenous Program Manager at Shopify. "Although this event has a competitive element, it was incredible to feel the energy and spirit of community and connection between the entrepreneurs and partners. The Build Native team with Shopify has played a proud role in supporting Pow Wow Pitch, so it is exciting to see how things have grown over the years. What a great opportunity for Indigenous entrepreneurs!"

“At Meta, we are thrilled to support Indigenous businesses and entrepreneurs who are driving innovation and change in their communities,” said Debbie Reid, Indigenous Policy Manager at Meta. “Recognizing the importance of Indigenous voices and the limitless potential of Indigenous entrepreneurs is vital to the growth of the Canadian economy. We send our congratulations to Jody Bosse on advancing to the next round and to all entrepreneurs who participated in Pow Wow Pitch."

“At Mastercard, we’ve been truly inspired by the Indigenous entrepreneurs involved in this year’s Pow Wow Pitch as they’ve demonstrated such innovative thinking and solutions,” said Sasha Krstic, President of Mastercard Canada. “We are honoured to help support their continued success and see them grow. Congratulations to all the pitchers and congratulations to Jody on advancing to the next round.”

To watch Jody's winning pitch, click here. To watch the Skilled Trades Semi-Final, click here.

Jody will now advance to the Pow Wow Pitch Finals to pitch for the Grand Prize of $25,000, which broadcasts online on October 19, 2022. Visit www.powwowpitch.org for more information.

The post Jody Bosse, Poly-B Plumbing, wins Skilled Trades Semi-Final appeared first on Pow Wow Pitch.

Today, Pow Wow Pitch, North America's premier pitch competition for emerging Indigenous entrepreneurs, presented in partnership with RBC, Shopify, Meta and Mastercard, announced the opening of its eighth annual Pow Wow Pitch competition to Inuit, Métis and First Nations entrepreneurs across Turtle Island. 

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.

“Pow Wow is a place to meet, dance, sing, honour our culture and trade,” said Pow Wow Pitch Founder, Sunshine Tenasco. “Indigenous people have the ideas to make a difference in their communities, and Pow Wow Pitch is our platform to support one another as a community.”

How it works

Virtual: Between April 6th and June 21st, Indigenous entrepreneurs can submit a 1-minute video business pitch at www.powwowpitch.org/pitch as their entry into the Pow Wow Pitch Competition, or they can sign up and pitch live on Instagram through InstaPitch. Pow Wow Pitch will shortlist the top 80 Indigenous entrepreneurs as semi-finalists to receive mentorship, pitch training and compete in the virtual semi-final broadcasts for their chance to win $60,000 cash prizes and advance to the Grand Finale in October. 

In-Person: Pow Wow Pitch will also be on-site for Indigenous entrepreneurs to pitch live at the Manito Ahbee Festival in Winnipeg on May 21st, the Summer Solstice Indigenous Festival in Ottawa on June 25th, and other major Indigenous powwows and festivals across Canada and the United States.  Entrepreneurs can pitch their business or idea for one minute to win cash prizes and advance to the Pow Wow Pitch Grand Finale. 

The Finals: On October 19th, the top entrepreneurs from the virtual and live semi-finals will pitch to a panel of judges at the Grand Finale for the chance to win the top prizes: Alumni Prize ($5,000), People’s Choice Prize ($5,000), 3rd Prize ($5,000), 2nd Prize ($10,000), and 1st Prize ($25,000).  

All entrepreneurs who enter the pitch competition will join the Pow Wow Pitch community, get access to a free Indigenous Startup Program, access more than $1,000 worth of free technology, tools and support, and have the chance to have their products and services featured in the Pow Wow Pitch annual Mailer Box to 2,500 customers and on the Pow Wow Pitch Marketplace launching later this year for socially-conscious customers looking to ‘Buy Indigenous.’

Last year’s Winner, Smudge the Blades, used the competition to grow awareness and forge new collaborations. 

“Winning Pow Wow Pitch helped me get traction with major sports stores and distribution partners across Canada, gain coverage in news articles and Sportsnet, led to awesome collaborations with NHL Teams like the Edmonton Oilers, with new plans to work with the Shopify Build Native Team to revamp our website,” said Harlan Kingfisher, Founder of Smudge the Blades. “Through Pow Wow Pitch, I found friends and feel famous-even. People are recognizing the brand and me, which is helping us grow! It was an incredible experience and an amazing community.”

Powered by Partnerships 

To scale the Indigenous-led pitch competition across Turtle Island, Pow Wow Pitch is working with industry leaders who believe in the power of Indigenous entrepreneurship. RBC, Shopify, Meta and Mastercard have signed on with significant multi-year support as Co-Presenting Sponsors of the initiative to allow Pow Wow Pitch to rise to its ambition to support every Indigenous entrepreneur.

“Shopify aims to bring more voices to entrepreneurship, and Pow Wow Pitch allows Indigenous entrepreneurs from all stages and intersections to share their dreams, beliefs, culture, and expressions of economic self-determination,” says  Kyle St-Amour-Brennan, Indigenous Entrepreneurship Program Manager at Shopify. “Pow Wow Pitch has built one of the greatest Indigenous entrepreneurial showcases anywhere, and we’re privileged and excited to continue our ongoing partnership and shared mission to empower more Native entrepreneurs from communities everywhere.”  

“Indigenous entrepreneurs drive innovation and change in their communities and across Canada,” said Garrick Tiplady, VP and Country Director at Meta in Canada, “We are proud to continue supporting Pow Wow Pitch and their incredible community of entrepreneurs through educational resources and funding.” 

“At Mastercard, we are committed to fostering an inclusive economy that benefits everyone, including the Indigenous community,” said Sasha Krstic, president of Mastercard in Canada. “We recognize that Indigenous entrepreneurs face disproportionate barriers and, in partnership with Pow Wow Pitch, we are proud to address some of their unique barriers and challenges to help amplify the success of Indigenous entrepreneurs across the country.”

For the 2022 Pow Wow Pitch Season, Pow Wow Pitch is also supported by Silver Sponsors BDC, Canada Post, Export Development Canada, Futurpreneur, the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada, Jelly Academy and NACCA, in collaboration with Seed Sponsors Best Buy, CIRA, MITACS, MNP, Sklar Wilton & Associates and the Women Entrepreneurs Knowledge Hub. 

"Entrepreneurship is an important tool supporting reconciliation, and it takes all hands on deck to support Indigenous entrepreneurs," said Tenasco. "We are proud to continue our relationship with RBC, Shopify and Meta and kick-start our partnership with Mastercard as we build an ecosystem for Indigenous-owned vendors, startups and entrepreneurs."

To learn more about the 2022 Pow Wow Pitch competition, visit www.powwowpitch.org/pitch/. 

To book an interview with Pow Wow Pitch Founder Sunshine Tenaco, or for more information, please contact hello@powwowpitch.org.

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 challenges of Indigenous entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs. Pow Wow Pitch enhances growth through programs and resources. Community leadership through volunteerism is promoted as a reflection of respect and reciprocity. For more information, visit www.powwowpitch.org.

About RBC Indigenous Financial Services Group

For more than 100 years, RBC has been building relationships with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities across Canada. We are committed to serving Indigenous governments, communities, organizations, businesses and individuals by creating opportunities for sustainable economic development through access to banking and capital, and individuals. RBC also provides donations and grants that support Indigenous interests. More information at rbcroyalbank.com/indigenous.

 About Shopify

Shopify is a leading global commerce company, providing trusted tools to start, grow, market, and manage a retail business of any size. Shopify makes commerce better for everyone with a platform and services that are engineered for reliability, while delivering a better shopping experience for consumers everywhere. Proudly founded in Ottawa, Shopify powers over 1.7 million businesses in more than 175 countries and is trusted by brands such as Manitobah Mukluks, Cheekbone Beauty, Sisters Sage, Herbraids, Tania Larsson, and many more. For more information, visit www.shopify.com. 

About Meta

Meta builds technologies that help people connect, find communities, and grow businesses. When Facebook launched in 2004, it changed the way people connect. Apps like Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp further empowered billions around the world. Now, Meta is moving beyond 2D screens toward immersive experiences like augmented and virtual reality to help build the next evolution in social technology.

About Mastercard (NYSE: MA)

Mastercard is a global technology company in the payments industry. Our mission is to connect and power an inclusive, digital economy that benefits everyone, everywhere by making transactions safe, simple, smart and accessible. Using secure data and networks, partnerships and passion, our innovations and solutions help individuals, financial institutions, governments and businesses realize their greatest potential. Our decency quotient, or DQ, drives our culture and everything we do inside and outside of our company. With connections across more than 210 countries and territories, we are building a sustainable world that unlocks priceless possibilities for all.

The post Calling all Indigenous Entrepreneurs, Artists, Vendors and Businesses appeared first on Pow Wow Pitch.

Today, Pow Wow Pitch, North America’s premier pitch competition and non-profit organization supporting emerging Indigenous entrepreneurs, announced the Business Development Bank of Canada as a Silver Partner for its 2022 Pow Wow Pitch Program. 

Set to empower more than 2,500 Indigenous entrepreneurs in 2022 with mentorship, funding, training, marketing and a safe and trusted community of support, BDC’s investment is helping Pow Wow Pitch to scale its virtual programs, re-enter communities with on-the-ground assistance across Canada, and enhance its programming to help Indigenous entrepreneurs in the United States and New Zealand thrive.

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.

“BDC is a longstanding partner of Pow Wow Pitch, and its support is helping us grow the number of Indigenous entrepreneurs across Canada,” said Sunshine Tenasco, the Founder of Pow Wow Pitch. “As we provide Indigenous entrepreneurs with a trusted and safe community to support their entrepreneurial journey, we are grateful to BDC employees for their volunteerism and to BDC for investing in greater mental health supports for Indigenous entrepreneurs.”

As the bank for Canadian entrepreneurs, BDC is committed to ensuring entrepreneurs have the financing, advice, tools, and resources they need to succeed. This includes a team of more than 300 Client Diversity Champions with a mandate to help diverse entrepreneurs thrive.  

“Indigenous peoples are starting businesses at an unprecedented rate. Their passion and creativity is boundless and BDC is here to help them launch, buy, or expand their business,” said Monica James, Regional Manager, BDC. “We also recognize the pandemic has had long-lasting impacts on people’s business, and their mental health and wellbeing. We are thrilled to partner with Pow Wow Pitch again this year to expand our support to take care of entrepreneurs – and their businesses.”

The post BDC and Pow Wow Pitch Partner toProvide Mental Health Support appeared first on Pow Wow Pitch.

Today, Pow Wow Pitch, North America’s premier pitch competition for emerging Indigenous entrepreneurs, announced a national partnership with BDC ( Business Development Bank of Canada), building on the organization's previous support for the annual Pow Wow Pitch and its commitment to support Indigenous entrepreneurs with the capital and resources to help their businesses thrive.

Pow Wow Pitch is uniting and rallying a trusted ecosystem of partners around Indigenous entrepreneurs to accelerate access to the support and resources they need, and how they need it, to help drive growth of Indigenous-owned businesses. 

“Capital is a key resource for Indigenous entrepreneurs, and it is important to build partnership inroads that speed access to capital,” said Sunshine Tenasco, Founder of Pow Wow Pitch. “We are proud to be partnering with BDC to support our community to learn about and access Indigenous Entrepreneur Loans that recognize the obstacles Indigenous business owners face when financing their business.”

As the bank for Canadian entrepreneurs, BDC is committed to ensuring all diverse entrepreneurs have the financing, advice, tools and resources they need to succeed. For more than two decades, BDC has supported more than 900 Indigenous clients to access more than $450M in loans to help grow their business. 

“I am a proud Cree woman from the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation, and it’s been my pleasure and passion to help Indigenous entrepreneurs start and build their businesses while working with BDC,” said Monica James, Regional Manager, BDC. “We are committed to listening, learning and taking action to support Indigenous business owners. That includes working with great partners like Pow Wow Pitch to inspire our future leaders.”

The partnership between BDC and Pow Wow Pitch involves education on accessing financing and capital, engaging BDC employees as mentors, adjudicating the pitch competition, and contributing prize dollars for winning entrepreneurs. 

To learn more about BDC’s support for Indigenous entrepreneurs, click here.

The post BDC to Support Access to Capital appeared first on Pow Wow Pitch.