Today, Pow Wow Pitch, North America’s premier pitch competition and non-profit organization supporting emerging Indigenous entrepreneurs, announced a partnership with CIRA  (Canadian Internet Registration Authority) for its 2022 Pow Wow Pitch Program. 

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

This year, CIRA will support Pow Wow Pitch as a Seed-Level Sponsor and engage its employees as mentors and judges for Pow Wow Pitch entrepreneurs virtually and on the ground at pow wows across Canada. 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. 

“We are proud to be continuing our partnership with CIRA for the second year in a row to tell the stories of Indigenous entrepreneurs and support Indigenous entrepreneurs with free .CA domains to get them started and selling online faster,” said Sunshine Tenasco, Founder of Pow Wow Pitch. “CIRA shares the pride we have in Indigenous entrepreneurs and their businesses. We look forward to growing together as partners committed to the success of Indigenous entrepreneurs.

“Indigenous entrepreneurs are leading the way to a more innovative, dynamic and inclusive economy,” said Spencer Callaghan, Senior Manager, Brand and Communications, CIRA. “CIRA is proud to do what we can to help them be successful, tell their stories and lift up their communities.”

Indigenous entrepreneurs who apply to Pow Wow Pitch before June 21, 2022 at powwowpitch.org/pitch will be eligible for their free .CA.

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Today, Pow Wow Pitch, North America’s premier pitch competition for emerging Indigenous entrepreneurs, announced CIRA, the Canadian Internet Registration Authority, is joining their effort as a Seed Sponsor and providing up to 1,000 .CA domains to Indigenous entrepreneurs. 

Pow Wow Pitch launched seven years ago as a grassroots pitch contest for vendors at the Ottawa Summer Solstice Pow Wow. The move of the pitch competition online due to pandemic lockdowns led to the growth of the competition to engage Indigenous entrepreneurs across Canada. 

“As Indigenous entrepreneurs start and grow businesses, getting their products and businesses online helps them grow by reaching new customers,” said Sunshine Tenasco, Founder of Pow Wow Pitch. “By providing every Indigenous entrepreneur across Turtle Island with a .CA, this partnership is saving Pow Wow Pitchers time and money, providing them with an essential tool to do business, and empowering them to know that there is a real community of supporters cheering them on.” 

This year, the Pitch competition opens up to Indigenous entrepreneurs across Turtle Island. It has expanded with an Indigenous Startup Program, a Podcast Series and Awards. 

“The power of the internet to empower entrepreneurship has never been clearer,” said David Fowler, General Manager, .CA, CIRA. “CIRA is proud to support Indigenous entrepreneurs through Pow Wow Pitch, and we work every day to help reduce the barriers to internet access in rural and Indigenous communities, and provide tools to support small businesses across Canada.” 

CIRA plans to support Pow Wow Pitch by providing .CA domains to all Indigenous Pow Wow Pitchers and by partnering on webinars, contributing mentors to pitchers, adjudicating the competition, and contributing prize dollars for winning entrepreneurs. 

To learn more about the partnership between Pow Wow Pitch and CIRA, visit www.powwowpitch.org/CIRA. 

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