On Saturday, June 24th, Pow Wow Pitch, North America’s premier pitch competition for Indigenous entrepreneurs, presented in partnership with RBC, Shopify, Mastercard, Invest Ottawa and ADAAWE, announced its 2023 Ottawa Summer Solstice Pow Wow Pitch Winners. Amongst those winners, were an additional three prizes, courtesy of MINI TIPI. 

“MINI TIPI is super excited to be part of Pow Wow Pitch,” said Trisha Pitura, Co-founder of MINI TIPI. “We’ve actually pitched three times, participating as entrepreneurs. To see the progress we have made from the opportunities we’ve received from Pow Wow Pitch is unbelievable. We love and support everything that Pow Wow Pitch does for entrepreneurs to give them that space and stage to stand out, dream big, and tell their story. This year we really wanted to allow entrepreneurs to have more opportunities, so MINI TIPI has given three prizes of $1,000 each, from entrepreneur to entrepreneur, to lift each other up and to see us all succeed together.”

Two of these prizes were presented during the Top 10 announcement and were selected by the first-round of judges, Jason McDonald, Business Development Manager at Futurprenuer Canada, Relay Tangie, Director of Finance at NACCA, Lindley Graham, Director of Small Business Marketing at Canada Post, Paula Hopkins, Director of Entrepreneurship at Invest Ottawa, Karla Briones, Founder of Immigrant Entrepreneur Canada, and Shehnila Sayeed, Communications Specialist at CIRA. 

The Community Impact Prize was awarded to the pitcher that showed passion and dedication to giving back to Indigenous communities and helping others. The Start Up Prize was awarded to the pitcher that is at the beginning stages of their entrepreneurial journey but also showed great potential and drive.

The Community Impact Prize of $1,000 was awarded to Alexandra Whiteduck, Co-Progrect Manager of Project Nibi, for her commitment  to gain access to clean water to Indigenous communities. Project Nibi is a student-led social enterprise based at the University of Ottawa that focuses on investigating and creating a sustainable way to tackle the water crisis affecting Indigenous communities across Canada. Alexandra was also selected into the Top 10. “I feel so honoured to win this award and to make it into the Top 10,” said Alexandra. “I’m super excited to see how everyone comes out after being mentored and seeing everyone’s new pitches!” Alexandra goes on to say about the Pow Wow Pitch experience, “It’s just one minute of your life but it could change your life forever.”

The Start Up Prize of $1,000 was awarded to Shannon David, Owner of Shannon David Leather Creations, in recognition of her potential and drive to succeed. Shannon David Leather Creations specializes in traditional weaving using leather materials. She pours her spirit into her creations, making each design so unique. “I’m so thankful a friend told me about Pow Wow Pitch,” said Shannon. “The event was so professional and welcoming. I really felt the love and I made connections that will help my small business. Nia:wen to the Pow Wow Pitch Family, I will use this big check to purchase leather and continue to grow my business.”

The judges also made an honourable mention to Kona Decoursey, Owner of Love, Koko, for her artistic drive and courage. Kona took home a bundle of gifts including a MINI TIPI bag and Pow Wow Pitch swag. Love, Koko is a streetwear brand that captures Indigenous design in urban style clothing. “It was a real feel good moment for me, I was very honoured,” said Kona.

Pow Wow Pitch welcomed Trisha Pitura, Co-founder of MINI TIPI to the judges table for Round 2, where she listened to and judged the Top 10 pitches, from which she selected the winner of the third MINI TIPI Prize of $1,000.

The MINI TIPI Prize of $1,000 was awarded to Marissa Dube, Founder of Eiralize Lashes for her all around presentation, attention to product quality, and potential to scale. Eiralize Lashes is a woman- and Indigenous-owned beauty brand that is dedicated to giving back and making beauty affordable. “I’m really happy that I did the Pow Wow Pitch,” said Marissa. “The main push for me was to practice public speaking and winning the money was just a bonus. I’m glad I got to take home $1,000 from MINI TIPI. I will definitely do it again next year and I’m excited for the virtual competition!”

In addition to all of the prizes won this weekend, MINI TIPI stepped up again to give back to the Pow Wow Pitch community by awarding Desiree Streit, Founder of Friday Night Beading Club with a MINI TIPI mentorship opportunity. Trisha saw great potential in Desiree’s Bougie Board, which is a beading tool that allows beaders to take their craft wherever they go with ease. “I’m really thankful for the opportunity that Pow Wow Pitch is here and makes it accessible for Indigenous entrepreneurs like myself, who are just starting out to network and get their products out there and be a part of a community which is really important to me,” said Desiree. “And that businesses like MINI TIPI have come up through the channels and are now mentoring young business owners like myself.”

“We live for full circle moments like this,” said Sunshine Tenasco, Founder of Pow Wow Pitch. ”We are so thankful to Trisha and Mélanie, for giving back to the community in this way. MINI TIPI understands the importance of reciprocity and investing in future generations.”

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On Saturday, June 24, 2023, Pow Wow Pitch, North America’s premier pitch competition for Indigenous entrepreneurs, presented in partnership with RBC, Shopify, Mastercard and with the local support of Invest Ottawa and ADAAWE, announced Lisa Vicaire, from Timiskaming First Nation, founder of Algonquin Acres, as the 2023 Pow Wow Pitch Ottawa Summer Solstice Festival Winner. Lisa has won $5,000 and is advancing to the Finals for a chance to win $25,000 to grow her business.

Twenty-two Indigenous entrepreneurs pitched their businesses live at the Summer Solstice Festival at Mādahòkì Farm in Ottawa, Ontario, for their chance to win cash prizes and advance to the Pow Wow Pitch Finals. 

Host Sunshine Tenasco, Founder of Pow Wow Pitch, emceed the action-packed program, where Indigenous entrepreneurs had the opportunity to pitch their business ideas and businesses in one minute for their chance to win prizes and support to make their dreams a reality. 

Following a first-round open pitch on the morning of Saturday, June 24th, judges Jason McDonald, Business Developnent Manager at Futurprenuer Canada, Relay Tangie, Director of Finance at NACCA, Lindley Graham, Director of Small Business Marketing at Canada Post, Paula Hopkins, Director of Entrepreneurship at Invest Ottawa, Karla Briones, Founder of Immigrant Entrepreneur Canada, and Shehnila Sayeed, Communications Specialist at CIRA, shortlisted the ‘Top 10’ entrepreneurs to advance to round two. 

The Round 1 judges also awarded two special additional prizes courtesy of MINI TIPI that were announced alongside the Top 10. The Community Impact Prize of $1,000 was awarded to Alexandra Whiteduck, Co-Progrect Manager of Project Nibi, for her passion to gain access to clean water to Indigenous communities. The Start Up Prize of $1,000 was awarded to Shannon David, Owner of Shannon David Leather Creations, for her talented work and drive to succeed. An honourable mention went to Kona Decoursey, Owner of Love, Koko, for her artistic drive and amazing courage. Kona took home a bundle of gifts including a MINI TIPI bag, and Pow Wow Pitch swag.

The Top 10 entrepreneurs were then paired with mentors from Miss Bao Restaurant + Cocktail Bar, Futurpreneur Canada, CIRA, NACCA, Immigrant Entrepreneur Canada, RBC, and BDC to help them polish their presentations before they pitched one last time to judges Nishant Raina, Director of Small Businesses at Mastercard, Tamer Gabbour, Senior Commercial Account Manager at RBC, Trisha Pitura, Co-Founder of MINI TIPI, Angel Aubichon, Co-Founder of INDI CITY, and Jennifer Lafitte-Coute, Senior Procurement Advisor at EDC.

First-Place Winner Lisa Vicaire, Founder of Algonquin Acres said, “From the Pow Wow Pitch experience, I have come to realize that for every Indigenous entrepreneur there is a whole team of people out there to cheer you on that you haven’t met yet.”

Lisa started Algonquin Acres 11 months ago and has already been able to help hundreds of Indigenous youth at her farm through animal therapy and animal-assisted learning activities. Algonquin Acres is an equestrian centre that hosts riding programs and clinics. Lisa pitched to raise funds to build an enclosed riding centre so that she can also host programming in the winter. This was Lisa’s third year pitching for Pow Wow Pitch. She also has a featured episode on the Pow Wow Pitch Podcast set to air July 3rd.

The Second-Place $2,500 Prize Winner was Alexandra Whiteduck, Co-Project Manager of Project Nibi, a student-led social enterprise based at the University of Ottawa that focuses on investigating and creating a sustainable way to tackle the water crisis affecting Indigenous communities across Canada. “Pow Wow Pitch is such an amazing experience,” said Alexandra. “You meet amazing mentors, you meet amazing people and your network constantly grows just from the competition itself. So if you’re thinking of doing it, absolutely come out and pitch.”

The Third-Place $1,000 Winner was Gavin Decontie, Founder of Decontie Clean, a fully Indigenous owned and operated professional  commercial property cleaning service. “This was my third time pitching at Pow Wow Pitch,” said Gavin. “Pow Wow Pitch means a lot to me because it’s able to help out my business and I’m really grateful to win third place. A word of advice I would give to people wanting to join Pow Wow Pitch is to never give up, you never know what could happen.” 

Another prize courtesy of MINI TIPI of $1,000 went to Marissa Dube, Founder of Eiralize Lashes, a woman- and Indigenous-owned beauty brand that is dedicated to giving back and making beauty affordable. “I’m really happy that I did the Pow Wow Pitch,” said Marissa. “The main push for me was to practice public speaking and winning the money was just a bonus. I’m glad I got to take home $1,000 from MINI TIPI. I will definitely do it again next year and I’m excited for the virtual competition!”

The Youth Prize of $500 went to Cadence Cotter, Founder of Manes & Reins Equestrian Co., who is inspiring the younger generation to take initiative on their passions. Cadence started a business to be able to support herself through her equestrian journey. Cadence shared about her Pow Wow Pitch experience, “Sometimes it’s very nerve-wracking but if you work hard, you can get it done!” 

The Fan Favourite Prize of $500 went to Dr. Sadie Laronde, Founder of The Butterfly Effect, a nervous system and generational healing practice, that wowed the crowd! “This has been such a great learning opportunity,”  said Dr. Laronde. “Connecting with the community feels really empowering as a starting Indigenous entrepreneur. This was a surprise win and I’m going to put this to good use for healing our people.” The Fan Favourite Prize was announced and presented by Janelle Niles, Producer and Comedia of Got Land? Indigenous Comedy Show and last year’s Summer Solstice Fan Favourite winner. 

In addition to all of the prizes won this weekend, MINI TIPI stepped up again to give back to the Pow Wow Pitch community by awarding Desiree Streit, Founder of Friday Night Beading Club with a MINI TIPI mentorship opportunity. “I’m really thankful for the opportunity that Pow Wow Pitch is here and makes it accessible for Indigenous entrepreneurs like myself, who are just starting out to network and get their products out there and be a part of a community which is really important to me,” said Desiree. “And that businesses like MINI TIPI have come up through the channels and are now mentoring young business owners like myself.”

“Congratulations to Lisa Vicaire on her Golden Ticket win to advance to the 2023 Pow Wow Pitch Finals,” said Sunshine Tenasco, Founder of Pow Wow Pitch. “We are so proud to be a part of Lisa’s journey and so excited to see how much she has grown in this past year. She is truly an inspiration and we love supporting her efforts to build an amazing program for Indigenous youth! Another huge congratulations to all of our winners! This year’s Summer Solstice Pow Wow Pitch was definitely special, we can’t wait to see all the amazing things everyone will do!”

“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 Michael Ferencich, Senior Vice President, Business Financial Services, 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.”

“Being involved in Pow Wow Pitch is not just an honor, it’s a privilege to witness the creativity and innovation of Indigenous entrepreneurs,” said Kyle Brennan Shàwinipinesì, Senior Lead for Indigenous Entrepreneurship at Shopify. “It’s a reminder of the resilience and strength of our communities and the power of entrepreneurship to create positive change. 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 an incredible opportunity for Indigenous entrepreneurs!”

All those who participated at the Summer Solstice Festival Pow Wow Pitch will receive a free .CA domain name courtesy of CIRA, a 60-day free Shopify trial, and will join the Pow Wow Pitch community for ongoing support!

“At Mastercard, we’ve been inspired by the innovative thinking and solutions brought forward by all the Indigenous entrepreneurs involved in this year’s Pow Wow Pitch,” said Sasha Krstic, President of Mastercard in Canada. “The future is brighter when Indigenous entrepreneurship is recognized, supported and celebrated, and we are honoured to play a role in continued success and growth of these entrepreneurs. Congratulations to all the pitchers and congratulations to Tara on advancing to the next round.”

“The Summer Solstice Indigenous Festival is thrilled to be hosting Pow Wow Pitch once again,” said Trina Mather-Simard, Executive Director & Producer of the Summer Solstice Indigenous Festival. “This incredible opportunity for Indigenous entrepreneurs started right here on our Storytellers and Elders Stage. Each year we are blown away by the brilliance of our Indigenous community and love to watch them confidently pitch and ultimately grow their idea into a successful business.”

Lisa will now advance to the Pow Wow Pitch Finals to pitch for the Grand Prize of $25,000, which broadcasts online on October 19, 2023. Visit www.powwowpitch.org for more information.

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Are you an Indigenous entrepreneur in Ottawa looking to take action on an idea or grow your business? The Summer Solstice Indigenous Festival and Pow Wow Pitch are teaming up for the eighth year to spotlight and celebrate Indigenous vendors, entrepreneurs, artists, entertainers, creators, and innovators June 21-25, 2023, in Algonquin Territory, Ottawa, Ontario.

Pow Wow Pitch, North America’s premier pitch competition for emerging Indigenous entrepreneurs, presented in partnership with RBC, Shopify, and Mastercard, announced its new partnership with the Summer Solstice Indigenous Festival to put the spotlight on Indigenous entrepreneurs.

The 28th annual Summer Solstice Indigenous Festival takes place at Mādahòkì Farm, Indigenous Experience’s property located in Ottawa’s Green Belt. It is Canada’s only Indigenous Agri-tourism destination and working farm. Summer Solstice Festival features many Indigenous People’s Day celebrations, powwow performances, and many other events that celebrate the heritage, diverse cultures and outstanding achievements of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples!

For the 8th year, Summer Solstice has invited Pow Wow Pitch to come to celebrate and put the spotlight on Indigenous vendors, entrepreneurs, artists, entertainers, filmmakers, and innovators attending the powwow. 

Vendors and attendees will have the opportunity to pitch to win cash prizes to take their ideas and businesses to the next level.

To enter, vendors and entrepreneurs can pre-register for limited audition spots here: powwowpitch.org/summer-solstice, with a few slots reserved on the lottery for those who just turn up and want to pitch. To Audition, entrepreneurs will have 1-Minute to Pitch their ideas or businesses for a chance to win! 

The top 10 pitchers will be paired with mentors before pitching on the Storytellers and Elders

Stage in front of the judges and the Summer Solstice Community. Prizes include $5,000 for 1st Place, $2,500 for 2nd Place, $1,000 for 3rd Place, $500 for the Youth Prize and $500 for the Fan Favourite. In addition, the 1st Place Winner will also get a Golden Ticket to the Turtle Island Finale to pitch for the Grand Prize of $25,000. 

“We are so thrilled to bring Pow Wow Pitch back to the Ottawa Summer Solstice Festival, every year we are so inspired by all the vendors and artists,” said Sunshine Tenasco, Founder of Pow Wow Pitch. “Together, we’re not just creating a platform, we’re shaping a movement that champions Indigenous innovation and resilience.”

“The Summer Solstice Indigenous Festival is thrilled to be hosting Pow Wow Pitch once again,” said Trina Mather-Simard, Executive Director & Producer of the Summer Solstice Indigenous Festival. “This incredible opportunity for Indigenous entrepreneurs started right here on our Storytellers and Elders Stage. Each year we are blown away by the brilliance of our Indigenous community and love to watch them confidently pitch and ultimately grow their idea into a successful business.”

Last year’s First-Place Winner, Paul Owl, Founder and CEO of TreeTeas Brewing, comments on his experience at the Ottawa Summer Solstice Festival, “Pow Wow Pitch is about taking that risk and taking that opportunity to get yourself out there to promote your business. Even if I didn’t win today, people who can support and help me with my business now know who I am. I am a bit emotional that I won because this is my third attempt at pitching. I am really happy that my business struck a chord this year.”

Regardless of whether they make it to the Top 10, all those who audition will still have a chance to advance to the Pow Wow Pitch digital semi-finals and join the Pow Wow Pitch community. All pitchers will get access to a free Indigenous Startup Program, get 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.’

To learn more and pre-register for Pow Wow Pitch at Summer Solstice Indigenous Festival, visit: powwowpitch.org/summer-solstice.

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