Pow Wow Pitch, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting and empowering Indigenous entrepreneurs, is proud to announce its first-time collaboration with the Gesgapegiag Mawiomi PowWow, taking place in Gesgapegiag, Quebec on July 17 and 18, 2026.

The Gesgapegiag Mawiomi PowWow brings together community, culture, and celebration through dance, song, and gathering. This year, Pow Wow Pitch will be on-site to spotlight Indigenous entrepreneurs, vendors, and creators attending the powwow.

Entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to pitch their business or idea live for a chance to win cash prizes and gain support from a growing community.

How It Works

Indigenous entrepreneurs can pre-register for limited pitch spots at powwowpitch.org/gesgapegiag, with additional spots available on-site for those who want to sign up the day of. Entrepreneurs will have 1 minute to present their idea or business for a chance to win.

The top 10 pitchers will be paired with mentors to refine their final pitch before presenting to the judges. Prizes at Gesgapegiag 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. The 1st place winner will also receive a Golden Ticket to the 2026 Grand Finale for a chance to win the $25,000 Grand Prize.

“We are honoured to partner with the Gesgapegiag Mawiomi PowWow for the first time,” said Naomi Sarazin, Executive Director of Pow Wow Pitch. “Bringing Pow Wow Pitch to Gesgapegiag allows us to create opportunities for Indigenous entrepreneurs to share their ideas, grow their businesses, and be supported in a meaningful way that honours our collective success.”

“We are excited to welcome Pow Wow Pitch to Gesgapegiag for the first time,” said Amanda Larocque, PowWow Coordinator. “It’s an honour to host this experience within our First Nation, creating a space where entrepreneurs and community members can come together to share their gifts, build confidence, and celebrate the creativity and spirit of our people alongside our powwow.”

Join us at the Gesgapegiag Mawiomi Pow Wow Pitch and pitch your business for a chance to win. This is an opportunity to share your story, connect with community, and take your next step as an entrepreneur.

All participants who pitch will gain access to the Pow Wow Pitch community, receive free entry into the Indigenous Startup Program, and receive a free .CA domain courtesy of CIRA.Visit powwowpitch.org/gesgapegiag to learn more and pre-register.

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This evening, Pow Wow Pitch, North America’s premier pitch competition for Indigenous entrepreneurs, presented in partnership with RBC, Shopify and Facebook, announced Mélanie Paul, Président of Akua Nature, as the Québec Winner. 

Mélanie has won $500 and has advanced to the Finals along with Grace Mary Edwards, Founder of Gitbu Logistics Inc; Raphaëlle Langevin, Founder of Matsheshu Créations; and Kelly McBride, Founder of Weesanin, for a chance to win $25,000 to take their businesses to the next level. 

This Summer, 1,642 Indigenous entrepreneurs from across Turtle Island (Canada, the United States and Mexico) submitted one-minute video pitches of their businesses to win funds and support. 

In August, Pow Wow Pitch announced the Semi-Finalists and paired them with mentors to refine their business pitches in preparation for their presentation to the judges. 

The judges

This evening, twenty-three Indigenous entrepreneurs from Québec pitched to a panel of judges, including RBC Directrice de comptes Katia Duchesneau; Shopify Senior Lead, Community & Underrepresented Entrepreneurs Christine Silva; Shopify Head of Merchant Education Sebastien Gregoire; Mitacs Directeur, Développement des Affaires Benoit Roberge-Vallières; and, Canada Post Director of Parcels and eCommerce Luke Misczyk. 

Pow Wow Pitch’s Founder Sunshine Tenasco announced the judges’ selection of the entrepreneurs advancing to the Finals and the regional winner. 

The winner

The Regional Winner of the evening was Mélanie Paul, Innu Owner of Akua Nature, which develops and manufactures cosmetic and health products using medicinal properties of traditional First Nations pharmacopeia, with a concern for sustainable development. 

“At Akua Nature, we share Pow Wow Pitch’s mission to celebrate and promote First Nations knowledge, culture and know-how,” said Mélanie Paul. “Winning the competition would support us to grow our customer base for our discovery box seasonal subscription to scale up our business and impact. The discovery boxes showcase Indigenous culture, medicines, plants, rituals and traditions throughout the seasons.”

The finalists

Also moving onto the Final is Grace Mary Edwards, Listuguj Founder of Gitbu Logistics Inc. Gitbu is a transportation logistics company that offers personal and professional deliveries and pickups with tracing and 24/7 on-call support.

“Transport is a male-dominated industry, and so I applied for Pow Wow Pitch to gain exposure and support to grow Gitbu,” said Grace Mary Edwards. “The funding would support me to purchase equipment, hire a full-time bookkeeper, and set in motion a strategy to scale.”

Raphaëlle Langevin is the Mashteuiatsh Founder of Matsheshu Créations, a fashion and accessory business that showcases Pekuakamiulnuatsh and First Nations culture through hand-made products like ribbons skirts, beaded earrings and t-shirts.

“Through the Pow Wow Pitch, I have learned so much and discovered so many inspiring Indigenous entrepreneurs,” said Raphaëlle Langevin. “I am raising funds to hire my first full-time employee and increase my inventory to sell our creations in museum gift shops across Canada.”

The final Québec entrepreneur advancing to the Finals is Kelly McBride, Founder of Weesanin from the Timiskaming First Nation. Weesanin Homestyle Cooking provides budget-friendly and healthly fast food options with a dash of Algonquin culture.

“I applied for Pow Wow Pitch to raise funds to establish a storefront for my business,” said Kelly McBride. “My goal is to create a healthy and nourishing space for my community to come together around nourishing food while providing employment opportunities for those in recovery.”

“Congratulations to Mélanie, Grace, Raphaëlle and Kelly on advancing to the 2021 Pow Wow Pitch Finals,” said Sunshine Tenasco, Founder of Pow Wow Pitch. “Your resilience, creativity and commitment to celebrating and sharing our diverse Indigenous culture while making an impact is a testament to how our unique style of business can and will create a better future for us all.” 

“Pow Wow Pitch is a tremendous showcase of Indigenous innovation and entrepreneurship,” says Dale Sturges, National Director for Indigenous Financial Services at RBC. “Indigenous entrepreneurs play a critical role in creating innovative solutions, sustainable communities, economic prosperity. It’s an honour for RBC to be part of the Pow Wow Pitch this year as we play our part to put a spotlight on Indigenous innovations and share their inspiring entrepreneurial stories with Canadians at large. We’re so proud of all of our participants, finalists and winners, and we will continue to support their growth and success in the future.”

“We’re honoured to be a part of the Pow Wow Pitch competition and play a role in supporting these incredibly innovative entrepreneurs as they start and scale their businesses,” said Garrick Tiplady, Vice President and Country Director, Facebook & Instagram Canada. “Congratulations to the semi-finalists and we wish them the best of luck in the next round!” 

Click here to watch the Québec Semi-Finals.

Mélanie, Grace, Raphaëlle and Kelly are advancing to the 2021 Pow Wow Pitch Finale set to air on October 20, 2021. The entrepreneurs are pitching to win one of the following prizes: $3,000 for the Alumni Choice Prize, $5,000 for 3rd place, $10,000 for 2nd place, and $25,000 for 1st place. 

Voting remains open for the People’s Choice Award until midnight on September 26. Everyone can vote for their favourite entrepreneur to get an Express Pass to the Grand Finale. There is one vote per person. Vote now. 

Everyone can also register for free to watch the Pow Wow Pitch Finals to watch Mélanie, Grace, Raphaëlle and Kelly pitch for the big prizes, airing on October 20. Click here to register now.

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