The awards continue their mission to celebrate excellence and remarkable achievements in Indigenous entrepreneurship, recognizing outstanding Indigenous entrepreneurs and Indigenous-owned businesses across Canada.

Presented in collaboration with esteemed partners RBC, Shopify, and Mastercard Canada, and with the valued support of the Export Development Canada, Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada, Sklar Wilton & Associates, and Raven Indigenous Capital Partners, these awards stand as a testament to the resilience, innovation, and cultural richness of Indigenous entrepreneurship.

Eligible applicants must be Indigenous entrepreneurs with a minimum of three years of business operation in Canada. Applications and nominations will remain open until June 5, 2024, culminating in the announcement and celebration of winners during a digitally broadcast awards presentation on November 13, 2024.

Naomi Sarazin, Executive Director of Pow Wow Pitch, expressed, “The Awards are a beacon of recognition for the entrepreneurial spirit and success within Indigenous communities. They provide a vital platform for celebrating resilience and reconciliation through the lens of entrepreneurship.”

Tracy Antoine, Senior Director of Indigenous Programs and Policies at RBC reiterated the importance of the Awards, stating, “The contribution of Indigenous entrepreneurs to our economy is immeasurable – their leadership inspires innovation, collaboration and plays a critical role in fostering stronger, more inclusive communities. Through our support for the Indigenous Entrepreneur Awards, we are proud to continue our efforts in recognizing the potential and talent of Indigenous innovators and celebrating their inspirational stories of entrepreneurship.”

Kyle Brennan Shàwinipinesì, Build Native Indigenous Entrepreneurship Program Manager at Shopify, emphasized the significance of celebrating Indigenous ingenuity and excellence, saying, “Through our partnership with Pow Wow Pitch and support of the Indigenous Entrepreneur Awards, Shopify proudly amplifies the exceptional contributions of Indigenous entrepreneurs. Their innovation and dedication exemplify the strength of ancestral wisdom and pave the way for sustainable prosperity.”

Sasha Krstic, President of Mastercard Canada, reinforced the importance of recognizing the successes of Indigenous entrepreneurs, saying, “by championing Indigenous entrepreneurs, we ensure their voices are heard and seen. Together, with Pow Wow Pitch, we are building a future where everyone can reach their full potential, contributing to a more prosperous and inclusive society.”

Todd Evans, National Lead for Indigenous Exporters at Export Development Canada, highlights that celebrating Indigenous people through the Indigenous Entrepreneur Awards is a testament to “honoring the resilience, innovation, and cultural richness of Indigenous entrepreneurs. Together, we pave the path towards a future where Indigenous entrepreneurship not only thrives but leads.”

Keith Henry, President and CEO of the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC), expresses being honoured to support Pow Wow Pitch in uplifting Indigenous entrepreneurs through the Awards, stating, “our shared commitment to amplifying Indigenous Peoples and businesses making strides in the tourism industry fosters economic opportunities, while also preserving our cultural heritage for generations to come.  Moreover, ITAC’s vision is to help make Canada the global leader in Indigenous tourism by 2030. The importance of Indigenous tourism entrepreneurs are essential in helping meet this goal, as they contribute to growth in Indigenous-owned and operated tourism businesses, job growth and contributions to Canada’s GDP.”

Libier Gomez, Managing Director of Sklar Wilton & Associates, shares the importance of highlighting the achievements of Indigenous entrepreneurs, stating, “the positive impact of Indigenous entrepreneurs across Turtle Island shines bright and enriches our economy. Sklar Wilton & Associates is so proud to show our support in this year’s Indigenous Entrepreneur Awards by highlighting exceptional community leaders, paving the way for future generations.”

Althea Wishloff, General Partner of Raven Indigenous Capital Partners, reinforces the importance of recognizing Indigenous achievements within entrepreneurship, emphasizing, “The impact of Indigenous entrepreneurs resonates deeply within our communities, igniting economic resurgence and cultural vitality. Raven Indigenous Capital Partners, rooted in our commitment to empowering Indigenous entrepreneurs and fostering economic sustainability, proudly champions Indigenous excellence. We are dedicated to showcasing exemplary leaders who embody our values of credibility, accountability, and transparency, thereby inspiring future generations to thrive.” 

The Indigenous Entrepreneur Awards stand as a testament to the vitality of Indigenous entrepreneurship, serving to empower entrepreneurs and bolster the growth and prosperity of Indigenous businesses. To apply or nominate, please visit powwowpitch.org/awards.

For media inquiries or further information, please contact:
Keely Thompson-Cook at keely@powwowpitch.org.

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Building on the success of the previous years, EDC remains steadfast in its commitment to supporting more than 2,500 Indigenous entrepreneurs in 2024. EDC’s investment ensures that Pow Wow Pitch can amplify its virtual programs, expand in-person support in communities across Canada, and grow its offerings to support Indigenous entrepreneurs to pursue global markets.

Reflecting on the historical importance of trade in Indigenous prosperity, Todd Evans, National Lead for Indigenous Exporters at EDC, voiced his optimism: “Exporting can empower today’s Indigenous entrepreneurs to build sustainable businesses. Our alliance with Pow Wow Pitch aids EDC’s mission to make trade more inclusive by offering access to our trade expertise, financing solutions, equity, insurance, and connections.”

Through the continued partnership, a range of initiatives will empower Indigenous entrepreneurs seeking to expand into global markets including an Export Series on the Pow Wow Pitch Podcast, a TuesdayTips series on Instagram and Facebook, and EDC will provide Export 101 training at the Pow Wow Pitch Bootcamp. Furthermore, EDC and Pow Wow Pitch will partner on an analysis of the export activity of Indigenous entrepreneurs to inform further support and resources in the future. 

Naomi Sarazin, Executive Director of Pow Wow Pitch, highlighted the significance of the partnership, stating, “We are thrilled to continue our partnership with EDC to support early-stage Indigenous entrepreneurs to understand the opportunities of global markets for their businesses. By providing training, encouragement, and support to Indigenous businesses, we are reclaiming trade our own way across Turtle Island and beyond.”

EDC’s active engagement will extend to judging Pow Wow Pitch events online and participating in person at powwows across Canada. Moreover, EDC employees will play an integral role as mentors, providing guidance and support to Indigenous entrepreneurs on their Pow Wow Pitch journey.

Guided by respect for Indigenous history, traditions, and culture, EDC remains dedicated to supporting Indigenous businesses and removing barriers to growth. Through its partnership with Pow Wow Pitch, EDC aims to reinforce economic self-reliance and community prosperity among Indigenous entrepreneurs in Canada and beyond.

For additional information on the collaboration between Pow Wow Pitch and EDC, please visit Pow Wow Pitch’s website.

About Pow Wow Pitch:

Pow Wow Pitch is a groundbreaking entrepreneurship program for rising Indigenous entrepreneurs. It fosters a safe, supportive, cooperative, empowering, and culturally conducive environment that comprehends and addresses the unique challenges Indigenous entrepreneurs and aspiring ones face. Pow Wow Pitch enables sustainable growth for current and prospective Indigenous entrepreneurs through comprehensive programs and resources. It also encourages community leadership via volunteerism, reflecting respect and reciprocity at the core of Pow Wow Pitch. For more information, visit Pow Wow Pitch’s website.

About EDC:

Export Development Canada (EDC) is a financial Crown corporation committed to helping Canadian companies of all sizes flourish on the global stage. As international risk experts, EDC empowers Canadian companies with the tools they need – trade knowledge, financing solutions, equity, insurance, and connections – to confidently expand their business. We remain committed to sustainable and responsible business. Our work with Indigenous businesses helps them bring their products and services to global markets, reinforcing economic self-reliance and community prosperity. For more information and to learn how we can assist your company, visit us at EDC’s website.

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Todd Evans brings over 30 years of experience in economic development and international trade, with a distinguished career at EDC. As the National Lead of Indigenous Exporters, Todd has been instrumental in advancing EDC’s strategy for serving Indigenous businesses and engaging with external stakeholders. He holds a BA degree in economics and statistics from Memorial University of Newfoundland and a MA degree in economics from Carleton University in Ottawa.

Naomi Sarazin, Executive Director of Pow Wow Pitch, expressed her enthusiasm for Todd’s appointment, stating, “Todd Evans brings a wealth of experience and dedication to our Advisory Council. His commitment to supporting Indigenous businesses aligns perfectly with our mission at Pow Wow Pitch. We are thrilled to have Todd on board, and we look forward to working together to empower Indigenous entrepreneurs and strengthen Indigenous communities.”

As a member of the Pow Wow Pitch Advisory Council, Todd will bring invaluable expertise and perspective to the organization. His deep understanding of Indigenous entrepreneurship and passion for supporting Indigenous businesses will help guide ongoing initiatives to empower and uplift Indigenous entrepreneurs. Todd’s appointment marks a significant milestone in Pow Wow Pitch’s journey to support economic prosperity and cultural revitalization within Indigenous communities.

Todd Evans expressed his motivation for joining the Advisory Council, stating, “In a world driven by globalization and interconnected economies, the importance of trade cannot be overstated. For Indigenous communities across Turtle Island, trade has always been an integral part of our heritage, identity, and economic survival. I am joining the Pow Wow Pitch Advisory Council because I believe in the power of entrepreneurship to drive positive change and economic prosperity within Indigenous communities.”

Through collaborative efforts with industry and government leaders like Todd Evans, Pow Wow Pitch remains committed to fostering economic prosperity, cultural revitalization, and empowerment within Indigenous communities.

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Today, Pow Wow Pitch, North America’s leading initiative and non-profit organization dedicated to supporting emerging Indigenous entrepreneurs, announced it will continue its partnership with Export Development Canada (EDC) in 2023. EDC, continuing its commitment to foster Indigenous entrepreneurship, will join Pow Wow Pitch as a Silver Partner for the 2023 Pow Wow Pitch Program.

Ready to support more than 2,500 Indigenous entrepreneurs in 2023, EDC is committed to providing mentorship, funding, training, marketing, and a nurturing community. EDC’s investment ensures that Pow Wow Pitch can amplify its virtual programs, expand in-person support in communities across Canada, and grow its offerings to support Indigenous entrepreneurs to pursue global markets.

EDC’s support of Pow Wow Pitch as a Silver-Level Sponsor, and the engagement of EDC employees as mentors, trusted advisors, and judges for virtual pitch contests, enriches Pow Wow Pitch’s offering. In addition to supporting Pow Wow Pitch entrepreneurs, EDC has also renewed its commitment as a co-presenting sponsor of the 3rd Annual Indigenous Entrepreneur Awards. 

“We are thrilled to continue our partnership with EDC to support early-stage Indigenous entrepreneurs to understand the opportunities of global markets for their businesses,” said Sunshine Tenasco, Founder of Pow Wow Pitch. “By providing training, encouragement and support to Indigenous businesses, we are reclaiming trade our own way across Turtle Island and beyond.” 

Reflecting on the historical importance of trade in Indigenous prosperity, Todd Evans, National Lead for Indigenous Exporters at EDC, voiced his optimism: “Exporting can empower today’s Indigenous entrepreneurs to build sustainable businesses. Our alliance with Pow Wow Pitch aids EDC’s mission to make trade more inclusive by offering access to our trade expertise, financing solutions, equity, insurance, and connections.”

Pow Wow Pitch recently welcomed Evans to present at the Pow Wow Pitch Bootcamp, a virtual half-day seminar for Indigenous entrepreneurs that entered the 2023 Pow Wow Pitch Competition. Evans shared a presentation on exporting and how EDC can help globalize Indigenous-owned businesses. This opportunity allowed entrepreneurs to ask questions about exporting and how they could utilize EDC’s services to expand their business and growth.

As part of the partnership, EDC is proud to share the stories of Pow Wow Pitch entrepreneurs. Most recently, EDC spotlighted Pow Wow Pitch Alumni Joella Hogan, the Founder of The Yukon Soaps Company, an all-natural product company specializing in making soaps, shampoos and essential oils using juniper berries, spruce tips and wildflowers from the land near her home in Mayo, Yukon. Click here to read the full story. 

“Guided by respect for Indigenous history, traditions and culture, EDC is dedicated to supporting Indigenous businesses and removing barriers to growth, so they can thrive on the world stage while creating jobs and prosperity in their community,” says Evans, EDC’s national lead of Indigenous exporters. 

For additional information on the collaboration between Pow Wow Pitch and EDC, please visit https://www.powwowpitch.org/EDC.

About Pow Wow Pitch

Pow Wow Pitch is a groundbreaking entrepreneurship program for rising Indigenous entrepreneurs. It fosters a safe, supportive, cooperative, empowering, and culturally conducive environment that comprehends and addresses the unique challenges Indigenous entrepreneurs and aspiring ones face. Pow Wow Pitch enables sustainable growth for current and prospective Indigenous entrepreneurs through comprehensive programs and resources. It also encourages community leadership via volunteerism, reflecting respect and reciprocity at the core of Pow Wow Pitch. For more information, visit https://www.powwowpitch.org/.

About EDC

Export Development Canada (EDC) is a financial Crown corporation committed to helping Canadian companies of all sizes flourish on the global stage. As international risk experts, EDC empowers Canadian companies with the tools they need—trade knowledge, financing solutions, equity, insurance, and connections—to confidently expand their business. We remain committed to sustainable and responsible business. Our work with Indigenous businesses helps them bring their products and services to global markets, reinforcing economic self-reliance and community prosperity. For more information and to learn how we can assist your company, visit us as http://www.edc.ca/.

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

Pow Wow Pitch is set to support more than 2,500 Indigenous entrepreneurs in 2022 with mentorship, funding, training, marketing and a safe and trusted community of support. EDC’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 in the United States and New Zealand.

“We are proud to partner for a second year with EDC as we scale Pow Wow Pitch internationally while growing the global ambitions of early-stage Indigenous entrepreneurs here in Canada,” said Sunshine Tenasco, the Founder of Pow Wow Pitch. “Our shared activities and research will help Indigenous entrepreneurs  deepen their community roots while growing their impact globally through the development of the Indigenous economy and Indigenous-to-Indigenous global trade.”

In addition to supporting Pow Wow Pitch as a Silver-Level Sponsor and engaging EDC employees as mentors, trusted advisors, and judges for virtual pitch contests and on the ground at pow wows across Canada, EDC and Pow Wow Pitch will collaborate on research and outreach related to export awareness and activities of early-stage Indigenous entrepreneurs. 

“Trade was central to Indigenous prosperity prior to European settlement, and we believe that exporting can be an effective way for Indigenous entrepreneurs today to build sustainable businesses,” says Todd Evans, National Lead for Indigenous Exporters at EDC. “Our partnership with Pow Wow Pitch helps EDC make trade more inclusive by expanding access to our trade knowledge, financing solutions, equity, insurance, and connections.” 

As a judge in the 2021 Pow Wow Pitch Prairie Region Semifinals, Evans was personally inspired by the pitches he heard. “Our work building sustainable, profitable export opportunities for Indigenous companies carries a community aspect that is incredibly important to me,” says Evans. “Working with Pow Wow Pitch connects EDC with a growing network of First Nations, Inuit and Metis entrepreneurs who are creating self-reliance, self-sufficiency and financial sovereignty for their communities by launching innovative businesses. I’m excited to renew our partnership, meet this year’s participants, and support Pow Wow Pitch’s own push to go global.”  

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

***

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 unique challenges of Indigenous entrepreneurs and aspiring Indigenous entrepreneurs. Pow Wow Pitch enhances, develops and accelerates the growth for current and aspiring Indigenous entrepreneurs in a sustainable way through programs and resources. In addition, community leadership through volunteerism is promoted to reflect respect and reciprocity as the foundation of the Pow Wow Pitch. For more information, visit https://www.powwowpitch.org/.

About EDC

Export Development Canada (EDC) is a financial Crown corporation dedicated to helping Canadian companies of all sizes succeed on the world stage. As international risk experts, we equip Canadian companies with the tools they need—trade knowledge, financing solutions, equity, insurance, and connections—to grow their business with confidence. Underlying all of our support is a commitment to sustainable and responsible business. We work with Indigenous businesses to bring their products and services to worldwide markets, supporting economic self-reliance and community prosperity.  For more information and to learn how we can help your company, call us at 1-800-229-0575 or visit www.edc.ca.

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Today, Pow Wow Pitch, North America’s premier pitch competition for emerging Indigenous entrepreneurs, announced a national partnership with Export Development Canada to support Indigenous entrepreneurs to start global businesses from day one.

Indigenous Canadians are starting businesses at twice the rate as non-Indigenous Canadians, and Indigenous women are starting businesses at five times the rate as non-Indigenous women. Support for Indigenous creators, makers, artists and entrepreneurs has yet to keep pace with what the Indigenomics Institute projects will be a $100B economy by 2030. 

Last year, Pow Wow Pitch engaged hundreds of Indigenous entrepreneurs across Canada who expressed ambition to grow sustainable and global businesses to benefit their communities. Pow Wow Pitch founder, Sunshine Tenasco, recognized the need to provide more significant support to help Indigenous vendors reach their global ambitions through mentorship, training, storytelling, and building inroads with partners to accelerate their success.”

“It’s important for the business support ecosystem in Canada to meet Indigenous entrepreneurs ‘where they are’ and to recognize that ‘where they are’ is perfectly fine,” said Sunshine Tenasco, Founder, Pow Wow Pitch. “I am proud to be working with EDC to build a path for Indigenous entrepreneurs to grow in the way they see best, whereby the ecosystem follows their lead and supports their vision, rather than the other way around.”

EDC is committed to supporting Indigenous companies in Canada in achieving their international business goals. The organization has teams dedicated to bettering the inclusiveness, diversity and equity in and around its business. In 2020, EDC launched an Indigenous exporter strategy and began work on its first supplier diversity program, which has a goal of creating more opportunities for diverse businesses within its own supply chain. The organization served 77 Indigenous-led businesses in 2020, facilitating $119.3 million in business.

“Indigenous nations were traders long before the arrival of the first European settlers, and this natural, entrepreneurial trading spirit is just as strong today,” said Todd Evans, National Lead for Indigenous Exporters, EDC. “EDC is committed to supporting Indigenous entrepreneurs on their export journey, and we are proud to partner with Pow Wow Pitch to make our services accessible and relevant for this important segment of Canada’s exporters.”

The partnership between EDC and Pow Wow Pitch involves global expansion training, engaging EDC employees as mentors, adjudicating the pitch competition, and contributing prize dollars for winning entrepreneurs. 

In addition to supporting the global expansion of entrepreneurs, this year, Pow Wow Pitch is also scaling globally, beginning its international development to the United States to showcase entrepreneurs across Turtle Island. 

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

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