FILE PHOTO - A North American-wide pitch competition for emerging Indigenous entrepreneurs is coming to Kamloops for the first time. Pow Wow Pitch has partnered with Kamloopa Pow Wow to bring the exciting opportunity to the 41st annual gathering later this month, one of three Canadian locations to be chosen this year.
Image Credit: Will Garrett-Petts @WFGP via Twitter
July 11, 2022 - 7:00 PM
A North American-wide pitch competition for emerging Indigenous entrepreneurs is coming to Kamloops for the first time.
Pow Wow Pitch has partnered with Kamloopa Pow Wow to bring the exciting opportunity to the 41st annual gathering later this month, one of three Canadian locations to be chosen this year.
“Adding Pow Wow Pitch to our event will help us celebrate our vendors and emerging Indigenous entrepreneurs and show them how supported they are,” Kamloopa Pow Wow director Delyla Daniels said.
The traditional Kamloopa Pow Wow is one of the largest in the country, and is known for its dancing and drumming competitions.
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“This is an important opportunity because as a First Nations people we need to build our economy, we are historically an economic people through trade,” she said. “We need to create jobs and economic wealth in our own communities. We have been out of the loop and now we as a people are trying to build back up.”
Entrepreneurs will have one minute to pitch to a panel of judges to earn cash prizes, mentors, promotion and exposure for their emerging businesses. The first prize is worth $5,000 and a golden ticket to the Turtle Island finale to pitch for the grand prize of $25,000 in the fall.
“A panel of judges will select the top ten pitches, then those pitchers will be paired with mentors and pitch again for two minutes each,” she said.
Winners will be announced and celebrated during a digitally broadcast awards presentation on Nov. 3.
The competitors will get access to a free Indigenous Startup Program which includes a $1,000 worth of free technology, tools and support.
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“People who are interested can register online up to the event date, and there will be a few spaces available during the event for those who show up last minute,” Daniels said.
While she isn’t sure of the exact number of pitchers registered to date, Daniels predicts around 40 emerging entrepreneurs with a vast variety of pitch ideas will be participating.
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The Kamloops Pow Wow is returning after a two-year COVID-related hiatus and draws in people from all over North America.
“It is really for uplifting our community this year,” Daniels said. “We have gone through two years of hardship and we want to host the best one we have yet. We are really excited.”
Pow Wow Pitch is a grassroots community of Indigenous entrepreneurs across Turtle Island, purpose-built to provide a safe, collaborative, supportive and empowering platform for inspiration, education, mentorship, celebration, and reconciliation through entrepreneurship, according to its website.
The pitch events take place at 200-330 Chief Alex Thomas Way, with the first round on July 29 from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. and the second round on July 30, 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
To learn more or register, click here.
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