Entrepreneurs at the Pow Wow Pitch competition at the Kamloops Powwow Arbor, 2022.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/ Victoria Lennox
August 04, 2023 - 1:25 PM
Indigenous business entrepreneurs from across the country are at the powwow grounds in Kamloops today, Aug. 4, to deliver one-minute pitches to a panel of judges in a competition that could land them thousands of dollars and support growing their businesses.
It’s the second year in a row Pow Wow Pitch is working with Kamloopa Powwow Society to host the competition in Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc Territory.
“It’s so cool, we love that (Kamloopa Powwow Society) fully integrated us into the powwow, we’re not just a fringe event on the side,” said interim executive director at Pow Wow Pitch, Victoria Lennox. “They’ve made us feel like family.”
Over 2,000 entrepreneurs from across the country submitted their stories and ideas earlier this year and 120 semi-finalists were announced July 31.
"We already have fifty people preregistered, anyone else can show up and it's luck of the draw, we're going to try to showcase as many as we can," Lennox said.
Today, semi-finalists will have one minute each to convince the judges their business idea is good enough to qualify them for the finals. The top ten finalists will be partnered with a mentor and pitch again the following day in a push for the number one spot.
The winner will receive $5K and a ticket to the Turtle Island Finale to pitch for the Grand Prize of $25K. The second place winner receives $2.5K and the third $1K. A youth prize and fan favourite are worth $500 each.
All contestants get entrance to the Turtle Island Pow Wow Pitch competition, free access to the Indigenous Startup Program, more than $1K of free technology, tools and support, and the chance to be featured on the Pow Wow Pitch Marketplace launching later this year.
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There were 15 semi-finalists selected from BC, including two from Kamloops and two from the Okanagan. Paul Sawan of K.A.S.P. “Tradition over Addiction” and Ashley Michel of 4 Generations Creations are representing Kamloops, while Shay Dekock-Kruger of Holo Eyes is from Penticton and Michael Wesley of Indigenous Health and Nutrition Consulting is from Kelowna.
The first round of pitches at the Powwow Arbor at 100-345 Powwow Trail is from 5 to 6 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 4. The final round of pitches is between 9:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 5 which will be followed by the announcement of the winner and fan favourite. The competition is happening during the 42 annual Kamloopa Powwow.
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Pow Wow Pitch is a grassroots community of Indigenous entrepreneurs across the country providing a supportive platform for education, mentorship and reconciliation through entrepreneurship. It was founded by Sunshine Tenasco from Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg. supported by Community Futures Development Corporation of Central Interior First Nation. Co-presented by RBC, Shopify and Mastercard.
Pow Wow Pitch poster.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/ Pow Wow Pitch
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