By Startup Canada Staff
Startup Canada is giving a platform to some of the country’s leading Indigenous entrepreneurs with a new documentary series.
Produced by Startup Canada and the Business Development Bank of Canada, Pow Wow Pitch tells the stories of six Indigenous entrepreneurs who pitched their companies at a Dragon’s Den-like competition (also called the Pow Wow Pitch) during the 2017 Summer Solstice Indigenous Festival in Ottawa.
Hosted by Pow Wow Pitch founder Sunshine Tenasco, also the founder and CEO of accessory startup Her Braids, each each episode of Pow Wow Pitch focuses on a different creator’s path to market, focusing on both their inspiration and the obstacles faced along the way.
“I started Pow Wow Pitch because when I was on Dragon’s Den it changed my life and showed me that influential people believed in my idea,” Tenasco said in a June 24 statement. “Pow Wow Pitch is my opportunity to pay it forward and give Indigenous people the same drive and inspiration that I felt.”
The first episode of Pow Wow Pitch, focusing on Cheekbone Beauty founder Jennifer Harper, aired on Sunday June 24, 2018 and can be seen at Startup Canada’s website.
Future episodes in what is being called the series’ first season will air on the site every Sunday at 6 PM EST between June 24 and July 29, and focus on TreeTeas Brewing, Nish Scon, the Northern Shipping Company, Chippewar, and Birch Bite.
“Startup Canada is proud to work with Sunshine and the Business Development Canada to bring our love of storytelling and showcasing entrepreneurs through the Pow Wow Pitch Docu-Series,” Startup Canada CEO Victoria Lennox said in the June 24 statement. “We believe in the power of entrepreneurship and storytelling as important tools for reconciliation and that these six entrepreneurs will inspire all those who tune-in.”
ITBusiness.ca parent ITWC is a media sponsor of Startup Canada.