Presented by

The Indigenous Program stream at Startup Canada Day on the Hill features leading Indigenous entrepreneurs and innovators. Join us for an intensive day filled with keynotes, panels, workshops, and growth opportunities, and gain practical tips and inspiration every step of the way.

INDIGENOUS ENTREPRENEUR PROGRAM

Pre-Show - Leveraging Your Entrepreneur Network

Meet the leaders of Canada’s entrepreneur community and learn how you can best leverage the ecosystem to scale.

Opening Ceremonies - Main Stage

Join in the celebration of the 5th Annual Startup Canada Day on the Hill with Claudette Commanda, Algonquin First Nation Knowledge Keeper

Growing Canada’s Role in the World

Moderator: Mélanie Carter, Knowledge Partnerships Lead, EDC

• Nicole Verkindt, CEO of OMX

• Nicole McLaren, CEO, Raven Reads

• Paul Gaspar, Director of Small Business at UPS

• Stuart Bergman, Director of Environmental and Corporate Responsibility, Export Development Canada

Growth Fair / Mentor Genius Lounge

• Connect with social enterprises and socially-conscious economic development organizations:

• Indig Inc. (Little Pine First Nation) ( (Booth 8)

• Export Development Canada (Booth 29)

• Business Development Bank of Canada (Booth 22)

• Get your passport stamped by all 40 Growth Partners to complete your Passport and to find partners to take your idea to the next level.

• Then, #hustle over to the Mentor Genius Lounge in the Parliamentary to meet with mentors from across Canada.

  • JP Gladu, President and CEO, Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business (CCAB)

Policy Hack-a-Thon: Growing Global Businesses

Hack the question: How can we support entrepreneurs to export, expand, and take their businesses global?

Legal Aspects of Starting Up

• Megan Cornell, Founder, Momentum Law

Scale-Up Strategy Sell Anywhere, Anytime (Rogers)

Moderator: Edwin Frondozo, Host of the Business Leadership Podcast

• Sukhmani Dev, Market Product Management, Digital Solutions, Mastercard Canada

• Carolyn Loh, Sr. Director of Data Analytics and Insights, Rogers

• Heather Abbey, Little Pine First Nation, Saskatchewan, CEO of Indig Inc.

• Chris Crawford, Founder and CEO of Kick-Ass Media

Lunch

Take some time to rest and recharge in the Canteen in Canada Hall 2 (Lunch for purchase). This is a great moment to check out the Growth Fair in Canada Hall 2 where you can meet with 40 growth partners followed by the Mentor Genius Lounge in the Parliamentary Foyer where you will meet entrepreneurs and industry leaders who can help you grow.

Circle Discussion on Entrepreneurship and Reconciliation

JP Gladu, President and CEO, Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business (CCAB)

Shyra Barberstock, Startup Kingston and Co-Founder of Okwaho Equal Source

• Sunshine Tenasco, Founder, PowWow Pitch

• Nicole McLaren, CEO, Raven Reads

• Heather Abbey, Little Pine First Nation, Saskatchewan, CEO of Indig Inc.

• Jennifer Harper, Founder and CEO, Cheekbone Beauty

• Keith McIntosh, Founder and CEO, PQA Testing

Scaling Up Indigenous Entrepreneurship

Moderator: Tara Barnes, VL Marketing at Manitobah Mukluks

• Sunshine Tenasco, Her Braids Founder and Pow Wow Pitch

• Shyra Barberstock, Startup Kingston and Co-Founder of Okwaho Equal Source

• Jennifer Harper, Founder and CEO of Cheekbone Beauty

• Keith McIntosh, Founder and CEO of PQA Testing

Canadian Export Challenge Showdown

Host: Dr. Sean Wise, Host of the Naked Entrepreneur presented by Ryerson

• Paul Gaspar, Director of Small Business at UPS

• Nicole Verkindt, CEO of OMX

• W. Brett Wilson, O.C., entrepreneur, investor and philanthropist

• Justine Hendricks, Vice-President, Working Capital Solutions, Export Development Canada

Social Enterprise Policy Hack-a-Thon - Advancing Social Innovation

Hack the question: How can Canada become the leading nation for social innovation and entrepreneurship?

Scale-Up Strategies - Leveraging Canada to Scale presented by
Innovative Solutions Canada

Moderator: Mélanie Carter, Knowledge Partnerships Lead, Export Development Canada

• Robert Smith, Executive Director of Innovative Solutions Canada

• Eric Fournier, Director General S&T Strategic Decision Support, ADM (S&T), Department of National Defence

• Paul Gaspar, Director of Small Business, UPS Canada

• Darrell Schuurman, Co-Founder and CEO, Canadian Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce

• Miryam Lazarte, Founder and CEO, LatAm Startups

Scaling Up Canada - Closing Keynote and Fireside Discussion

Moderator: Rivers Corbett, Host of the Startup Canada Podcast

Keynote: Frank O'Dea, Order of Canada, Entrepreneur, Philanthropist

Fireside Discussion

• Frank O'Dea, Order of Canada, Entrepreneur, Philanthropist

• Michelle Scarborough, Managing Director, Strategic Initiatives and Women in Tech

• Brenda Halloran, Startup Canada Chair of the Board

• Paul Gaspar, Director of Small Business at UPS Canada

• Sergio Escobar, Startup Canada Global Ambassador

11.00 -

11.30 AM

Canada Hall 2

(Scale-Up Stage)

7.30 -
8.30 AM

Canada Hall 1

(Canada Stage)

8.00 -
9.00 AM 

Canada Hall 1 (Canada Stage)

9.30 -

10.00 AM

Canada Hall 2 (Scale Up Stage)

10.00 -

11.00 AM

Parliament Foyer (Mentor Genius Lounge)

11.00 -

12.00 PM

Parliament Foyer Policy Hack-a-thon Stage

11.30 -

12.00 PM

Canada Hall 2

(Scale-Up Stage)

12.00 -

1.00 PM

Canada Hall 2 (Lunch area)

1.00 -

1.45 PM

Parliament Foyer

(Policy Hack-a-thon Stage)

2.00 PM

Canada Hall 2

(Scale-Up Stage)

2.00 -

3:00 PM

Canada Hall 2

(Scale-Up Stage)

3.00 -

3.45 PM

Parliament Foyer (Policy Hearings)

4.00 -

4.30 PM

Canada Hall 2

(Scale-Up Stage)

4.30 -

5.00 PM

Canada Hall 2 (Scale-Up Stage)