Indigenous Entrepreneurship Forum

Indigenous Entrepreneurship Forum

This year’s Indigenous Entrepreneurship Forum features entrepreneurs in Indigenous innovation and explores the evolving role of technology in business and strategies for persevering through challenges faced by the Indigenous business community.

Attendees will learn about the following:

• What is Indigenous innovation?
• How can innovative tools and technologies be more effectively incorporated into small businesses?
• How can entrepreneurs overcome challenges during their entrepreneurship journeys?
• What support does Enterprise Toronto provide for entrepreneurs and small businesses in the City of Toronto?

This webinar is intended for Indigenous entrepreneurs, Indigenous-led small businesses, and any entrepreneurs looking to engage as an ally to the Indigenous community through their business practices.

Events and presenters will include:

• Keynote speeches: “Reawakening Our Innovation Spirit” presented by Sara Wolfe (Director of the Indigenous Innovation Initiative) and “Resilience: How to build yours and build a better business” presented by Patrice Mousseau (Founder & CEO of Satya Organics)
• Opening & Closing Prayers by Shelley Charles, Elder, and Cultural Advisor
• Indigenous innovation panel (moderated by Justin Jimmy, VP of Finance & Operations from the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business), including Jacqueline Jennings (Director, Raven Indigenous Capital Partners and Board Member, The Fireweed Fellowship); Jarret Leaman (Co-Founder & President, Akawe Technologies, as well as Co-Founder, Centre for Indigenous Innovation and Technology); Rory Richards (President, NUQO Modular)
• Indigenous resilience panel (moderated by Selina Young, Director, Indigenous Affairs Office (IAO) at the City of Toronto), including Erica Daniels (Executive Producer, Kejic Productions); Houston Barnaby (Partner, Indigenous Treaty Partners); Cody Anthony (Student Leader, Indigenous in Business Group, Ted Rogers School of Management)
• Key updates on Indigenous policies and innovations, such as the Reconciliation Action Plan and the Indigenous Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, and remarks from City of Toronto’s Selina Young (Director of the Indigenous Affairs Office), Michele Baptiste (Project Manager for the Indigenous Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship), Tobias Novogrodsky (Director of Business Growth Services), and Susana Vaz (Manager of Business Growth Services)
• Highlights of innovative Indigenous artists during our lunch-hour exhibition slideshow

If you require accommodation, please notify us by email at least 4 weeks before the event date at enterprisetoronto@toronto.ca. To cancel the accommodation, we require 5 business days’ notice before the event date.

Register here.