Anchor companies invest in the entrepreneurship & innovation community through 2017 Startup Canada Awards

By Startup Canada  |  

March 21 | Startup Canada

Nominations are open for the fourth annual Startup Canada Awards, the hallmark event celebrating outstanding achievement in Canada’s entrepreneurship and innovation community. The 2017 Awards are co-presented by Mastercard and Scotiabank, with the national-level sponsor support of the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) and Opportunities New Brunswick. Individual award sponsors include UPS Canada, MNP LLP, MaRS Discovery District, the Centre for Social Innovation and Intuit Canada.

Individuals, businesses, and organizations are invited to apply for 17 awards. To celebrate Canada’s 150-year anniversary, a new award will commemorate an iconic Canadian business that has propelled Canada’s brand on the global stage through its determination and leadership.

This year’s Startup Canada Awards include:

Celebrating Canada’s 150th birthday

  • Canada 150 Award

Outstanding Impact in Canadian Entrepreneurship

  • Entrepreneur of the Year Award, presented by Scotiabank
  • Adam Chowaniec Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by Mastercard (national only)

Advancing the Environment and Culture for Entrepreneurship in Canada

  • Entrepreneur Promotion Award, presented by Opportunities NB
  • Entrepreneur Support Award
  • Community of the Year Award (national only)
  • Policy Prize, presented by MaRS Discovery District (national only)

Entrepreneur-Led Businesses Demonstrating Excellence

  • Global Entrepreneurship Award, presented by UPS Canada
  • Innovation Award, presented by Intuit Canada
  • Social Enterprise Award, presented by Centre for Social Innovation
  • High-Growth Entrepreneurship Award, presented by MNP LLP

Exemplifying the Spirit of Canadian Entrepreneurship, presented by BDC

  • Woman Entrepreneur Award
  • Young Entrepreneur Award
  • Senior Entrepreneur Award
  • Indigenous Entrepreneur Award (national only)
  • Newcomer Entrepreneur Award (national only)
  • Resilient Entrepreneur Award (national only)

Individuals, businesses, and organizations can submit nominations for the 2017 Startup Canada Awards until June 16, 2017 at 11:59 pm PT. Regional award winners will be announced at grassroots startup events across Canada this fall, with the grand finale taking place in Toronto on November 14, 2017. The complete list of award criteria and nomination form can be found at StartupAward.ca.

Startup Canada Regional Award Ceremony dates and locations:

Regional Awards Ceremonies will be hosted by entrepreneur support partners in cities across Canada this fall. The following partners will host our regional ceremonies:

Register for an event near you today: http://startupaward.ca/events/

Quotes:

“As we look forward to the next 150 years of entrepreneurship and innovation in Canada, the 2017 Startup Canada Awards recognizes the changemakers who have laid the foundation for businesses to start and scale, celebrates those making Canada a top destination for companies and investment, and provides a platform for Canada’s most entrepreneurial citizens to grow their companies and inspire the next generation of leaders. We are so proud to work with our 2017 sponsors to elevate and celebrate these changemakers” – Victoria Lennox, CEO of Startup Canada.

“The Startup Canada Awards are an excellent way to honour the entrepreneurial talent pushing Canada’s innovation agenda forward,” said Brian Lang, President of Mastercard in Canada. “As a first-year partner we’re looking forward to learning about the companies – and the people behind the technology – as the Awards honour entrepreneurs from coast to coast.”

“As the Co-Presenting Sponsor of the Startup Canada Awards, Scotiabank is proud to continue to recognize innovative and notable small business owners across Canada,” said Peter Duarte, Director Customer Experience for Small Business at Scotiabank.  “At Scotiabank, we are committed to supporting the growth of small business in Canada and we know that entrepreneurs are at the heart of this growth.  We are particularly honoured to present the Entrepreneur of the Year Award for the third year in a row and recognize those turning their dreams into reality while making an impact in their community through entrepreneurship.”

“BDC is proud to partner once again with Startup Canada and its community partners to present a series of six awards under the category ‘Exemplifying the Spirit of Canadian Entrepreneurship’, said Michael Denham, President and CEO, BDC. “Canada’s small and medium-sized businesses are powered by entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds. We look forward to celebrating them and the difference they make in their communities every day.”

“Opportunities NB is excited to be a part of the Startup Canada community,” said Francine Landry, New Brunswick Minister of Economic Development and the Minister responsible for Opportunities NB. “We have a strong ecosystem of entrepreneurs in the province and we are pleased to support a national organization that helps advance the entrepreneurial culture.”

For more information and to schedule interviews with Startup Canada, Startup Canada Awards sponsors or past recipients, please contact:

Kathryn Forrest

Communications and Marketing Manager, Startup Canada

Kathryn.Forrest@StartupCan.ca

613-627-0787 ext. 106.

For the latest updates on the Startup Canada Awards, visit www.startupaward.ca.

About the Startup Canada Awards

The Startup Canada Awards celebrate and distinguish outstanding achievement in advancing Canadian entrepreneurship.

The objectives of the awards are to:

  • Celebrate those working to advance entrepreneurship in Canada;
  • Increase awareness of the importance of strengthening Canada’s entrepreneurship ecosystem and culture; and,
  • Incentivize efforts and elevate the ambitions of the Canadian entrepreneurial community.

2016 finalists and recipients can be found here. Photos from the 2015 and 2016 Startup Canada Awards can be found on the Startup Canada Flickr Page. For more information, visit www.startupaward.ca.

About Startup Canada

Startup Canada is the national rallying community and voice for Canada’s entrepreneurs. Through flagship programs, digital platforms, and cross-sector partnerships between entrepreneurs, private sector, and government, Startup Canada offers training, resources, and a peer network to give every entrepreneur equal opportunity for success. For more information, visit www.startupcan.ca.