October 10, 2015 | Wolf Blass, an award-winning Australian winery, and Startup Canada, a national non-profit organization working to build a thriving environment for entrepreneurial success in Canada, have partnered to draw national attention to Canada’s top entrepreneurs, startups, small businesses, and entrepreneur-support organizations at the second annual Startup Canada Awards this autumn. These awards are the hallmark event celebrating and distinguishing Canada’s entrepreneurship community.
Wolf Blass is the exclusive wine sponsor of the Startup Canada Awards, and is also the official sponsor of the prestigious Adam Chowaniec Lifetime Achievement Award. This award is presented to individuals, who, over the course of their life has made a long-term impact in advancing an environment and culture for entrepreneurial growth and success in Canada. The award is named in honour of the late Adam Chowaniec, known in Canada’s tech community for his involvement in starting, growing, and selling more than a dozen companies. He was a champion of the grassroots entrepreneurship movement in Canada and of high-growth export companies.
“The entrepreneurial spirit – a blend of passion, tenacity and perseverance in the face of uncertainty and risks – lies at the core of what it means to be Canadian,” wrote Chowaniec in the 2014 Startup Canada Thought Book: Startup Communities from the Inside Out. “Yet in recent years, there has been a fundamental lack of awareness, understanding and appreciation for entrepreneurship in Canada…. A fundamental culture shift is required for Canadians to rediscover their roots and build a strong, prosperous nation abound with fresh opportunities.”
With a mission to back those who boldly take risks, Wolf Blass is a natural partner to celebrate those who have dedicated a lifetime to making visions like Chowaniec’s a reality. Also a passionate entrepreneur and community builder, Wolf Blass founder Wolfgang Franz Otto Blass once said: “The most enjoyable professional experience and challenge in my life has been to achieve those things that many critics said couldn’t be done.” Following its founder’s lead, the Wolf Blass brand embodies the self belief, bravery and courage needed to triumph, and celebrates those who achieve success through these qualities.
The 2015 Startup Canada Adam Chowaniec Lifetime Achievement Award regional winners are:
- Andrea Feunekes, co-founder and CEO of RemSoft (Atlantic Canada)
- The Right Honourable Paul Martin, Chair of the Capital for Aboriginal Prosperity and Entrepreneurship Fund (Quebec)
- Brenda Halloran, CEO of the Waterloo Innovation Network and former Mayor of Waterloo (Ontario)
- Allan Scott, former president and CEO of the Edmonton Economic Development Corporation (Prairies)
- George Hunter, CEO of Small Business BC (British Columbia & the North)
2015 regional award ceremonies will take place in:
- Atlantic Canada | Halifax, Oct. 14
- Quebec | Montreal, Oct. 28
- British Columbia and the North | Vancouver, Nov. 4
- Prairies |Calgary, Nov. 9
- Ontario| Ottawa, Nov. 17
The grand finale will take place at the CN Tower on December 1.
This is the second time Wolf Blass has joined Startup Canada to celebrate entrepreneurial leaders. At the 2014 Startup Canada Awards, the Wolf Blass Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to accomplished tech entrepreneur and philanthropist Gerry Pond.
Following the Startup Canada Awards, Wolf Blass and Startup Canada will further celebrate entrepreneurs through social media contests and monthly #StartupChats on Twitter. For more information on the Startup Canada Awards, visit www.startupaward.ca