Futurpreneur marked its 30th anniversary recently by naming six national award winners and inducting the founders of seven celebrated Canadian companies into its inaugural Founders Hall of Fame.
30th Anniversary Award Winners
Entrepreneur Awards: Selected from more than 125 applicants and 30 finalists across Canada, Futurpreneur’s four Entrepreneur Award winners are:
Ingrid Broussillon, founder of Griottes Polyglottes, received the $30,000 People’s Choice Award, chosen by public vote. The fully bilingual, Vancouver-based company delivers training focused on mental health, communication, bias awareness and workplace inclusion.
Corey Anderson, founder of Ingaged Creative Productions Inc., received a $10,000 Entrepreneur Award. Based in Fort William First Nation, Ontario, the Indigenous-owned marketing, communications and events company employs 27 people, supports more than 100 events annually and creates opportunities for Indigenous artists, distributing more than $1 million to support their creative practice since 2020.
Paul Griffin and Eric Doucet, co-founders of The Sales Factory, received a $10,000 Entrepreneur Award. The Toronto-based company builds and runs multilingual outbound sales programs and has launched more than 400 sales careers.
Rachelle Séguin and Andrea Gomez, co-founders of Omy Laboratoires, received a $10,000 Entrepreneur Award. The Quebec City-based Certified B Corporation uses AI to tailor skincare products to individual needs and employs 52 people.
Mentor and Community Partner Awards
Tariq Al Barwani received the Mentor Award. One of more than 2,000 volunteer mentors in Futurpreneur’s network, Plentea co-founder and STROM Futures CEO Tariq is a serial entrepreneur who has advised 11 young entrepreneurs since becoming a Futurpreneur mentor in 2017.
OSEntreprendre received the Community Partner Award, recognizing its long-standing commitment to inspiring the entrepreneurial spirit among millions of Quebecers of all ages. Since 2005, it has partnered with Futurpreneur to help aspiring entrepreneurs validate their ideas, clarify their vision, expand their networks and build credibility.
Futurpreneur Founders Hall of Fame Inductees
Futurpreneur also announced the seven inaugural inductees into its Founders Hall of Fame, recognizing entrepreneurs whose businesses started with loan and mentorship support from Futurpreneur and have since become major Canadian and global brands while maintaining their Canadian headquarters and operations:
Marc-André Campagna and Francis Careau received Futurpreneur support in 2017 for a telecom startup they co-founded that has since evolved into a subsidiary of gaiia, a global telecom software business headquartered in Quebec City that serves customers in Canada, the US and the UK.
Harry Chemko, co-founder of Elastic Path, received Futurpreneur support in 2000 and has grown the Vancouver-headquartered company into a global commerce software business serving major brands.
Joanna Griffiths, founder of Knix, received Futurpreneur support in 2013 and grew the Toronto-headquartered company into a global brand and intimates market disruptor, reaching a US$400-million valuation before exiting this summer.
Ken LeBlanc and Jeremy Demont, co-founders of PropertyGuys.com, received Futurpreneur support in 1998 and have built the Moncton-headquartered company into a national real estate company with more than 100 franchise locations across Canada.
Vincent Leclerc and David Parent, co-founders of PixMob, received Futurpreneur support in 2007, and have since turned their Montreal-headquartered event lighting company into a global leader, with its technology featured at major events worldwide, including eight Super Bowls and three Olympic Games.
Noura Sakkijha, co-founder of Mejuri (with Majed Masad), received Futurpreneur support in 2013 and has grown the Toronto-headquartered company into a global fine-jewelry brand with more than 60 stores and millions of customers.
Josh, Chris and Dan Simair (brothers), co-founders of Winnipeg-headquartered Skip (SkipTheDishes), received Futurpreneur support in 2013 and built one of Canada’s largest food-delivery companies before its acquisition by Just Eat in 2016.
“To build the strong economic future we want for Canada, we need to empower more of our young people to build their own economic futures by launching and growing made-in-Canada businesses. Thirty years in, the results are clear: When young entrepreneurs get the financing, mentorship and support they need, they turn their ambitions into thriving businesses that create jobs and strengthen communities across Canada. As we enter our fourth decade, I’m grateful for the enduring support of key partners like RBC, BDC and the Government of Canada, as well as our national network of volunteer mentors and community partners, for enabling us to deliver 30 years of inclusive impact," said Karen Greve Young, CEO, Futurpreneur.
“Behind every successful business is someone who took a chance and people who helped them take the next step. For 30 years, Futurpreneur has helped young Canadians turn their ideas into businesses, pairing financing with mentorship that lasts beyond opening day. Our government is proud to support that work. Congratulations to this year’s award recipients and the inaugural Founders Hall of Fame inductees. Your success shows what’s possible when we back Canadian talent and give more young people the opportunity to build their future here at home," said Rechie Valdez, Minister of Women and Gender Equality and Secretary of State (Small Business and Tourism).
Since 1996, Futurpreneur has empowered young entrepreneurs ages 18-39 to start, buy and grow made-in-Canada businesses that create jobs, strengthen communities and contribute to a more inclusive economy. Through accessible loan financing with mentorship and resources, Futurpreneur has helped more than 21,000 entrepreneurs build over 16,600 businesses that span every province and territory. Futurpreneur-supported businesses generate $9.3 billion in annual GDP and achieve an 80% five-year survival rate, which is 27% above Canada’s small business average.