Startup Canada, the national rallying community for Canadian entrepreneurs, recently celebrated outstanding entrepreneurs, businesses and support organizations from all over Canada. The winners were announced at the red carpet Grand Finale in Ottawa, attended by leading Canadian investors, innovators and anchor company executives.
Jaret Slipp and Lauren Manekin-Beille, respectively YuKonstruct Executive Director and (co)space Director, received the national Startup Canada Entrepreneur Support Award on behalf of YuKonstruct and (co)space. This category rewards government organizations, not-for-profits, academic institutions and private for-profit businesses that demonstrate excellence in advancing Canadian entrepreneurship through their leadership, innovation and impact.
This ceremony culminated the Startup Canada Day on the Hill, the largest annual national entrepreneurship event convening more than 1,100 leading entrepreneurs, innovators, investors, industry executives, and government representatives annually to raise the bar for Canada as a globally competitive innovation nation.
Prior to the national awards, YuKonstruct took part in the Startup Canada Northern Region Awards. (co)space partnered with Startup Canada to host the awards in Whitehorse on September 19, 2017. Northern innovators were recognized for their creative enterprises and YuKonstruct was honoured to receive the award for Entrepreneur Support.
“Hosting the Startup Canada North Awards this year has created sparks of new energy and motivation in our community,” said Lauren Manekin Beille, (co)space Director. “Our entrepreneurial ecosystem has come alive in new ways and innovative trailblazers have been coming out of the woodwork. This event has given Startup Whitehorse, (co)space and YuKonstruct a path to show the north just how much support there is up here to help bring to life our community’s startup ideas.”
The other northern regional winners include:
- Chris Lane, Partner, MakeIT & Northmark Ventures | Entrepreneur of the Year, presented by Scotiabank
- Heather Dickson, Founder, Dickson Designs | Woman Entrepreneur Award, presented by Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC)
- Mike Russo, Founder, Firebean Coffee Roasters | Young Entrepreneur Award, presented by BDC
- Robert Sharp, Founder, Yukon Green House Design | Senior Entrepreneur Award, presented by BDC
- Proskida | Innovation Award, presented by Intuit QuickBooks
- Pinnguaq | Social Enterprise Award, presented by Centre for Social Innovation