Featured Partnerships

Featured Partnerships2023-08-23T11:25:26-05:00

NWO 2023 Pitch IT Event

The second annual NWO Pitch IT event will see Entrepreneurs from the Northwestern Ontario Region Pitch their business ideas to a panel of Judges and Investors for the chance to win prizes starting at:

1ST PRIZE – $5000 | 2ND PRIZE – $3000 | 3RD PRIZE – $2000 | PEOPLE’S CHOICE – $1000

$1500 in IP support from Bereskin & Parr vouchers will also be awarded.

The NWO Pitch IT competition is open to individuals located within the Kenora and Rainy River Districts with a business idea, new business start-up or proposed business expansion. Applications will be accepted from March 1st – March 15th and the event itself will be held virtually on April 20th at 6pm CST.


NWO 2023 Pitch IT Event Winners

Kenora and Rainy River Districts, ON – Today, the Northwestern Ontario Innovation Centre (NOIC), Northern Ontario Angels (NOA), and Northwest Business Centre (NWBC), are pleased to announce the winners of the second NWO Pitch It event. The event saw entrepreneurs from the Kenora and Rainy River Districts pitch their business ideas and proposed business expansions for a chance to win $11,000 in cash prizes and $1,500 in vouchers for professional business support services and aired live on April 20, 2023. Applications for the competition were open for a two-week period and saw over 30 individuals and businesses submit their business ideas and proposed expansions for a chance at the prizes. 117 people registered to watch the event and the video has had over 300 views!

“We are really starting to see support for the NWO Pitch It event grow. We had overwhelming support from sponsors, and we were beyond pleased with the response to the call for applications” said Corey Jones, Regional Business Advisor with the NOIC. “This year’s top 5 finalists all had incredible pitches and made it a very tough decision for our judges.”

“I am thrilled with the turnout to this year’s event. It is inspiring to see all the applications and then the top five pitch their business ideas. We have such a strong entrepreneurship community in the Kenora and Rainy River districts and it is evident with the engagement of this event!” said Allyson, former Manager of the Northwest Business Centre and now Economic Development Officer with the City of Kenora.

“Conducting events such as this for the entrepreneur community really shows that there are many entrepreneurs in the region with a lot of bright and unique ideas. We hope that we continue to build the awareness and momentum for these events, while showing entrepreneurs that there are several advisory services in the region who can help them to crystalize their vision of success,” said Ron Malashewski, the Kenora Consultant for the Northern Ontario Angels.

The top five submissions were chosen by the internal planning committee to pitch their business development and expansion ideas in front of a panel of judges. Three judges from across the two Districts were chosen to determine the winners.

Prizes for the event were one-hundred percent sponsor-driven from various businesses and business support organizations throughout the two Districts, including: TBay Tel, Copperfin, FSET, Bereskin and Parr, Northwest Training and Adjustment Board, Northern Ontario Angels, City of Kenora, City of Dryden, Northwest Business Centre, Northwestern Ontario Innovation Centre, Patricia Area Community Endeavours and Cliff Lake Capital.

To view NWO’s second regional Pitch IT event, please visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOqbw29q7WA

The judges

Crystal George, Executive Director, Northwest Training and Adjustment Board, Dryden

Michelle Hiscox, Economic Development Officer, Chukuni Communities Development Corporation, Red Lake

Dave Allen, Senior Business Relationship Manager, Copperfin Credit Union, Kenora

Mike Greaves (MC), Owner Wake Marketing, Kenora

The finalists

1st Place Winner ($5000), Vic Moss, Mosswood Adventures, Kenora

2nd Place Winner ($3000), Rod and Marion McKay, Sc-Wrap Environmental Services, Kenora

3rd Place Winner ($2000), Brennan and Colin Hochstedler, Icelander, Sioux Lookout

Paloma Corrin, Pal’s Ice Cream, Kenora

Brendan McDonald, Boreal Audiology, Dryden

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