Five years of empowering young entrepreneurs in Canada: Futurpreneur, on behalf of Futurpreneur Foundation and RBC Foundation, celebrate $400,000 in start-up awards to fuel next generation of founders

October 8, 2025

The Awards are granted to eight participants from the Futurpreneur Foundation’s free Rock My Business Workshop series 

TORONTO, CANADA (Oct. 8, 2025) – Futurpreneur, on behalf of the Futurpreneur Foundation, and RBC Foundation are proud to mark the fifth annual RBC Rock My Business Start-Up Awards by awarding eight promising young entrepreneurs from across Canada with $10,000 each to support their business launches. Since the Awards launched in 2020, 40 young entrepreneurs have received a total of $400,000 in funding to help launch their businesses.

The Awards are designed to help aspiring founders bring their ideas to life and are exclusively available to participants of the Rock My Business workshop series, a free, virtual program delivered by Futurpreneur, on behalf of Futurpreneur Foundation and supported by RBC Foundation. This program breaks down the fundamentals of business launch success across three core workshops: Rock My Business Idea, Rock My Business Plan and Rock My Cash Flow.

“At RBC, we believe in equipping the next generation with the skills for a thriving future,” says Gayle Corcoran, Senior Director, Social Impact, RBC. “That’s why we are proud to collaborate with Futurpreneur to deliver these awards and help young, aspiring entrepreneurs turn their innovative ideas into viable businesses. Congratulations to the 2025 recipients!”

Award recipients were eligible for four different award categories as part of Futurpreneur Foundation’s commitment to making entrepreneurship accessible to Canadians from all backgrounds. This is also one of Futurpreneur’s driving principles as the only national, non-profit organization providing collateral-free loan financing with mentorship up to $75,000 to young aspiring entrepreneurs. In the spirit of fostering a diverse entrepreneurial environment nationwide, the following eight awards of $10,000 each were extended to eligible participants: 

Six Youth Entrepreneur Awards for entrepreneurs ages 18-39

One Emerging Black Entrepreneur Award for a Black entrepreneur ages 18-39

One Emerging Indigenous Entrepreneur Award for an Indigenous entrepreneur ages 18-39

“It’s incredibly inspiring to see how the RBC Rock My Business Start-up Awards have helped ignite the ambitions of 40 young entrepreneurs over the past five years,” says Janis Nixon, Chief Growth Officer, Futurpreneur. “This partnership with RBC Foundation enables us to do more to help young entrepreneurs succeed. It allows us to equip young entrepreneurs with the skills, confidence and tools they need to thrive. The 2025 award recipients are building businesses that reflect the future of Canada – diverse, inclusive, talented and full of possibility.” 

Applicants were required to complete both the Rock My Business Plan and Rock My Cash Flow workshops and submit their completed business documents for review. A panel of judges assessed each submission based on preparedness and potential for impact, awarding $10,000 in unrestricted funding to the selected recipients to help them start or grow their businesses.

The Rock My Business workshop series is one of Futurpreneur’s flagship offerings, designed to democratize access to business training, coaching and capital. In 2025, the workshops supported more than 4,000 participants across Canada. The workshops are delivered every month and are open to aspiring business owners from all backgrounds.

Interested participants can visit the Rock My Business page to sign up for the next available workshops. Participants, ages 18-39, who attend the Rock My Business Plan and Rock My Cash Flow workshops may be eligible for the next round of RBC Rock My Business Start-Up Awards. 

Learn more about the 2025 RBC Rock My Business Start-Up Award recipients below: 

Bee Bird, Bee Productions Inc. – Emerging Indigenous Entrepreneur Award
Location: Regina, Saskatchewan

Bee Productions Inc. is an Indigenous-owned media company based in Regina, Saskatchewan, founded in 2024 by Bee Bird of Montreal Lake Cree Nation. The company specializes in content creation, video editing and storytelling, offering high-quality visual media for businesses, academic institutions and Indigenous organizations. Its services include corporate video production, promotional content, photography and writing. Bee Productions stands out through its cultural integrity, professionalism and commitment to amplifying Indigenous voices.

Jory Bieniak, Reign HVAC – Youth Entrepreneur Award
Location: Richmond Hill, Ontario

Reign HVAC is a residential and light commercial heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) company serving the Greater Toronto Area. It specializes in energy-efficient heating, cooling and ventilation systems—including heat pumps, HRVs, furnaces, ACs and radiant heating. The company also provides insulation, air sealing, and window upgrades to enhance building envelope performance. Energy modeling is a core best practice guiding Reign HVAC’s focus on comfort, efficiency and sustainability.

Olaseni Cole, Steminai – Emerging Black Entrepreneur Award
Location: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

Steminai is empowering parents and schools around the world to turn idle screen time into high-impact learning by teaching kids, aged five to 18, coding, robotics and AI through AI-personalized, story-driven, gamified adventures, tapping into a rapidly-growing global edtech market.

Oussama Esslimani, Café Argan – Youth Entrepreneur Award
Location: Granby, Quebec

Café Argan is a cultural café located in Granby, Quebec that offers authentic Moroccan teas, artisanal pastries, specialty coffees and traditional North African brunch dishes. More than a place to eat, Café Argan is a welcoming space designed for cultural exchange, relaxation and community connection. Their mission is to bring the warmth and richness of Maghreb hospitality to a modern, inclusive setting where everyone feels at home. Through food, design and events, Café Argan invites people to slow down, share stories and celebrate diversity.

Tess Mayne, Words Plus – Youth Entrepreneur Award
Location: Oakville, Ontario

Words Plus is a private speech therapy practice that helps children who are autistic or those benefiting from augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). Founded by seasoned speech-language pathologist Tess Mayne, Words Plus provides assessments, child-led therapy and collaborative consultations in-home, in-clinic or online. As the only known private practice in Oakville, Ontario dedicated to this underserved population, Words Plus fills a critical gap for families seeking expert, neurodiversity-affirming support. Celebrating each child’s strengths and interests, Words Plus helps them learn to connect and communicate — authentically, beyond spoken words.

Melanie Kitio Tsopkeng, Brave Beauty – Youth Entrepreneur Award
Location: Salaberry de Valleyfield, Quebec

Brave Beauty is a skincare-infused cosmetics brand created for melanin-rich skin, blending makeup and skin health in every product. Our debut foundation with SPF 40 is non-comedogenic, and safe for sensitive conditions like eczema and acne, while delivering flawless, breathable coverage. Brave Beauty is committed to redefining beauty standards by offering inclusive shades, high-performance formulas and authentic representation. With a presence in North America, Europe and Africa, Brave Beauty empowers women to embrace their individuality and feel confident in their own skin.

Heather Kristine Wilson, AquaAg – Youth Entrepreneur Award
Location: Oakbank, Manitoba

AquaAg is a sustainable agriculture enterprise that utilizes aquaponics—a closed-loop recirculating aquaculture system combining aquaculture (raising fish) and hydroponics (growing plants without soil)—to produce premium naturally grown leafy greens.

Doris Wu, With Love Archive – Youth Entrepreneur Award
Location: Mississauga, Ontario

With Love Archive designs modular planner systems crafted to inspire playful exploration and thoughtful growth. The brand’s refillable binder offers one elegant space that brings together practical planning and creative reflection. With Love Archive encourages users to focus on intentional living, to connect more deeply with themselves and the stories they’re creating through the practice of personal archiving.

ABOUT ROCK MY BUSINESS 

Delivered by Futurpreneur, on behalf of the Futurpreneur Foundation and supported by RBC Foundation, Rock My Business is a free, virtual workshop series that helps aspiring entrepreneurs develop their business idea, create a strong business plan, and build a viable cash flow. Participants who participate in the Rock My Business Plan and Rock My Cash Flow workshops may qualify to apply for the RBC Rock My Business Start-Up Awards.

ABOUT FUTURPRENEUR 

Futurpreneur, the delivery partner of the Futurpreneur Foundation, is a national, non-profit organization that provides loans with mentorship and resources to diverse entrepreneurs, ages 18-39, who are looking to start, buy or grow their businesses in Canada. We help diverse young founders reach their startup goals and provide bilingual (English and French) supports and resources to empower business owners on their entrepreneurial journeys.  

Founded in 1996, the organization was established to promote entrepreneurship among Canadian youth as a critical pillar for diversifying the economy, generating employment opportunities and fostering a sustainable future. Since then, Futurpreneur has helped more than 20,000 young entrepreneurs start or buy small and growing businesses across Canada. Futurpreneur is a founding member of the G20 Young Entrepreneurs’ Alliance, the Canadian member of Youth Business International and the Canadian host of Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW).  

Futurpreneur is partially supported by the Government of Canada. 