Futurpreneur Awards

Meet the Futurpreneur 30th Anniversary Awards Finalists

Voting for the People’s Choice Award is now closed. Thank you to everyone who voted for one (or many) of the 30 Entrepreneur Award finalists shaping Canada’s future. The People’s Choice Award winner, along with the Entrepreneur, Mentor and Community Partner Award winners, will be revealed on October 28 at the Futurpreneur 30th Anniversary Awards ceremony in Toronto. Stay tuned!

About Entrepreneur Finalists Mentor Finalists Community Partner Finalists Supporters

Celebrating 30 years of supporting young entrepreneurs!  

The Futurpreneur 30th Anniversary Awards celebrate the Futurpreneur-supported entrepreneurs shaping Canada’s economy today and the mentors and community partners who have helped them succeed over the past 30 years. 

Voting for the People’s Choice Award is now closed. 

Thank you to everyone who voted and supported our Entrepreneur Award finalists. We’ll reveal the People’s Choice Award winner, along with the winners in the remaining categories, on the evening of October 28 at the Futurpreneur 30th Anniversary Awards ceremony in Toronto. 

Each of our Entrepreneur Award finalists receives $1,000 in recognition of their achievement, and of these 30 finalists: 

  • three national winners will each receive an additional $10,000; and 
  • one finalist will be selected by public vote as the People’s Choice Award winner and receive $30,000. 

Meet the finalists

Recognizing our 30 years of inclusive impact

By the numbers

  • 21,000 diverse, young entrepreneurs launched 16,600+ made-in-Canada businesses in every province and territory, with Futurpreneur support
  • 80% of supported businesses have a five-year survival rate, 27% higher than the national average
  • $259M provided in loan financing alongside mentorship
  • 41% of supported businesses are women-led
  • 15% of supported businesses have Black founders
  • 3% of supported businesses have Indigenous founders
  • 2,100+ volunteer mentors
  • 390+ community partners

Award categories and prizes

Awards Process
  1. Nomination: To be considered for any award (Entrepreneur, Mentor or Community Partner), eligible recipients must be nominated (either by a third party or they may self-nominate). 
  2. Nomination review: Futurpreneur will review all nominees to ensure their eligibility. We will contact all eligible nominees to encourage them to apply during the application period. 
  3. Application: The only way to win an award is by completing an application. Each nominee must submit their own application. If multiple co-founders of the same business are nominated, they should submit a single application, as only one application will be considered for the business. 
  4. Application review: The panel of judges will assess all applications received using specific criteria for each kind of award (Entrepreneur, Mentor, Community Partner). 
  5. Award finalists announced: On September 9, 2026, Futurpreneur will announce the 30 Entrepreneur Award finalists, as well as up to eight finalists for the Mentor Award and Community Partner Award. 
  6. People’s Choice Award voting opens: On September 9, 2026, voting for the People’s Choice Award opens, enabling the public to choose the one Entrepreneur Award finalist to win $30,000. 
  7. Award winners announced: Three national Entrepreneur Award winners, along with the Mentor Award and Community Partner Award winners, will be announced at the Futurpreneur 30th Anniversary Awards in Toronto on October 28, 2026. 
  8. People’s Choice Award winner announced: The Entrepreneur Award finalist with the most votes will receive the $30,000 People’s Choice Award. The winner will be announced at the Futurpreneur 30th Anniversary Awards in Toronto on October 28, 2026. .
Awards Timeline

The timeline for the Futurpreneur 30th Anniversary Awards is as follows:

  • March 17: Nominations open at 9:00 a.m. ET 
  • April 19: Nominations close at 11:59 p.m. ET 
  • April 13: Applications open 9:00 a.m. ET 
  • May 31: Applications close at 11:59 p.m. ET 
  • June – late August: Judging period 
  • Week of August 31: All award finalists notified 
  • September 9: All award finalists announced on Futurpreneur’s website and social media; the Entrepreneur People’s Choice Award voting period opens nationally 
  • October 6: The Entrepreneur People’s Choice Award voting period closes 
  • October 28: Futurpreneur’s 30th Anniversary Awards celebration in Toronto:  
    • Three national Entrepreneur Award winners announced
    • One People’s Choice Award winner announced
    • One Mentor Award winner announced
    • One Community Partner Award winner announced
    • Futurpreneur’s Founders Hall of Fame inductees celebrated

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If you still have questions, please contact us at: programs@futurpreneur.ca.