Futurpreneur, on behalf of Futurpreneur Foundation, and RBC Future Launch empower young entrepreneurs with $80,000 in Start-up Awards

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

TORONTO, Oct. 10, 2024 /CNW/ - Futurpreneur, on behalf of the Futurpreneur Foundation and RBC Future Launch announced their collaboration for the fourth annual Rock My Business Start-Up Awards, which presents eight up-and-coming young entrepreneurs from across Canada with $10,000 each to support business development. The awards, intended to assist winners in turning their innovative ideas into sustainable businesses, are designed to encourage and reward participation in Futurpreneur Foundation's Rock My Business program. This program offers a free, digital workshop series divided in three parts, reflecting the essential components of any successful business: a viable idea, a robust business plan, and a well-managed cashflow.

"When young people succeed, we all succeed," says Mark Beckles, Vice President, Social Impact & Innovation, RBC. "RBC is committed to equipping the next generation with skills for a thriving future – that's why we are proud to collaborate with Futurpreneur, where we see entrepreneurial spirit come to life as these young Canadians champion a brighter more inclusive future within their communities. Congratulations to the 2024 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 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:

• Five Youth Entrepreneur Awards for entrepreneurs aged 18-29
• One Emerging Black Entrepreneur Award for a Black entrepreneur aged 18-39
• One Emerging Indigenous Entrepreneur Award for an Indigenous Entrepreneur aged 18-39
• One Emerging Entrepreneur Award for an entrepreneur aged 30-39

"We believe that every aspiring entrepreneur deserves the opportunity to turn their vision into reality," says Janis Nixon, Chief Growth Officer, Futurpreneur. "Our partnership with RBC Future Launch allows us to provide young entrepreneurs with the skills, confidence, and resources they need to take the first steps on their entrepreneurial journey. Together, we are empowering the next generation to create businesses that not only drive meaningful change but also foster inclusive economic prosperity in communities across Canada. Congratulations to this year's recipients—you are the future of entrepreneurship, and we are honoured to support you in shaping a brighter tomorrow."

The Rock My Business workshop series complements Futurpreneur's efforts in diversifying the sources of financial and professional support available to young entrepreneurs in the early stages of their journeys. As well, the program provides business coaching from Entrepreneurs-in-Residence and breaks down the process of achieving business viability and creating a reliable business plan and cashflow projections.

To date, the Rock My Business workshop series has engaged over 5,500 young entrepreneurs throughout Canada. The free online series takes place every other month. Interested participants can visit the Rock My Business page to sign up for the next available workshops. Participants 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 2024 RBC Rock My Business Start-Up Award recipients below:

Lina Greiche, Varty All Natural Inc. – Emerging Entrepreneur Award
Location: Montreal, Quebec

Varty All Natural is dedicated to empowering healthy living, one natural ingredient at a time. Their oat beverages are crafted with just 3 to 4 simple, organic ingredients, free from gums, fillers, oils, and artificial additives, delivering pure, authentic flavor in every sip. Proudly made in Quebec and certified gluten-free, these oat beverages offer the perfect blend of wholesome, delicious, and healthy.

Lashanna Graham Romer, Mosse – Emerging Black Entrepreneur Award
Location: Mississauga, Ontario

Mosse's mission is to become a leading marine-powered wellness brand by leveraging the natural benefits of sea moss, rich in essential vitamins and minerals, to boost immunity and promote optimal well-being. Committed to innovation, the brand plans to expand its offerings to include a diverse range of sea moss-based products across various wellness categories, continually advancing the support for holistic health.

Daniel Michel-Bellefleur, Miku – Emerging Indigenous Entrepreneur Award
Location: PakuaShipi, Quebec

Miku is a renovation and furniture design company, born from a long-standing dream to combine traditional Innu art with contemporary design elements to create unique pieces that cater to the specific needs of its clients while showcasing the natural beauty of wood. The company's mission is straightforward: to provide exceptional renovation services and craft high-quality, custom-made furniture that blends ancestral craftsmanship with modern innovation.

Ariz Bhimani, BRFZY. – Youth Entrepreneur Award
Location: Aurora, Ontario

Founded by Ariz Bhimani, a testicular cancer patient, BRFZY offers the Recovery Boxer Brief and Anatomical Gel Pack to help individuals recover from pelvic injuries. The Recovery Boxer Brief is designed to hold inserts for therapeutic icing and heating in various pelvic areas, providing support, compression, and targeted treatment while being easy to use. Its patent-pending design combines comfort with medical effectiveness, making it a valuable resource for both patients and athletes.

Ravi Jolly, Forever Free Solar – Youth Entrepreneur Award Location: Brampton, Ontario

Forever Free Solar empowers homeowners to escape the rising costs of living and achieve electrical independence through affordable solar solutions. Committed to making clean energy accessible and cost-effective, the company ensures that every Canadian can benefit from the power of the sun. With a vision to extend its impact globally, Forever Free brings solar energy to underserved communities lacking traditional infrastructure.

Laurent Savard, Studio Balance – Youth Entrepreneur Award Location: Quebec City, Quebec

Studio Balance offers a work environment where creators can enjoy the benefits of a large professional recording studio while also benefiting from the personalized attention, accessibility, and creative freedom of an independent studio. This setup allows each project to shine with authenticity and quality.

Jayrell Diggs, SudDrop Laundry Services – Youth Entrepreneur Award
Location: East Preston, Nova Scotia

SudDrop is a premier laundry pickup and delivery service dedicated to revolutionizing the way people manage their laundry needs. Its mission is to save customers time and reduce stress by providing reliable, high-quality laundry solutions.

Myriam Kamako, Vertueuse Inc. - Youth Entrepreneur Award
Location: Montreal, Quebec

Vertueuse Inc. is a company dedicated to facilitating access to textured hair care and cosmetics suited for dark and olive skin tones in regional areas. Its goal is to challenge insecurities related to coily hair and dark skin, and its mission is to empower Afro-descendant individuals to embrace and celebrate their authentic beauty. The company promotes the use of healthy products that are beneficial for both consumers and the environment, respecting the natural characteristics of the skin and the unique texture of coily hair.

ABOUT ROCK MY BUSINESS

The Futurpreneur Foundation, in collaboration with the RBC Foundation through RBC Future Launch, is proud to support Rock My Business, a free, virtual, three-part workshop series that helps you develop your idea, get started on your business plan and create a viable cash flow for your business – all while connecting with like-minded entrepreneurs in your community, and across Canada. If you need direction to develop your business idea, have a strong business idea OR recently launched a small business that you'd like to grow, register today for our next series of workshops. Participants who complete at least two of the workshops are eligible to receive one-on-one coaching for free from our Entrepreneurs-in-Residence, helping you strengthen your idea and business plan further.

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 18,700 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.

SOURCE Futurpreneur

MEDIA CONTACTS: Kate Jones, 1Milk2Sugars, on behalf of Futurpreneur, E: [email protected], T: 905-925-3900; Cole Crawford, Stellick Marketing Communications, on behalf of RBC, E: [email protected], T: 416-953-8577