Blood Tribe Kainaiwa business based in Lethbridge, Alberta wins $1,000 and advances to the Pow Wow Pitch Grand Finale
On September 13th, Pow Wow Pitch, an Indigenous-led non-profit organization that hosts a Turtle Island wide Indigenous Business Pitch Competition for Indigenous entrepreneurs, presented in partnership with RBC, Shopify and Mastercard Canada, announced Kariza Manychief, the Blood Tribe Kainaiwa Owner of Night Owl Games, a business based in Lethbridge, Alberta as the 2024 Pow Wow Pitch Innovation Semi-Final Winner. Kariza has won $1,000 and is advancing to the Grand Finale for a chance to win $25,000 to grow her business.
More than 300 Indigenous entrepreneurs from across Turtle Island (Canada and the United States) applied to Pow Wow Pitch this year for their chance to win cash prizes and advance to the Pow Wow Pitch Grand Finale. From the 300 applicants, 100 were selected as Semi-Finalists and provided with training and mentorship to prepare for their semi-final pitch to the Judges.
Last Friday, eleven Startup Semi-Finalists had the opportunity to pitch their organizations and community initiatives in one-minute for their chance to win an industry prize and advance as a finalist.
Judges included Chad Garlow, Senior Manager of Indigenous Peoples Development Program at RBC; Johannes Valdes, Senior Social Impact Manager at Shopify; Imtiaz Qureshi, Manager Deal Management at Mastercard Canada; Sara Aghvami, Director of Inclusivity, Diversity, Equity, and Belonging at Best Buy Canada; and Pamela Devonshire, Business Development Manager of ecommerce and Parcels at Canada Post.
“I’m hoping to bring a fun way of learning about Blackfoot culture that helps more people,” shared Kariza Manychief, Owner of Night Owl Games. “I’m excited to showcase my business and advance to the Grand Finale. I wouldn’t have made it without the help of my mentor, Josh Leith, and sister, Carlita Manychief.”
Night Owl Games is a language revitalization initiative to help make learning the Blackfoot language interactive, engaging, and fun. Kariza began developing her own board games when her mother asked her to design a game for her to use in the classroom. Night Owl Games hopes to make learning about the Blackfoot language and culture more accessible to not just children, but all ages. Kariza hopes to eventually be able to replicate her game designs with content from other Indigenous cultures to promote language revitalization across Turtle Island.
Kariza pitched to win funds to begin manufacturing her game design and to collaborate with Indigenous artists on the box design. She also would like to run community game nights to help gain feedback on her game.
“I’ve learned that it’s important to understand your strengths and weaknesses and to know where you need support,” shared Kariza. “Knowing that has helped me to build an amazing community that supports me. My advice is to keep trying, even when things aren’t working, take a breath, regroup, and try again. Don’t underestimate what you bring to the table, our ideas and perspectives as Indigenous entrepreneurs are important.”
The judges congratulate Kariza for her unique idea and innovative approach to language revitalization. The judges also applaud Kariza’s value proposition and clear outline of her community impact and presentation.
“Congratulations Kariza on your Semi-Final win and for advancing to the 2024 Pow Wow Pitch Grand Finale,” said Naomi Sarazin, Executive Director of Pow Wow Pitch. “Kariza’s dedication to revitalizing the Blackfoot language through interactive games makes learning fun. The preservation of Indigenous languages is crucial because our languages are the foundation to our identity, carrying the knowledge, traditions, culture, and values that define our peoples and communities. We look forward to spotlighting Kariza and sharing more about Night Owl Games with the Pow Wow Pitch community and growing our impact together.”
Alongside selecting a winner, the judges also acknowledge the Runner Up for the Startup industry category. Annie Caron, Founder of Artemis In Shape, was recognized for her excellent pitch presentation, enthusiasm to teach others, and a clear projection of how she would use any funds to excel her business.
“Pow Wow Pitch is an incredible showcase of Indigenous trailblazers who are making a transformative impact on our communities with their resilience, ingenuity and unwavering commitment to success.” said Tracy Antoine, Senior Director of Indigenous Programs and Policies at RBC. “We’re so proud of all our participants and semi-finalists – their courage to participate leads to life achievements and their shared stories are truly inspirational. We are committed to supporting their growth and success in the future.”
“Being involved in Pow Wow Pitch is not just an honour, it’s a privilege to witness the creativity and innovation of Indigenous entrepreneurs,” said Kyle Brennan Shàwinipinesì, Senior Lead for Indigenous Entrepreneurship at Shopify. “It’s a reminder of the resilience and strength of our communities and the power of entrepreneurship to create positive change. Shopify has played a proud role in supporting Pow Wow Pitch, so it is exciting to see how things have grown over the years. What an incredible opportunity for Indigenous entrepreneurs!”
“The innovative thinking and solutions brought forward by all the Indigenous entrepreneurs involved in this year’s Pow Wow Pitch have been truly inspiring,” said Sasha Krstic, President of Mastercard Canada. “At Mastercard, we’re committed to working with partners like Pow Wow Pitch to unlock access to resources and opportunities for entrepreneurs across the diverse communities we serve to power economies and empower people. Congratulations to all the pitchers and congratulations to Kariza on advancing to the next round.”
To watch Kariza’s winning pitch, click here. To watch the Startup Semi-Final episode, click here.
Kariza will now advance to the Pow Wow Pitch Grand Finale to pitch for the Grand Prize of $25,000, which broadcasts online on October 23rd. Register to watch the 2024 Grand Finale at powwowpitch.org/register.