The Indigenous Entrepreneur Startup Program is one of several startup programs offered by Futurpreneur. It was established to provide tailored support and programming for Indigenous entrepreneurs across Canada. Through the IESP, young entrepreneurs can receive up to CAD $60,0000 in capital financing, are matched with an expert mentor for up to two years and gain access to an array of resources and workshops designed to help them set up their businesses for success. Since the program’s launch in 2019, more than 100 young Indigenous entrepreneurs have received financing from Futurpreneur programming to launch various businesses nationwide.
We recently had the chance to chat with Holly Atjecoutay, Director of the Indigenous
Entrepreneur Startup Program (IESP) at Futurpreneur. In her new role, Atjecoutay will oversee the development of a comprehensive program dedicated to empowering and supporting Indigenous youth as they embark on the journey of entrepreneurship.
In this podcast, Holly discussed the inspiration behind the program and how did she become involved in it, and the impact the program will have on Indigenous entrepreneurship in Canada. She also shared her thoughts on how indigenous peoples can increase their ability to access funds for investment purposes.