Calling all Entrepreneurs: Rideau Hall Foundation brings The Duke of York’s Pitch@Palace program to Canada
January 17, 2019 – OTTAWA, ON – The Rideau Hall Foundation, a leader in promoting a culture of innovation in Canada, is officially launching Pitch@Palace Canada, a prestigious global platform to accelerate and amplify the work of entrepreneurs. Founded by HRH The Duke of York, KG in 2014, Pitch@Palace guides, helps and connects entrepreneurs and early-stage businesses with potential supporters, including CEOs, influencers, mentors and business partners who can help make their business dreams a reality.
The Duke of York established Pitch@Palace to create the right environment for serendipitous connections that can help catapult entrepreneurs. HRH said: “I could not be more pleased to bring Pitch@Palace to Canada in 2019. I look forward to supporting Entrepreneurs in Canada with connecting them to make introductions to Mentors and Advisors, providing access to Distributions Systems and Supply Chains, catalysing serendipitous Connections and lasting Investment. I know that the Pitch@Palace platform and network will warmly welcome our Canadian Entrepreneurs into the “Global Clan”.”
Applications are now open to all Canadian entrepreneurs at www.pitchatpalacecanada.ca. Applications close four weeks prior to each regional event.
The inaugural program will consist of Pitch@Palace Canada ‘On Tour’ events in six Canadian cities from March to May.
On Tour events provide entrepreneurs from across the country with the opportunity to learn about the Pitch@Palace program, connect with local stakeholders and receive mentoring to develop their business. At the On Tour events entrepreneurs will also be asked to pitch their business for three minutes to an influential audience and panel of judges. 24 winners from across the On Tour events will be invited to attend Pitch@Palace Canada Boot Camp and Pitch@Palace Canada 1.0 on May 27th and 28th in Toronto, ON during Canadian Innovation Week.
The Canadian winner will travel to London, UK for the Pitch@Palace Global 4.0 competition at St. James’s Palace in December 2019.
“The Rideau Hall Foundation is very pleased to lead Pitch@Palace Canada and I am looking forward to an extraordinary program that showcases the superb innovators we have in Canada and connects them to a global network,” said the Right Honourable David Johnston, 28th Governor General of Canada and Chair of the Rideau Hall Foundation.
Pitch@Palace differs from other programs to support entrepreneurs in its international scale and level of support. Entrepreneurs get the chance to tap into a powerful network of potential advisers, mentors, partners and investors, at home and abroad. When Pitch@Palace Canada 1.0 is over, the entrepreneurs become part of the Pitch@Palace Alumni Network and benefit from continued engagement and assistance, from advice on navigating supply chains to introductions to new markets.
Calgary’s Dr. Breanne Everett, Co-Founder and CEO of Orpyx Medical Technologies Inc., knows first-hand what Pitch@Palace can do for start-up and scale-up companies. She represented Canada at Pitch@Palace Commonwealth in April 2018, where she placed second overall and was invited to take part in Pitch@Palace Global in December 2018.
“I’m really excited about Pitch@Palace coming to Canada because there are so many amazing entrepreneurs and companies in Canada that sometimes don’t reach the global stage they deserve. Pitch@Palace offers a platform to get there,” said Dr. Everett. “It put us on the map, validated the work we’re doing, and helped us forge introductions to key people who are truly invested in our success. The degree of support we received – and continue to receive – is unlike any pitch competition I’ve seen.”
To learn more and apply, please visit: www.pitchatpalacecanada.com.
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For more information on Pitch@Palace Canada:
Brooke Anderson
613-266-2605
Jill Clark, Rideau Hall Foundation
613-809-1480
About the Rideau Hall Foundation
The Rideau Hall Foundation is a registered national charity that brings together ideas, people and resources to enhance the impact of the Office of Governor General as a central institution of Canadian democracy. Working towards a better Canada, the RHF celebrates what is best about Canada while working with partners to meaningfully improve lives and foster the conditions for more Canadians to succeed and thrive. The RHF’s work spans four key programmatic areas and challenges for Canada, including: (1) learning initiatives that strive for excellence and promote equality of opportunity; (2) strengthening Canada’s culture of innovation, (3) widening the circle of giving and volunteering; and (4) investing in Canadian leaders with transformative potential.
About Pitch@Palace
Pitch@Palace gives entrepreneurs the chance to get their innovative business ideas in front of an audience of prestigious influencers who have the ability to catapult them to the next level, including CEOs, business angels, investors, venture capitalists, mentors and potential business partners.
Pitch@Palace was launched in 2014 and has held events in, or worked with entrepreneurs from 59 countries. It has helped 785 entrepreneurs in its alumni network to create 3,669 new jobs and generate over £885 million of new economic activity. Pitch@Palace Global aims to help entrepreneurs from a range of overseas markets build access and connectivity around the world. It creates a global platform for entrepreneurs to access mentors and advisers, distribution systems and supply chains, connections and investment.
