A Landmark Year for Canadian Innovation
Thank you for supporting the inaugural Startup Canada Equal Slice Program! In our first year, we witnessed an overwhelming wave of entrepreneurial talent as over 500 passionate entrepreneurs from 150+ cities across Canada submitted applications representing nearly every industry imaginable. From coast to coast to coast, Canadian innovators stepped forward to share their vision for a better tomorrow. With over 56% female founders, 18% immigrant entrepreneurs and 62% Black and other racialized entrepreneurs, the inaugural program highlighted the diversity and strength of Canada’s entrepreneurial community.
Meet the Winners
$100,000 in Funding, Infinite Potential
Selecting our top 10 finalists was an incredibly challenging task; a testament to the exceptional calibre of talent, determination, and creativity driving Canada's startup ecosystem. This program reinforced what we've always known: Canada's aspiring entrepreneurs have the passion, perseverance, and pioneering spirit to thrive in today's competitive global economy.
While ten winners took home funding, every finalist who participated in the Startup Canada Equal Slice Program demonstrated exceptional promise and dedication. The journey to becoming a successful entrepreneur is rarely linear, and we're incredibly proud of each founder who shared their story, refined their pitch, and put themselves out there. We hope you follow the continued success of every participant in the months and years ahead. Each founder represents the innovative spirit that makes Canada's startup ecosystem so dynamic and resilient.
Toronto Winners
In-Person Pop-Up Pitch Competition
We brought the energy of entrepreneurship to life with an electrifying in-person Pop-Up Pitch Competition at the Google headquarters in Toronto, where some of Canada's most promising founders took the stage. After compelling presentations and rigorous evaluation, we selected FIVE exceptional winners, each receiving $10,000 in funding to accelerate their growth and bring their innovative solutions to market.
Toronto Winner
DOUBL
Online shopping has a fundamental flaw: sizing is a guessing game. DOUBL decided to fix this by connecting shoppers to their virtual body double; they've created a solution that benefits everyone. Consumers find clothes that actually fit, brands dramatically reduce returns and waste, and the entire system moves closer to being truly inclusive.
What's inspiring about DOUBL? They recognized that a problem most people had accepted as inevitable, "that's just how online shopping is," was actually solvable. They're building toward a future where sizing creates confidence instead of frustration, and where sustainability isn't just a buzzword but a natural outcome of getting things right the first time.
Toronto Winner
elerGreen
What if pollution could become a resource instead of a problem? That's the question driving elerGreen.
Using renewable electricity, they're transforming CO2, mining tailings, and petrochemicals (materials typically considered waste) into valuable, usable products. Their continuous electrowinning process not only reduces environmental harm; it creates an entirely new model for resource recovery.
elerGreen represents the kind of thinking that shifts industries: they looked at what everyone else discards and saw untapped potential. It's a reminder that the most impactful innovations often come from reframing the problem itself.
Toronto Winner
Rude Mama Hot Sauce
Rude Mama brings Vietnamese flavours to Canadian tables with a bold twist. Founded in Toronto, this award-winning brand crafts small-batch hot sauces using Ontario-grown ingredients, proving that local and authentic can go hand-in-hand.
What sets Rude Mama apart? A commitment to doing things differently, clean-label recipes, 100% vegan, and plastic-free packaging that doesn't compromise on flavour or cultural integrity. With an unapologetically bold personality to match their heat level, Rude Mama is redefining what hot sauce can be.
Toronto Winner
Canadian Handywoman
What started as a repair service became a movement. Canadian Handywoman discovered that women didn't just want things fixed—they wanted to know how to fix them themselves. Today, this award-winning business is closing the confidence gap in home repair through hands-on learning. Their signature "Teach & Go" sessions provide one-on-one skill-building right in clients' homes, while "DIY Like A Girl" workshops create supportive spaces where women gain practical skills and the confidence to tackle projects independently.
Canadian Handywoman isn't just teaching people to use tools; they're empowering women to feel capable and confident in their own spaces.
Toronto Winner
My Dorm Store
Move-in day is universally stressful, but it doesn't have to be. My Dorm Store saw an opportunity to reimagine the entire experience.
By delivering everything students need for residence life directly to their dorm rooms before they arrive, they've created a solution that works for everyone involved. Students settle in faster, parents skip the logistical nightmare, and residence staff avoid move-in day bottlenecks.
What makes this business inspiring? They identified a pain point that seemed like "just part of the process" and proved it could be solved. Sometimes the best opportunities are hiding in plain sight, in the moments everyone accepts as unavoidably difficult.
Connecting Entrepreneurs Coast to Coast
Virtual Pitch Competition
Innovation knows no boundaries. Our virtual Pitch Competition opened doors for entrepreneurs across Canada, ensuring that geographic location would never stand between a great idea and the resources to launch it. From this nationwide competition, we selected another FIVE outstanding winners, each also receiving $10,000 to fuel their entrepreneurial journey.
Virtual Winner
Take Care Together
Take Care helps individuals prepare their wishes, documents, and important information so families are supported during health crises or end-of-life moments. With a foundation in clinical expertise and research-based guidance, the platform makes planning clearer and more compassionate.
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Virtual Winner
Roncy Packs
What started as a grandmother sewing a fanny pack from leftover scraps has grown into a sustainable brand that upcycles donated leather and textile offcuts. With more than 6,000 handcrafted fanny packs made, they continue to champion small-scale production, craftsmanship and waste reduction.
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Virtual Winner
Whipdd
A fresh take on a classic staple is reshaping how home cooks think about butter, using high-quality Canadian dairy and locally sourced ingredients to create flavourful, all-natural blends. These clean-label butters are now available in 200+ retailers across the country, offering an easy way to elevate everyday meals.
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Virtual Winner
Yekola
A shortage of digital learning tools for African languages inspired a platform committed to preserving and teaching them. Yekola uses technology and community-based learning to make African and Indigenous languages more accessible to learners, educators, and institutions. Rooted in the idea that language carries culture, the platform helps protect identity and connection across generations and borders.
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Virtual Winner
7 Summits Snacks
Functional chocolate bars fuel active and adventurous lives with ethically sourced ingredients and Canadian-made production. 7 Summits Snacks combines superfoods and real chocolate to deliver energy, taste, and satisfaction. Sold in 200+ retailers across Canada, the brand is now preparing for a U.S. launch while continuing to grow sustainably.
Learn more“At Pizza Hut Canada, we believe in creating an equal slice for everyone. Investing in small businesses is fundamental to building stronger communities, and the Equal Slice Program reflects our commitment to empowering Canadian entrepreneurs with the tools, resources, and support they need to bring their ideas to life,” explains Hannah White, Head of People at Pizza Hut Canada. “By removing barriers and opening pathways to success, we’re not only supporting individual businesses we’re helping build a more inclusive and dynamic entrepreneurial ecosystem across Canada.”
Powered by Pizza Hut Canada
This transformative program, boasting $100,000 in total funding in 2025, was made possible through the generous partnership with Pizza Hut Canada. Their commitment to supporting Canadian entrepreneurs and fostering innovation in communities across the country helped turn dreams into reality for these ten remarkable founders.
Looking Ahead: Year Two and Beyond
This is just year one of our three-year partnership with Pizza Hut Canada. Through the Equal Slice Program, we're committed to distributing $300,000 in total funding to Canadian entrepreneurs over three years, alongside providing valuable educational resources and business coaching. Together, we're not just opening doors, we're removing barriers and creating pathways for early-stage entrepreneurs across the country.
Ready to be part of the next chapter? Stay connected for updates on Year Two applications and join Canada's most supportive entrepreneurial community.