Startup Canada and Export Development Canada, which provides Canadian exporters with financing, insurance and bonding services and foreign market expertise, have started a memorial fund in honour of an entrepreneurial advocate.
The Adam Chowaniec Memorial Fund for Global Entrepreneurship, which will advance the prospects of Canada’s globally-oriented, entrepreneur-led companies, was created in honour of Adam Chowaniec. Chowaniec was a former chairman of the board for Startup Canada, as well as a board member for EDC. Chowaniec was known in Canada’s tech community for his involvement in starting, growing, and selling more than a dozen companies. In February 2015, Chowaniec died following a battle with cancer.
“Adam believed that with the right mentorship, network, and team around a technology, Canadian entrepreneurs could compete more aggressively in the global market.”
Applications for the Fund are open to Canadian entrepreneurs, groups and organizations that support export-focused startups and small businesses. The projects will be judged by Chowaniec’s wife Claudia, and high-profile leaders industry leaders including Jason Myers, CEO of Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters, and Terry Matthews, founder of Wesley Clover International. Successful applicants will be granted up to $3,000.
According to EDC and Startup Canada, he was a champion of the grassroots entrepreneurship movement in Canada, and of high-growth export companies. “Adam believed entrepreneurs need to think big and go global,” said Startup Canada CEO Victoria Lennox. “He also believed that with the right mentorship, network, and team around a technology, Canadian entrepreneurs could compete more aggressively in the global market. This Fund directly invests in initiatives that support entrepreneurs in learning about and accessing global opportunities.”
“Adam was a champion of entrepreneurs who made an immense contribution to Canada’s business community,” said Benoit Daignault, president and CEO of EDC. “We’re proud to honour his memory by partnering with Startup Canada to invest in entrepreneur-led initiatives across the country.”
To apply for the fund, check out Startup Canada’s website here.