Start-up Nations event aims to help Indigenous youth become entrepreneurs

A wild-game catering company, adventure trips for French tourists and a community grocery store: these are the kinds of ideas being developed atStart-up Nations.

The event brings together nine teams of First Nations youth from across Quebec.

As they converge at Concordiathis weekend, these young entrepreneursget a chance to workshop ideas, develop and ultimately pitch.

OrganizerKarine Awashishsaid one of the goals of the event is to help participants develop the confidence to realize their projects.

"Together, we are strong. Together we can collaborate and put together our knowledge and experience," she said.

ForConcordia, hosting the event helps the university build relationships withdiverse communities.

The director ofConcordia's community economic development program, Anna Kruzynski, said many Indigenous entrepreneurs like to start withtheir community in mind.

"These youth have identified a need in their community, so their project or their collective enterprise has a social mission," saidKruzynski.

"What it is, is communities taking charge of their economy."

Participant Jordan Jerome told CBC he would love to fix cars for a living and move to his ancestral home of Gesgapegiag on the Gasp Peninsula.

"My business idea is to open up a garage in all the communities, mainly my community ... and then have youth involved," he said.

Jerome sees a lot of potential for his automotive shop, and the positive impact it could have onhis rural Mi'kmaq nation.

"I wanna boost the community's economy, I wanna get involved with the community," said Jerome.

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