1. Agreement to be legally bound by rules:

When you submit a one-page proposal you are acknowledging that you and any organization you nominate agrees to be bound by the Contest Rules as provided on this website.

2. Eligibility:
In order to qualify for consideration for the $10,000 (1st place) and $5,000 (2nd place) Parry Sound Area Founders Choice Award, you will need to make sure your one-page proposal:

• Is an idea for a start-up business or is a start-up business expanding*;
• Has the potential to be profitable;
• Is from a resident of the District of Parry Sound, or from the Wasauksing or Shawanaga First Nation communities, who has reached the age of 18;
• Will benefit Parry Sound area; and stay local;
• Requires early stage funds (usually referred to as family and friends’ money)

*Please note the term "start-up business" is used to describe an organization that is designed to grow very quickly.

3. Entry Limit:

There is a limit of one (1) Entry (proposal) per person/ start-up business

4. Verification:

All applicants and entries are subject to verification at any time and for any reason by the PARRY SOUND AREA FOUNDERS CIRCLE. Failure to provide verification to the complete satisfaction of PARRY SOUND AREA FOUNDERS CIRCLE within the timeline specified by PARRY SOUND AREA FOUNDERS CIRCLE may result in disqualification in the sole and absolute discretion of PARRY SOUND AREA FOUNDERS CIRCLE

5. Contest Timeline:
The following dates and locations are provisional and subject to change:

• Application submission – October 31st. 11:59:59 PM EST
• Short-listed finalists will be notified approximately at the end of November.
• Video Day – TBA
• Professional Headshots - TBA
• Meet The Founders: Questions & Answers session – TBA
• Awards Dinner: targeted for Spring 2024

6. Contest Process:

Applicants, APPLY HERE

Finalists will be notified of their selection at the end of November.

Selected Finalists will attend a video recording session where they will present their business
idea in front of a video recording crew.

Meet the Parry Sound Area Founders (TBA) – Finalists will meet individually with a group of Parry Sound Area Founders for a presentation, video showing, and question and answer session. The objective of the session is for the finalists to make an impression on the Founders by articulating their business idea and plan succinctly and answering questions. The Founders will test the finalists’ knowledge, conviction and ability to execute.

Parry Sound Area Founders Awards Dinner - All finalists will be expected to attend the Parry Sound Area Founders Awards Dinner, targeted for Spring 2024.

Each finalist will receive two free tickets to attend the event.

Finalists will be recognized for their achievements, and vignettes of the video presentations will be shown. At the end of the evening, the first and second Parry Sound Area Founders Choice prize winners will be announced.  

7.1 General Rules:
By participating in this contest, each entrant and winner agrees to: (a) be bound by these Contest Rules and the decisions of PARRY SOUND AREA FOUNDERS CIRCLE; (b) agrees to submit only non-confidential information as the PARRY SOUND AREA FOUNDERS CIRCLE cannot guarantee confidentiality (Therefore, if this is of concern, please wait until your invention is protected by a patent, trademark or other means before entering the contest) and; (c) release and hold harmless PARRY SOUND AREA FOUNDERS CIRCLE, and its Board of Directors, officers, employees and agents from and against any and all liabilities, losses, claims, demands, costs and expenses (including lawyer’s fees and litigation expenses on a solicitor and own client basis) whatsoever to which any of them may become subject arising from any actions or omissions by the entrant.

7.2. The Parry Sound Area Founders Circle Selection Committee shall consider the one- page submission describing your idea / start-up business on condition that:

• All diagrams submitted for this contest become the property of the PARRY SOUND AREA FOUNDERS CIRCLE, whether selected as a winning entry or not. The PARRY SOUND AREA FOUNDERS CIRCLE will not return such material, or any portion thereof received from you as part of your application;
• PARRY SOUND AREA FOUNDERS CIRCLE may disclose your name, the name of your organization the nature of your idea / start-up business and other related materials as the PARRY SOUND AREA FOUNDERS CIRCLE (together with sponsors and other organizers of the IMPACT Awards) considers appropriate. The materials may include photos, award videos and additional information deemed appropriate (e.g. for press releases, advertisements, website).
• PARRY SOUND AREA FOUNDERS CIRCLE reserves the right to cancel, terminate, or suspend this contest, at its discretion, at any time without prior notice.

7.3. All contest entries obtained through unauthorized sources or which are incomplete or in any way not in compliance with these Contest Rules are automatically void as are entries if the materials in the entry:

• Contain any third-party trade-marks, name or logos without the consent of the respective owners;
• Include any nudity, lewd or obscene behaviour; or
• Infringe the intellectual property or privacy of a third party

7.4. PARRY SOUND AREA FOUNDERS CIRCLE is not responsible for lost or late entries.

7.5. PARRY SOUND AREA FOUNDERS CIRCLE is not responsible for any miscommunications, failed communications systems, software malfunctions, or for any human errors in connection with this contest.

7.6. The prizes must be accepted as awarded. No substitutions of the prizes are permitted except by PARRY SOUND AREA FOUNDERS CIRCLE at its sole discretion. PARRY SOUND AREA FOUNDERS CIRCLE reserves the right to substitute any of the prizes with other prizes of equal or greater value if any prize cannot be awarded as described for any reason. Prizes are non-transferable.

7.7. You warrant that the disclosure of material submitted with, or in support of, your idea or your start-up business does not breach the terms of any contract of employment or any other contract, and that you are entitled to make use of the material.

7.8. Questions about the collection of this information may be directed to psareafounders@gmail.com