There are four stages to the contest:

Stage 1:  Application Submission
Applications will be accepted until October 31st, 2023, 11:59:59 pm EST. All applicants will be notified whether there are selected as a "finalist" or not, by approximately the end of November.

Stage 2:  Video Day
(Dates to be confirmed). All finalists will attend a video recording session where they will present their business idea in front of a video recording crew. Recordings will be used to create professionally produced videos that will be shown to the judges and later given to the finalists for their own marketing and promotion use.

Stage 3:  Meet the Founders

(Date to be announced). All finalists will meet individually with a group of Parry Sound Area Founders for a presentation, showing the video, followed by a question and answer session an. 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.

Stage 4:  The Awards Night    
Awards Night (TBA– All finalists will be expected to attend the Parry Sound Area Founds Awards Night, targeted for Spring 2024. on TBA. 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.  

The first-place prize winner will receive a cheque for $10,000 and the second-place prize winner will receive a cheque for $5,000.

We are looking for entrepreneurs whose business is at a stage where the prize money will play a significant role in helping the entrepreneur launch or grow the business. Therefore, the money must be spent on the business, to purchase capital equipment or pay for other business-related expenses. During the interviews you will be asked how you intend to use the prize money.

For a list of rules and regulations, click here.

The video and headshots are yours to keep and use however you see fit. We expect you will use it to help promote your business on your website, in presentations, etc. It will be a high quality, professionally produced video and headshot, and is one of the benefits of competing in this competition and being selected as a qualifier.

There is a limit of one (1) entry per person/business per year.

Applicants can reapply.

Although Non-Profits are an important part of all communities, the focus of Founders Circle evaluation criteria is directed at For-Profit businesses.

You can visit our contact page.