Leeds Grenville’s Greatest Entrepreneur Competition

Competition for a Chance to Win $10,000 and Accelerate Your Business

Leeds Grenville, ON – Entrepreneurs, visionaries, and business trailblazers—get ready! Leeds Grenville’s Greatest Entrepreneur Competition is now open for applications, offering local businesses the opportunity to showcase their ideas, gain expert coaching, and compete for a generous prize package.

Our community has rallied behind this initiative, contributing generously because they believe in you, the entrepreneur. Thanks to this incredible support, each of the two grand prize winners will receive $10,000 in cash and a $10,000 value of in-kind business services, including media exposure, Chamber of Commerce memberships and marketing support.

Participants will receive:

• Free business coaching from experienced professionals;
• Networking opportunities with key players in the local business ecosystem; and
• A chance to win funding and support to accelerate their business growth.

Applications are open now through October 17, 2025, at 12:00 noon. From the pool of applicants, six finalists will be selected to pitch to a panel of judges at a high-energy gala event scheduled for January 2026, where two grand prize winners will be announced.

Why Compete?

• Expert Coaching – Refine your pitch with guidance from industry leaders.
• Funding & Prizes – Win a share of the prize package to scale your business.
• Visibility & Networking – Connect with business leaders, investors, and media.
• Real Impact – Take your business to the next level with community support.

To learn more and apply, visit: https://www.lggreatestentrepreneur.ca/entrepreneurs

This premier pitch competition is presented by 1000 Islands Community Development Corporation and Community Futures Grenville, two of 36 organizations across southern Ontario delivering the national Community Futures Program. Designed to foster economic development in rural communities, the Community Futures Program is funded by the Government of Canada through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario).

Media Contacts: Trish McNamara, Executive Director 1000 Islands CDC 613.345.6216 x102 trish.mcnamara@ticdc.ca

Katie Nolan, Executive Director Community Futures Grenville 613.925.4275 x1 katie@cfgrenville.ca

About Leeds Grenville’s Greatest Entrepreneur

Leeds Grenville’s Greatest Entrepreneur is an initiative of Community Futures Grenville and 1000 Islands CDC. The competition supports entrepreneurs with expert coaching, public exposure, and access to substantial funding to help accelerate business growth.

About 1000 Islands CDC and Community Futures Grenville

We are part of a national network of 267 organizations delivering the Community Futures Program across Canada. In southern Ontario, this program is funded by FedDev Ontario and supports community economic development and small business growth through advisory services, financing, and local initiatives. Each organization is governed by a volunteer board of directors made up of residents from the community.

About FedDev Ontario

For over 15 years, the Government of Canada, through FedDev Ontario, has worked to advance and diversify the southern Ontario economy through funding opportunities and business services that support innovation, growth and job creation in Canada’s most populous region. The Agency has delivered impressive results, which can be seen in southern Ontario businesses that are creating innovative technologies, improving productivity, growing revenues, creating jobs, and in the economic advancement of communities across the region. Learn more about the impact the Agency is having in southern Ontario by exploring our investment profiles, our Southern Ontario Spotlight, and FedDev Ontario’s X, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn accounts.

Our Mission

Our mission is to provide responsible leadership and support through alliances with our community partners in order to stimulate the development and growth of our local communities. Our mission was created to ensure that the guiding principles of effectiveness, efficiency, leadership and cooperation are maintained at all times while we strive to secure continued sustainable economic development for our region.