There’s a moment before every pitch where the room goes quiet, and at the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada on April 21, that silence carried a little more weight. Founders stood just steps away from an opportunity that could take their companies far beyond Manitoba, all the way to Washington, D.C.
For the first time, North Forge™️ partnered with the United States Consulate to host the Gateway to SelectUSA Pitch Competition, bringing together some of the province’s most promising startups and placing them in front of a global opportunity. The event marked a new level of access for local founders, connecting Manitoba innovation directly to the SelectUSA Investment Summit, one of the largest investment conferences in the world.
Setting the stage for the afternoon was emcee Grace Gyolai, Senior Program Manager at North Forge, who grounded the opportunity in a broader context. She noted that SelectUSA is the U.S. government’s program designed to attract and support international business investment, connecting high-potential companies with the networks and resources needed to scale. For many North Forge startups looking beyond Canada, she emphasized that collaborations like this help founders build the relationships required to grow and succeed in new markets.
Six high-potential companies, UPro Soccer, CX Track, PregEase, Campaign Compass, QDoc, CPPA Binder, and Taumedis Ltd., took the stage to compete for a coveted spot at the Summit. The prize included a trip to Washington supported by Air Canada, and the opportunity to present in front of international investors and decision-makers.
Before the first pitch began, the tone of the room shifted as former NASA rocket scientist, Aisha Bowe took the stage. Aisha is an entrepreneur who has founded two companies, STEMBoard, which provides advisory services to organizations within the U.S. government, and LINGO, an education technology company focused on STEM learning kits and curriculum. She is also a citizen astronaut who participated in an all-women, 10-minute spaceflight aboard New Shepard, operated by Blue Origin, in April of last year.
Speaking directly to the founders in the room, she challenged them to rethink their limits, saying, “Clarity is realizing which rules built you and which rules now limit you. Courage is deciding to take action on that recognition.” It was a message that resonated as entrepreneurs prepared to step forward and pitch not just their ideas, but their readiness to scale.
The judging panel reflected a strong cross-section of expertise across innovation, entrepreneurship, and operations. Judges included Aisha Bowe; Debra Jonasson-Young, Executive Director of the Stu Clark Centre for Entrepreneurship at the Asper School of Business at the University of Manitoba; and Whitney Morgan, Director of Operations at North Forge.
As Morgan noted, “Creating direct pathways to international opportunities is critical for our founders. Partnerships like this give them more than exposure, they give them access to the networks and markets needed to truly scale.”
The companies on stage reflected the depth and progression of North Forge’s Founders Program. QDoc is currently in the fourth and final stage of the program, known as North Star, indicating a proven customer base, established revenue, and strong momentum with a validated, market-ready solution. UPro Soccer, PregEase, CX Track, and Campaign Compass are in the Ascent stage, where ventures focus on gaining traction and preparing for expansion into larger markets. CPPA Binder has also developed through the program, completing both the Pathfinder and Basecamp stages as it built its foundation.
As the afternoon unfolded, each pitch highlighted a different angle of innovation, from emerging technologies to scalable solutions designed for real-world impact, all tied together by a shared ambition to move beyond the local market and into a broader, more competitive landscape.
By the end of the competition, Nancy Cooke, CEO of Campaign Compass was named the winner, securing the opportunity to represent Manitoba at the SelectUSA Investment Summit in Washington, D.C. Reflecting on the journey, she encouraged other entrepreneurs to take the leap, noting that if you believe your idea solves a real problem and can make a difference, it is worth pursuing, because while the work is demanding, bringing something new into the world is what makes it exciting.
While one company took the top prize, the event itself underscored something larger. Manitoba’s startup ecosystem is not only growing, it is increasingly positioned to compete on an international stage. The collaboration between North Forge and the United States Consulate signals a growing bridge between local innovation and global opportunity, giving founders a clearer path to scale beyond borders.
For those in the room, it was a tangible reminder that world-class ideas are being built here, and that with the right support and access, they are ready to go much further.
- Kristine Derksen is the Director of Marketing and Communications for North Forge
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