YEY Awards 2025
AWARDS NIGHT
413
Nominations
27
Judges
19
Finalists
7
Categories
In 2025, we brought YEY to Winnipeg. We took over the Metropolitan
Entertainment Centre as part of Startup Days, Manitoba's two-day
entrepreneurship festival, and we filled the room with 250+ founders,
investors, and ecosystem leaders from across the country. 413 nominations came in from coast to coast. 27 judges reviewed them. Seven founders had their moment on a national stage.
Keynotes came from Mike Fata, the Manitoba-born founder behind a $419M CPG exit, and Jake Karls, co-founder of Mid-Day Squares and one of Canada's most compelling entrepreneurial voices.
OUR PARTNERS
Every award category is made possible by the sponsors and community
partners who invest in it — bringing resources, networks, and credibility
that turn recognition into real opportunity for founders across Canada.
WINNERS
LAST YEAR'S WINNER
“YEY came at a moment when we were deep in the build, and it felt like the kind of recognition that opens doors, not just celebrates milestones. Through the experience, I saw tangible impact, from media features, meetings with advisors I had only hoped to connect with one day, and even my first paid speaking opportunity. That kind of momentum changes how a young company moves.
Francesca Albo
Puppy Sphere