Thirty Young Canadian Entrepreneurs Selected to Join Team Canada at the G20 Young Entrepreneur Summit in Nice, France

August 30, 2011 – Toronto, ON – Following a five-week-long call for applications, The Canadian Youth Business Foundation announced today the names of the 30 young entrepreneurs who will form the official Canadian delegation at the G20 Young Entrepreneur Summit (G20 YES) in Nice, France, this fall.

Thirty dynamic young Canadian entrepreneurs have been selected to participate in the G20 YES, an annual international summit that brings together dedicated and influential entrepreneurs of the G20 countries, between October 31 and November 2, 2011. At the summit, delegates will be working together to identify the ways that governments and business communities can best harness the potential of young entrepreneurs, while also driving public policy, raising awareness and providing a voice for young entrepreneurs around the globe. The resulting recommendations will then be officially handed to the G20 leaders on November 3rd in Cannes.

Representing Canada will be:

  • Arjun Kumar: CEO of Kela Medical Inc. in Whitby, Ontario
  • Armen Bakirtzian: CEO of Avenir Medical Inc. in Toronto, Ontario and CYBF Entrepreneur
  • April Glavine: CEO of Lean Machine Healthy Vending Service Inc. in Moncton, New Brunswick and CYBF Entrepreneur
  • Barbara Mclean-Stollery: President of Executive Airways Grooming Services in Calgary, Alberta, CYBF Entrepreneur and G20 YES 2010 participant
  • Devon Brooks: Co-Founder of Blo Blow Dry Bar in Vancouver, British Columbia and CYBF Mentor
  • François Baron: President of 3Dvisionic in Montréal, Québec and CYBF Entrepreneur
  • Harry Chemko: Co-Founder and CEO of Elastic Path Software Inc. in Vancouver, British Columbia, G20 YES 2010 delegate and CYBF Board Member
  • Jackie Cook: Chief Production Officer of Thread Media in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
  • Jean-René Lemire: Theobroma Chocolat, G20 YES 2010 participant
  • Kassandra Linklater : Co-founder and Director of D.L. Strategic Online Media Corporation in Surrey, British Columbia
  • Ken Leblanc: CEO of PropertyGuys.com Inc. in Moncton, New Brunswick, G20 YES 2010 participant, CYBF Entrepreneur and CYBF Board Member
  • Kendal Netmaker: Founder and CEO of Neechie Gear in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
  • Kévin Paquet: President of AL-Peintre Inc. in St-Gédéon-De-Beauce, Québec and CYBF Entrepreneur
  • Lesley Steele: President of Eastern Passage Village Veterinary Hospital in Eastern Passage, Nova Scotia and CYBF Entrepreneur
  • Lisa von Sturmer: Founder and CEO of Growing City in Vancouver, British Columbia and CYBF Entrepreneur
  • Martin Thibault: President of Absolunet in Boisbriand, Québec
  • Marty Park: President and CEO of Evolve Business Group in Calgary, Alberta and CYBF Mentor
  • Matthew Hudson: Founder and CEO of Invenia Technical Computing in Winnipeg, Manitoba and CYBF National Best Business Award winner
  • Meghan Athavale: President of PO-MO Inc. in Winnipeg, Manitoba and CYBF Entrepreneur
  • Mike Wahl: Co-Owner of Definitions Wellness Safety Services in St. Johns, Newfoundland
  • Milun Tesovic: Co-Founder and CTO of MetroLeap Media Inc. in Burnaby, British Columbia and G20 YES 2010 participant
  • Monica Mei Chiu: CEO of WhatImWear.in, Owner of Aime Luxury and Founder of M Project in Toronto, Ontario and CYBF Entrepreneur
  • Mylène Chaumont: President of Sentinelle Santé in Gatineau, Québec and CYBF Entrepreneur
  • Olivier Letard: Chairman of PCO Innovation in Montréal, Québec
  • Roxanne Tétreault: Artistic Director of Esprits Libres Communications in Granby, Québec and CYBF Entrepreneur
  • Stéphane Elie: President of Symbiose Communication in Longueuil, Québec and CYBF Entrepreneur
  • Toby Reid: President and CEO at Solegear Bioplastics Inc. in Vancouver, British Columbia and CYBF Entrepreneur
  • Tod Caton: President of Backside Tours in Edmonton, Alberta
  • Wael Badawy: President and CEO of IntelliView Technologies Inc. in Calgary, Alberta and CYBF Mentor
  • Valérie Bellavance: Senior Director, Quebec of Canadian Youth Business Foundation in Montréal, Québec

“The Canadian Youth Business Foundation is proud to have some of Canada’s most driven, resourceful and influential young entrepreneurs participate in the G20 Young Entrepreneur Summit,” explains Vivian Prokop, chief executive officer of the Canadian Youth Business Foundation and founding chair of the G20 Young Entrepreneurs’ Alliance. “These dynamic young delegates have been selected for their role as Canada’s job creators and innovators. Hailing from the four corners of our country and focused in diverse sectors of our economy, they have an impressive depth of experience and insight to offer to the G20 leaders and their fellow entrepreneurs. In November, these 30 young entrepreneurs will come home with strengthened knowledge, a credible platform and the voice to become a leader who drives change to the culture of entrepreneurship in Canada.”

CYBF hosted the inaugural G20 YES in Toronto in June 2010, inviting 200 young entrepreneurs and the organizations that represent them from the G20 countries to participate in the development of a communiqué delivered to the G20 leaders. The Summit also resulted in the creation of the G20 Young Entrepreneurs’ Alliance, an international network of like-minded organizations supporting youth entrepreneurship.

Canadian Youth Business Foundation – Canada’s Entrepreneur Gateway

The Canadian Youth Business Foundation (CYBF) is the ‘go to’ place for youth entrepreneurship. As a national charity, we are dedicated to growing Canada’s economy one young entrepreneur at a time. We look at character not collateral, when providing youth, age 18-34, with pre-launch coaching, business resources, start-up financing and mentoring. We help them launch and sustain a successful entrepreneurial business. www.cybf.ca.

CYBF Media Contact:
Rachel Azagury
Senior Manager, Marketing and Communications
E-mail: razagury@cybf.ca
Phone: 416-408-2923 x2111
Cell: 647-834-2923