Entrepreneurial spotlight finds IndigiHub

The list of accolades keeps getting longer for the Winnipeg-based founder of IndigiHub, an online resource for Indigenous entrepreneurs.

In February, Zachary Flett was named one of three finalists for the Indigenous Innovation Award at North Forge’s inaugural DARE Innovation Awards. In May, he received the Community Impact Award at the Manitoba Tech Awards.

Earlier this month, Flett was selected as one of five finalists in the Indigenous division at the Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards, a national competition that saw more than 650 people nominated across 10 categories.

The recognition feels good, Flett said, but at the same time, he wants to keep the focus off himself and on his product.

“What matters is people seeing IndigiHub,” the 26-year-old said. “I started it as a passion project and now it’s turned into something that is growing more than I ever could have imagined.”

Flett launched IndigiHub on Aug. 1, 2025. The platform connects Indigenous entrepreneurs to funding and mentorship opportunities. Users can filter their search by province or territory, what stage their business is in and what type of funding they’re after to get the most relevant results.

The website also offers a variety of free tools, such as an invoice generator, for entrepreneurs who are just getting their business started.

Flett was inspired to start IndigiHub while working for Teqare, a company that provides technology training, education and support. He recalls visiting Indigenous communities where young people told him they had business ideas but didn’t know where to start.

Flett often suggested they visit the government of Canada’s website to search for available funding.

“For myself included, when I was looking for funding, oftentimes I found it was really hard to navigate the website,” he said. “So I just started working on the tool that I wish I had.”

In fewer than 13 months, IndigiHub’s list of funding opportunities has grown to more than 135 from 30. Meanwhile, the amount of resources the platform offers has more than quadrupled.

The website receives 6,500 monthly visitors from people across Canada, Flett said. Sponsorships from a number of organizations, including Teqare, Manitoba Innovates and Futurpreneur, keep IndigiHub free for users.

The platform has been a boon for Tiran Smallboy-Zorthian, who runs a clean energy consultancy called Oskimahkahn in West-Central Alberta. He discovered it a few months after launching his business in June 2025.

As a result of opportunities he’s found on IndigiHub, Smallboy-Zorthian is applying for funding from the Alberta Indigenous Investment Corp.

“This is the perfect website for entrepreneurs,” he said. “It’s been really helping me with access to capital for projects and I’ve also referred a bunch of my friends to it.”

Indigenous entrepreneurs contribute approximately $48.9 billion to the Canadian economy, according to a 2024 report from the National Indigenous Economic Board.

IndigiHub has arrived at a time when Indigenous entrepreneurship in Canada is on the rise, said Noah Wilson, senior business development manager for Indigenous programs at Futurpreneur.

In the national organization’s most recent reporting period, Manitoba alone generated 335 inquiries from aspiring Indigenous entrepreneurs at various stages of their journey, with most in the ideation or business planning phases, Wilson said.

“Although these inquiries do not always translate directly into business launches within the reporting year, they are a strong indicator of the growing interest in Indigenous entrepreneurship and the increasing number of individuals exploring business ownership as a pathway to economic development and self-determination,” he said.

IndigiHub is an important resource, Wilson added, noting Flett’s work has moved beyond the web to organizing Neechie Nights, a community event for Indigenous entrepreneurs in Winnipeg that takes place every few months.

Moving forward, Flett said IndigiHub will continue to evolve based on the needs of its users.

“I want to continue to help Indigenous business owners and entrepreneurs chase their dreams.”

aaron.epp@freepress.mb.ca