Women of Influence (WOI) is proud to announce the finalists for the 2026 RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards, now in its 34th year. The awards are widely regarded as one of the country’s most distinguished recognitions of entrepreneurial excellence.
This year’s cohort includes 21 finalists across seven award categories. They were chosen from a wide ranging pool of nominees that reflects the breadth and diversity of Canada’s business landscape. Five additional entrepreneurs will receive the Ones to Watch Award, which shines a light on standout founders in the early stages of their ventures.
In keeping with this year’s theme of Limitless, these entrepreneurs embody the boundless potential to drive innovation, strengthen communities, challenge convention and respond to new opportunities. These outstanding leaders are helping shape the future of business in Canada.
“This year’s finalists reflect how entrepreneurship in Canada is evolving,” says Linda Kuga Pikulin, President of Women of Influence. “These women are building high-growth businesses, reshaping industries, and creating meaningful impact in entirely new ways. Their success is redefining what entrepreneurial leadership can look like — and setting a powerful example for the next generation of women who will follow.”
2026 RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards Finalists
The RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards recognize women business owners and nonprofit leaders throughout Canada, focusing on those who make impressive and substantial contributions to the local, national or global economy. These awards spotlight exceptional businesswomen from three major regions: East, Central and West. Here is the list of finalists for this year:
Micro-Business Award
West: Lyndsay Seafoot, Curbridge Group
Central: Nardine Samuel, Cove Neurosciences Inc.
East: Cinthia Marques, Made With Love by Cinthia
Start-Up Award
West: Paige Sandher, CouchHaus
Central: Kejia Wu, Kinghome Canada
Central: Rotem Stark, Stark Wellness Clinic
RBC Momentum Award
West: Linell Grudnitzki, GC Group of Companies
West: Monika Chhabra Gupta, MCG Career College & CGA Medical Imaging
East: Anie Rouleau, The Unscented Company – Baleco
Social Change Award: Regional Impact
West: Michelle Hordal, Alberta AdaptAbilities Association
Central: Fiona Coughlin, Habitat for Humanity Windsor-Essex
East: Chloe Deraiche, Le Sentier – Maison de transition inc.
Social Change Award: National Impact
West: Alexandra Addison, TRACE International Inc.
Central: Lucrezia Spagnolo, Vesta Social Innovation Technologies
East: Tiffany Callender, Federation of African Canadian Economics (FACE)
Innovation Award
West: Dion Kelly, Possibility Neurotechnologies
West: Karen Danudjala, Blume
Central: Stephanie Gee, Gee Beauty
Excellence Award
West: Melanie Antoine, A.P.E. Maintenance Ltd
Central: Yajun Jiang, Sheen Legend Packaging Corp.
East: Lesley Steele, Steele Veterinary Group
Ones to Watch
Beth Wanner, Mother Cover
Becky Quach, Cherrypick
Gharsa Amin, Kavodax
Melissa Pulvermacher, DAME Beverages ltd.
Melanie Hval, Compass Rose Care
The winners from the above list will be announced and celebrated at the 34th Annual RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards Gala, on Friday November 13th, 2026 at the Ritz-Carlton, Toronto, ON. This inspiring red-carpet event will bring together nominees, executives, dignitaries and notable industry guests as they connect with business and nonprofit leaders from across the country.
“At RBC, we see firsthand that when women entrepreneurs succeed, our economy and our communities grow stronger – it’s measurable, not aspirational,” says Sean Amato-Gauci, Group Head, RBC Commercial Banking. “This year’s finalists and Ones to Watch embody what ‘Limitless’ really means: the ambition to build, the resilience to scale, and the leadership to reshape industries. We’re proud to champion these women as they write the next chapter of Canadian business.”
Note: All nominees are required to submit thorough applications, which are reviewed and judged by a panel of prominent business leaders, and subject to a due diligence review conducted by EY.
Sponsors
RBC is the title sponsor for this event and EY is the Due Diligence Sponsor, with TELUS Health as presenting sponsor.
About the RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards
The RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards are the pre-eminent national business awards recognizing the country’s leading women entrepreneurs. The awards are an initiative of Women of Influence+, an award-winning global organization dedicated to advancing women in the workplace.
About RBC
Royal Bank of Canada is a global financial institution with a purpose-driven, principles-led approach to delivering leading performance. Our success comes from the 105,000+ employees who leverage their imaginations and insights to bring our vision, values and strategy to life so we can help our clients thrive and communities prosper. As Canada’s biggest bank and one of the largest in the world, based on market capitalization, we have a diversified business model with a focus on innovation and providing exceptional experiences to our more than 19 million clients in Canada, the U.S. and 27 other countries. Learn more at rbc.com.
We are proud to support a broad range of community initiatives through donations, community investments and employee volunteer activities. See how at rbc.com/peopleandplanet.
About Women of Influence
For more than 30 years, Women of Influence (WOI) has been one of Canada’s leading platforms dedicated to advancing women in business. Through unparalled award programs, thought leadership, business advice, and a powerful community, WOI celebrates the achievements of women while providing the insights, connections and tools they need to grow their careers and businesses. Today, WOI brings together ambitious women at every stage of leadership to connect, learn and help shape the future of business.
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Source : RBC
