Bobbie Racette, the first Indigenous woman in Canada to raise a Series A for her startup, has introduced Tapwi, a platform designed to provide vital support and business ownership opportunities to underrepresented entrepreneurs.
- Tapwi offers a resource platform and business acquisition training for founders.
- Racette leverages her role as an Indigenous knowledge keeper to mentor others.
- Her goal is to expand access, investing time and resources without focusing solely on financial returns.
What happened
At the NACO Summit in Ottawa, Bobbie Racette unveiled Tapwi, a new startup focused on supporting emerging entrepreneurs, particularly from underserved communities including Indigenous people. Tapwi, derived from the Cree word for 'truth,' aims to provide the resources and mentorship Racette herself found lacking during her own entrepreneurial journey.
The startup plans to operate as a search fund, acquiring small businesses across various industries and enabling founders-in-training to run these businesses before eventually taking ownership. While Tapwi's waitlist includes over 700 industry partners, it is currently focused on building out a comprehensive resource tool for early-stage founders.
Why it matters
Racette's initiative addresses a significant gap in support for Indigenous entrepreneurs and others from marginalized backgrounds, who often face barriers to funding, mentorship, and business ownership. As a recognized knowledge keeper within her community, she views Tapwi not just as a business, but as a platform to open doors and share insights with future generations.
Her experience founding Virtual Gurus, where she confronted numerous investor rejections and resource constraints, fuels her mission to provide what she lacked: accessible support networks and pathways to ownership. This approach has implications beyond individual success by fostering broader economic inclusion among underserved entrepreneurs.
What to watch next
Observers should track how Tapwi develops its business acquisition model and scales its resource platform, particularly whether it can convert its large waitlist into active partnerships and sustainable ventures led by marginalized founders. The impact Tapwi has on the entrepreneurial ecosystem could signal new support frameworks tailored to diversity and inclusion.
Additionally, Racette’s role as an angel investor and mentor warrants attention, as her ongoing investments and knowledge-sharing efforts may influence funding patterns and community networks within Canadian and Indigenous startup landscapes. The success of Tapwi could inspire similar initiatives aimed at systemic change in startup accessibility.