CANIE AWARDS – Indigenous Entrepreneur Award

Mark Marsolais

The winner of the 2020 CANIE Indigenous Entrepreneur Award is Mark Marsolais-Nahwegahbow. He is the founder of the Innovative First Nations social enterprise, Birch Bark Coffee Company, that aims to change Indigenous lives across Canada one coffee bag at a time. Inspired by his community, Whitefish River First Nation, and the connection that the birch trees have to his Indigenous heritage, Mark established this company in 2018. Birch Bark Coffee is proud to offer organic, Fair-Trade and certified coffee from small local producers and is focused on creating a positive community change by bringing clean drinking water and installing certified water purification systems in every Indigenous home for free in Canada. Mark is also a community builder who inspires aspiring entrepreneurs interested in Global shifts in social enterprises. By building a highly profitable social enterprise, Mark Marsolais-Nahwegahbow is leading by example as a proud Indigenous entrepreneur.