National Black-focused pitch competition awards $200,000 to founders across Canada

TORONTO, Oct. 22, 2026 /CNW/ -- M'Lisa Colbert, founder of Montréal-based urban food systems company Le Jrdn, has won the $100,000 grand prize at the Melamoon 2026 National Pitch Competition presented by the Federation of African Canadian Economics (FACE).

Colbert's company, Le Jrdn, is reimagining how neighbourhoods access fresh, local food. The Montréal-based business combines modular vertical farming with a community-focused grocery model, growing produce directly in-store and offering members a flexible way to shop for fresh food.

"I started Le Jrdn because I believe we can build better food systems in our cities. We've spent the last three years building the first version of that idea, and this win gives us the opportunity to make it better, take it further and see what it can become. I know exactly what I want to do with this opportunity, and I still can't quite believe we get to do it."

— M'Lisa Colbert, founder, Le Jrdn and $100,000 MELAMOON Grand Prize Winner

Five finalists competed for a share of $200,000 in non-dilutive funding at the Melamoon Grand Finale in Toronto on October 17. Presented by the Federation of African Canadian Economics (FACE), Melamoon is Canada's largest Black-focused, no-equity pitch competition. Through its national tour, Melamoon helps address longstanding barriers faced by Black entrepreneurs by connecting them with capital, mentorship, investor networks and national visibility.

"Melamoon 2026 has demonstrated what is possible when a national coalition comes together to support entrepreneurship. Over six months, we connected founders with capital, mentorship, business supports, networks and visibility, creating opportunities for hundreds of entrepreneurs to advance their businesses."

— Tiffany Callender, CEO, Federation of African Canadian Economics

Melamoon is part of FACE's broader work to expand visibility, access to capital and long-term economic opportunity for Black entrepreneurs across Canada.

Melamoon 2026 Winners

Grand Prize — $100,000
M'Lisa Colbert — Le Jrdn, Montréal, Quebec

Le Jrdn connects local food production, distribution and community participation to build a more resilient and accessible alternative to traditional grocery supply chains.

Second Prize — $50,000 and People's Choice Award — $25,000
Abdel Ali — Kiwi Charge, Toronto, Ontario

Abdel Ali is the founder and CEO of Kiwi Charge, a startup developing autonomous mobile electric vehicle-charging robots for apartments, condominiums and dense urban neighbourhoods. The technology delivers power directly to parked vehicles and reduces the need for costly building retrofits.

Ali also won the $25,000 People's Choice Award, bringing his total award funding to $75,000.

Third Prize — $25,000
Nicholas Simon — Maureen Simon Foods, Vancouver, British Columbia

Nicholas Simon represents Maureen Simon Foods, a Canadian-owned, Caribbean-inspired food company founded by Maureen Simon. The company produces clean-label sauces and Rollis—Caribbean-style pastry rolls—and distributes its products through major national retailers.

In total, Melamoon 2026 awarded $200,000 in non-dilutive funding to the winning founders.

A national celebration of Black entrepreneurship

The 2026 competition featured events in Montréal, Halifax, Vancouver, Edmonton and Toronto. Across the five-city tour:

• More than 700 applications were received nationally.
• 100 quarter-finalists were selected.
• 50 semi-finalists advanced in the competition.
• Five national finalists competed at the Grand Finale.
• Three national winners received funding.
• More than 600 attendees witnessed the conclusion of the national tour.

Throughout the tour, Black founders connected with investors, mentors, partners and audiences while showcasing businesses spanning food, technology, electric vehicle infrastructure and other sectors.

FACE extends a special thank-you to the partners who helped make Melamoon 2026 possible: Interac, BIZ, BEKH, Nobellum, FFBC, Porter and the Government of Canada.

"We are deeply grateful to the partners, sponsors, community organizations and leaders who made this journey possible. Above all, we celebrate the founders who stepped forward ready to grow, scale and create lasting impact. Their businesses are strengthening communities, creating opportunities and helping build a stronger Canadian economy. Every investment in Black entrepreneurship is an investment in Canada's future."

— Tiffany Callender, CEO, Federation of African Canadian Economics

Melamoon returns in 2027

Following the success of the 2026 national tour, Melamoon is confirmed to return in 2027. The next edition will visit more cities, bring more non-dilutive capital to founders and be supported by more Black entrepreneurs across Canada.

Media interview opportunities

Tiffany Callender, CEO of FACE, and the Melamoon 2026 winners are available for interviews, which can be coordinated upon request through the media contact below.

About Melamoon

Melamoon is Canada's largest Black-focused, no-equity pitch competition. Presented by the Federation of African Canadian Economics, the competition supports Black founders through visibility, mentorship, investment opportunities and national exposure.

For more information, visit facecoalition.com and melamoon.ca.

About FACE

Founded in 2021, The Federation of African Canadian Economics (FACE) is a national and bilingual Black-led non-profit organization aimed at providing Black entrepreneurs in Canada with access to critical capital investments, working capital, and additional business resources for their success. 

With the Government of Canada and the Business Development Bank of Canada as key partners and funders, FACE administers the Black Entrepreneurship Loan Fund (BELF) — to date, more than 75 million approved and 56 million disbursed to over 600 Black-owned businesses across Canada.

SOURCE Federation of African Canadian Economics