Newsletter: Federation of African Canadian Economics arrives in Toronto for Melamoon 2026, bringing Canada's largest Black-focused no-equity pitch tour to its final city qualifier

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The Federation of African Canadian Economics (FACE), will bring Melamoon 2026 to Toronto on Aug. 14, 2026, marking the fifth and final qualifying stop of Canada's largest Black-focused no-equity pitch competition.

The Toronto qualifying event will take place at the Globe and Mail Centre and will close out a five-city national tour that has featured qualifying events in Montréal, Halifax, Vancouver and Edmonton. Winning founders from across the country will then advance to the Melamoon 2026 grand finale, set for Oct. 16-17, 2026, at Steam Whistle Brewing in Toronto, where they will compete for a share of $200,000 in non-dilutive funding.

"Melamoon exists to create real opportunities for Black founders to be seen, supported and financed," said Tiffany Callender, CEO and co-founder, FACE Coalition. "When Black entrepreneurs have access to visibility, networks and capital, the benefits extend far beyond individual businesses and strengthen the broader Canadian economy."

Melamoon is designed to help Black entrepreneurs build visibility, strengthen investor readiness and connect with capital and support networks. The platform builds on the momentum of its successful inaugural year in 2025 and continues FACE's broader work to expand access to opportunity for Black business owners across Canada.

At a time when Black founders continue to face barriers in accessing capital, networks and visibility, Melamoon is positioning Black entrepreneurship as a national economic growth story. The tour is designed not only to spotlight founders, but also to strengthen the ecosystem around them by bringing together investors, business leaders, institutional partners and community champions in each city.

"As the final stop, Toronto represents a pivotal moment in the Melamoon 2026 journey," said Callender. "Founders here are competing not only for visibility in one of Canada's most dynamic business markets, but also for a chance to advance to the national grand finale and compete for a transformational $200,000."

Toronto will build on the momentum generated by the first four stops on the tour, bringing together founders, ecosystem partners, professionals and supporters for a day of live pitching, networking and programming focused on business growth and access to capital.

The road to $200,000

Melamoon 2026 is a five-city cross-Canada qualifying road show. Each city hosts a live pitch event where Black founders compete before a panel of expert judges, with top performers advancing to the national grand finale in Toronto. The national prize pool includes:

Grand prize: $100,000

Second prize: $50,000

Third prize: $25,000

Public choice award: $25,000

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