$25,000 investment in winning project

SUMMERSIDE – Oct. 14, 2025 – RDÉE Prince Edward Island has just launched a call for anyone with sound entrepreneurial ideas to participate in the 2026 edition of its popular Francophone Ignition Contest, which will be held in a style similar to the television shows “Shark Tank” and “Dragons’ Den”. The deadline for submissions is Jan. 9, 2026.

At the Entrepreneurs’ and Co-operators’ Luncheon in Summerside Oct. 14, coordinator Natalia Saldarriaga announced that at the competition finals this winter, $25,000 will once again be invested in the project with the greatest potential for entrepreneurial success. This amount will come from Innovation PEI’s Ignition Startup Fund.

This contest is the 12th entrepreneurial development competition of its kind organized by RDÉE PEI, the eighth under the Ignition banner.

THE COMPETITION

The Francophone Ignition Contest is open to Francophone or bilingual entrepreneurs (current or potential) who want to start a new business, launch a new product or service, or expand an existing business to launch a new line of production.

The business must offer its services in both official languages and must be established in Prince Edward Island. At least one of the business owners must be able to conduct business in French and make their presentation at the finals in French. The product or service developed must have the potential to be exported outside the Island.

Businesses that have already received funding from the Francophone Ignition Contest, RDÉE PEI’s former Dragons’ Contest, the Ignition Startup Fund, or the province’s Food Excel – Food Island Partnership program, as well as non-profit organizations, are not eligible for the competition.

All competitors must attend mandatory training sessions. Professional trainers will help them prepare to present their entrepreneurial project in a concise and compelling manner, with a focus on finances.

Following pre-selection interviews, the best-prepared projects will then be invited to the finals on Saturday, March 7th. They will be required to present their project to a jury of business professionals, using product samples, images on a big screen and verbal explanations. After asking them several questions, the judges will deliberate and decide to invest the $25,000 in the project they believe has the most potential for success.

“Unlike previous editions of the competition, this year’s presentations to the judges will be held in private rather than in public,” explained the coordinator.

In addition to the cash investment, the entrepreneur who presents the best project will receive several practical gifts, such as a free course at the Collège de l’Île, a free three-year membership to the Greater Summerside Chamber of Commerce, and more. In addition, the Acadian and Francophone Chamber of Commerce of PEI will offer free membership to all finalists and tickets to its 2026 Entrepreneurs’ Gala to the winner.

TO PARTICIPATE

Those interested in participating must complete the online application form accessible from www.rdeeipe.net/ignition/ by midnight Jan. 9, 2026.

Any requests for additional information can be sent to the coordinator at ignition@rdeeipe.org.

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PHOTO: Natalia Saldarriaga, coordinator of the 2026 Francophone Ignition Contest, and Julie Gallant, special projects manager at RDÉE Prince Edward Island, officially launched the competition’s registration period during the Entrepreneurs’ and Cooperators’ Luncheon in Summerside Oct. 14.

 

For more information:
Natalia Saldarriaga
Coordinator
2026 Francophone Ignition Contest
ignition@rdeeipe.org