Toronto incubator Pwrforward runs inaugural FIRE program cohort for Filipino Canadian entrepreneurs

Pwrforward, which describes itself as Canada’s first business incubator built for Filipino Canadian entrepreneurs, is working with an inaugural FIRE cohort of 12 participants and hosts a Community Clinic at Schulich Startups on 7 November.

Pwrforward, a Toronto-based incubator for Filipino Canadian entrepreneurs, is working with an inaugural cohort of 12 participants in its Filipino Innovation, Readiness and Entrepreneurship (FIRE) program, according to a 4 November report by Luis Miguel De Castro of Mabuhay Canada, published on Frequency.

Pwrforward describes itself as Canada’s first business incubator built for Filipino Canadian entrepreneurs. The nine-week FIRE program provides guidance on business strategy, branding, market positioning and leadership, with finalists competing for up to $10,000 in funding.

Why it started

Charmaine Ramirez, the organization’s executive director and co-founder, said Pwrforward grew from conversations with Filipino business leaders who struggled to find resources and support when starting their companies in Canada. Before establishing Pwrforward, she spent much of her career helping students and internationally trained professionals find employment.

Ramirez met a Filipina entrepreneur serving as a judge at a business pitch competition. When she asked the woman about the support she received while building her business, “She said that didn’t exist,” Ramirez recalled. Her later conversations with Filipino entrepreneurs, executives and business leaders revealed recurring challenges involving access to funding, mentorship and professional networks.

What founders work on

Ramirez said the program is designed to help entrepreneurs understand how their businesses can grow beyond their existing customer base. “If you’re a Filipino-owned business, that doesn’t mean that your audience is only Filipino, right? Your audience can be beyond the community,” she said.

Participants also learn how to assess their businesses’ value, identify their competitive advantages and develop strategies for attracting customers, and the program prepares them to communicate their ideas to potential investors. Ramirez said one of the most noticeable changes among participants has been their confidence.

Pwrforward’s website sets a goal of $10M invested into Filipino-Canadian founders and businesses by 2030. It cites Statistics Canada (2024) for a -25.9% wage gap for Filipino-Canadians, which it calls the largest of any racialized group.

Community Clinic on 7 November

As part of the nine-week FIRE incubator, Pwrforward is opening its doors to the broader community for Community Clinic, a one-day learning and networking event for Filipino-Canadian entrepreneurs, on Saturday, 7 November at Schulich Startups in North York. The event page lists business sessions on finance, accounting, business advisory and legal topics, followed by networking.

Looking ahead, Pwrforward plans to expand the FIRE program and pursue additional partnerships that could support more Filipino Canadian entrepreneurs, Frequency reported.

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