Women of Influence+ Opens the 34th Annual RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards Call for Nominations

TORONTO, ON – JANUARY 19, 2026 – RBC and Women of Influence+ are pleased to announce that nominations are now open for the RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards. Now in its 34^th year, the program recognizes Canada’s most accomplished and impactful women entrepreneurs and non-profit leaders, whose businesses and organizations contribute meaningfully to the local, national, and global economy.

In 2025, the program received nominations from across the country, spotlighting women entrepreneurs whose work is shaping industries and driving measurable economic impact. Nominated by peers, colleagues, and communities, these leaders have demonstrated exceptional business achievement while strengthening Canada’s triple bottom line. This year, the program continues its legacy of recognizing women entrepreneurs whose leadership delivers results—commercially and socially. Every leader has a defining moment, and this year, we’re asking nominators to make it hers.

“Women-led businesses are a critical engine of innovation and economic growth in Canada,” says Sarah Pendrith, Vice President, Commercial Banking Strategy, RBC. “For over thirty years, the RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards has shone a spotlight on founders who are scaling their businesses, innovating in their sectors, and creating lasting impact. We’re proud to once again help elevate their stories and inspire the next generation of women entrepreneurs.”

As one of the longest-standing programs of its kind, the RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards have honoured hundreds of finalists and presented nearly 400 awards for outstanding entrepreneurial achievement and leadership in the not-for-profit sector since their inception. The awards span all sectors of the economy and every stage of business growth, with categories including: Ones to Watch Award, Micro-Business Award, Start-Up Award, RBC Momentum Award, Social Change Award: Regional Impact, Social Change Award: National Impact, Innovation Award, and Excellence Award.

“This program is built on three core pillars: recognizing the strategic vision of women entrepreneurs, highlighting measurable business and societal impact, and examining how leadership is evolving in today’s economy,” says Linda Kuga-Pikulin, President, Women of Influence+. “We invite businesses, organizations, colleagues, and communities to nominate the women entrepreneurs whose leadership is shaping what comes next.”

Submit nominations at http://www.womenofinfluence.ca/rbc-cwea.

The 2026 Awards Gala will take place on Friday, November 13 at the Ritz-Carlton in Toronto, Ontario. Learn more about the Gala here.

About the RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards
The RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards are the pre-eminent national business awards recognizing the country’s leading women entrepreneurs. The awards are an initiative of Women of Influence+, an award-winning global organization dedicated to advancing women.

About RBC

Royal Bank of Canada is a global financial institution with a purpose-driven, principles-led approach to delivering leading performance. Our success comes from the 98,000+ employees who leverage their imaginations and insights to bring our vision, values and strategy to life so we can help our clients thrive and communities prosper. As Canada’s biggest bank and one of the largest in the world, based on market capitalization, we have a diversified business model with a focus on innovation and providing exceptional experiences to our more than 18 million clients in Canada, the U.S. and 27 other countries. Learn more at rbc.com.

We are proud to support a broad range of community initiatives through donations, community investments and employee volunteer activities. See how at rbc.com/peopleandplanet.

About Women of Influence Worldwide Inc.

At Women of Influence+ (WOI+), our ethos is rooted in making meaningful and impactful change. We do this by placing ourselves and our community in positions of influence and power — places where we can drive transformation. We are dedicated to sharing and elevating the unfiltered success stories of a diverse group of role models. We know that when done right, from the podium or the page, these stories not only inspire, educate, and connect — they start to redefine our perceptions of gender roles and abilities. We are changing the narrative.

Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook

For interview requests or further information, please contact:
Lauren Ng, Corporate Communications, RBC, lauren.ng@rbc.com