Techopia Live was on location at the 2025 Ottawa Bootstrap Awards, held during Tech Tuesday at the Brookstreet Hotel, celebrating the entrepreneurial spirit of local businesses that have grown through self-funding and minimal outside investment. The Annual Ottawa Network Bootstrap Awards recognize early-stage companies across all industries, both for-profit and non-profit, that have demonstrated innovation, sustainability, marketing excellence, and community impact through bootstrapping. This inspiring event highlighted the stories of resilient entrepreneurs who have overcome challenges, pivoted strategically, and built successful ventures with limited resources. The awards also fostered connections within Ottawa’s entrepreneurial community, encouraging collaboration and continued growth. Riaz Sidi, Techopia Live Correspondent, spoke with several winners and attendees about their journeys and the value of perseverance, smart financial management, and community support, including Diana Birsan (Downplay), Erika Poupart (Neuralign International), Karl Payeur (Downplay), Michael Nelson (Tactiqal), and Salah Masad (GCP). For more on Ottawa’s entrepreneurial and tech scene, visit https://obj.ca/techopia. Subscribe to Techopia’s weekly newsletter here: https://obj121.activehosted.com/f/5