Inaugural live competition splits grand prize between pop-culture series ‘Late Night Scrolling’ ($7,500) and Canadian environmental conservation podcast, “The Warblers” ($2,500).
CALGARY, AB — On October 17, 2026, Pod the North, the community resource and newsletter for Canadian podcasts, hosted its inaugural Pod the North Pitch Contest live at the PodSummit conference in Calgary. Five shortlisted Canadian podcast creators took the stage to pitch their shows in front of an industry panel and live audience for a share of $10,000 in funding, designed to give non-prescriptive, direct financial support to independent Canadian podcast creators.
The $10,000 grand prize pool was ultimately awarded to two standout Canadian shows:
● $7,500 Grand Prize Winner: Late Night Scrolling, hosted and produced by Liz Duff, a pop-culture and entertainment series bringing late-night style interviews with a distinct Canadian perspective.
● $2,500 Runner-Up Winner: The Warblers, produced by Birds Canada, an environmental and conservation podcast sharing stories, birding tips, and ecology insights across the country.
The three other shortlisted finalists included The Archery Parent Podcast, The Currency of Happiness, and The We in Werk.
Supported by major sponsorship from Sequel Media Inc. and Transistor.fm, the pitch competition aimed to bridge the funding gap for independent podcasts in Canada, allowing winners complete autonomy over how they spend their awarded prize money with the goal of helping them to overcome plateaued growth.
"Podcasting in Canada is no easy feat. Anytime I ask Canadian podcasters what they need to succeed, it always comes down to funding,” said Kattie Laur, Founder and Executive producer of Pod the North. “The goal of the Pod the North Pitch Contest was not only to provide real financial backing with zero strings attached, but to celebrate the sheer talent and variety within our national podcasting community while sharing valuable insights to the PodSummit audience."
“Normally, podcasters are recording by themselves at home,” said Justin Jackson, CEO of Transistor.fm, and Pitch Contest judge. “Seeing creators pitch their idea, trailer, and dreams for their show in front of an audience felt special." “It takes a lot of guts to get up in front of a crowd to sell your ideas,” said fellow judge and Sequel co-founder, Andy Sheppard. “The contestants did a great job of honing their pitches and building excitement for their shows. Can’t wait to see how this grows in the future.”
“There are few stepping stones to grow as a mid sized Canadian podcast, and I’m so grateful to Pod the North for making a spaces like this for us to come together," said Liz Duff host of Late Night Scrolling with Liz. "This one-investment is exactly what we need to scale our production to the next level for Season 4 launching in 2027. I’m so grateful for the vote of confidence from the judges and Podsummit community.”
The event marked a major highlight at PodSummit 2026, Calgary’s annual conference for podcasters, audio professionals, and digital creators.
About Pod the North
Pod the North is an independent newsletter, resource, and advocacy platform dedicated to coverage, insights, and community building for the Canadian podcasting ecosystem. Founded by Canadian podcast strategist and executive producer Kattie Laur, Pod the North highlights homegrown audio creators, industry developments, and resources for podcasters across Canada.
About PodSummit
PodSummit is an annual Canadian podcasting conference held in Calgary, Alberta, bringing together creators, producers, and industry leaders for networking, learning, and collaboration.