SASKATOON, Sask. — Saskatchewan entrepreneur Daryl Wright said that being selected as one of 30 finalists for Futurpreneur Canada’s Top 30 Entrepreneur Awards had already been an honour alone, saying that it recognizes his team’s work and its efforts to address invasive species and protect biodiversity.
Wright, founder of Seed2Leaf, said he was introduced to Futurpreneur when he started the company in 2017, accessed the organization’s small-business support programs, and was chosen as one of the country’s top 30 entrepreneurs for its 30th anniversary awards.
Wright, an environmental professional, is among the finalists in the People’s Choice category, with all the winners to be announced at an awards ceremony in Toronto on Oct. 28. He is encouraging people to vote as the People’s Choice selection process continues.
“So, yeah, excited to have that honour and be part of that. We, me and my team, are honoured to be in the final 30 for Futurpreneur Top 30 Entrepreneur Awards,” said Wright, whose nomination comes as Seed2Leaf expands its work in invasive plant management and builds its international connections.
See2Leaf, founded in 2017, focuses on invasive species and industrial vegetation management, specifically on terrestrial invasive plants that can threaten agriculture, waterways and biodiversity. It currently employs nine people and plans to continue growing.
Wright said his participation in the G20 Young Entrepreneurs’ Alliance also provided an opportunity to bring attention to biodiversity protection on an international stage. He attended the Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, last year and returned as a delegate in Vienna, Austria, from Sept. 16-18.
He said the alliance brings young entrepreneurs from G20 countries together for conferences and bilateral meetings, with participants developing a directive that can eventually reach G20 leaders, and the process provides entrepreneurs with an opportunity to contribute to global policy discussions.
“It really allows us to influence that global policy front. Being part of last year’s summit in Johannesburg also led to discussions with South African national parks officials about creating an employee exchange program,” said Wright.
The proposed exchange program, which they plan to implement in 2027, would see South African participants come to Saskatchewan to learn about invasive species management. At the same time, Indigenous youth from the province could travel to South Africa to learn about practices there.
Wright added that one of his objectives in attending the Vienna summit was to find additional equipment suppliers and ensure environmental protection remained part of international conversations about entrepreneurship and technology.
“In the world of AI and big tech, conversations are happening in the entrepreneurial world; we want to make sure that the environmental and biodiversity protection side of things is still remembered and still kind of brought up to the forefront,” he said.
“Our work through the G20 also allows me to remind policymakers of existing international commitments related to invasive species and biodiversity. We've made commitments in the past, and let's not forget about those when we think about the future as well.”
