In an exclusive interview with Indigenous-SME Business Magazine, Darion Ducharme, Founder and CEO of Teqare, shares how a growing need for digital safety and awareness turned into a mission-driven organization impacting communities across Canada. This conversation highlights the real challenges people face in an increasingly digital world and the importance of building confidence alongside knowledge.
Interview By Darian Kovacs
Darion Ducharme is the Founder and CEO of Teqare, a 100% Indigenous-owned technology education and training organization based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Since launching in 2021, Darion has led Teqare in delivering hands-on workshops in cyber safety, scam prevention, financial literacy, and digital life skills to youth, adults, and elders across Canada, including over 80 First Nations and hundreds of schools.
Driven by a passion to help people feel confident and safe in today’s digital world, Darion’s work focuses on bridging knowledge gaps and empowering communities through practical, real-world education. His leadership and impact have been recognized nationally, including receiving the Young Indigenous Entrepreneur Award from the Canadian Council for Indigenous Business and the Mastercard Game Changer Award.
Teqare began with you seeing elders and vulnerable people targeted by scams while you worked in telecom, and deciding to “jump out of the boat” to help. What was the moment you knew this concern needed to become a full-time business?
The moment it truly became real for me was during COVID-19. Almost overnight, everything shifted online, including government benefits, banking, and communication, and people were being told to “just go online” to access support. I was speaking with adults and seniors who were overwhelmed and, in many cases, scared. They didn’t always have a family member or someone they could rely on to guide them, and at the same time, scams were increasing rapidly.
Coming from telecom, I had already seen how often vulnerable people were being targeted, but during that period, the urgency became impossible to ignore. I remember conversations where people were unsure how to apply for benefits safely, worried about clicking the wrong link, or had already lost money. It wasn’t just a technology gap, it was a confidence gap, and it was leaving people exposed.
That’s when it clicked for me. This wasn’t something I could do on the side anymore. People needed real, accessible education and support, and they needed it right away. That was the moment I decided to fully commit and build Teqare.
In just a few years, Teqare has delivered hundreds of workshops on cyber safety, scam prevention, and financial literacy across dozens of First Nations and schools in Canada. What have communities told you they need most when it comes to feeling safe and confident online?
What communities consistently tell us is that they don’t just need information, they need confidence and practical skills they can apply right away.
Digital literacy is a big part of that. Many participants want to better understand the basics of using technology safely, from navigating websites to recognizing what’s legitimate online. They also strongly prefer in-person training, where they can ask questions, engage in real conversations, and learn in a supportive environment. When it comes to scam prevention, especially for seniors, we hear a lot about the need to understand real-life situations like romance scams. People want guidance on how to safely build connections online, recognize red flags, and protect themselves while still feeling comfortable exploring relationships.
This year, one of the biggest responses we’ve seen has been to our artificial intelligence training. Communities are very curious about the good, the bad, and the ugly of artificial intelligence. They want to know how to use it safely and responsibly, but also how it’s being used by scammers. We walk through both the defensive and offensive sides so people understand how attacks happen and how to protect themselves.
At the core, people want to feel capable. When they understand what they’re seeing online and how to respond, that’s when real confidence starts to build.
You’ve built Teqare as a 100% Indigenous-owned organization that grounds digital training in trust, relatability, and cultural understanding. How do you design your workshops and facilitation style so participants see themselves and their realities reflected?
At Teqare, everything starts with understanding the community we’re working with. Our trainers are First Nation, which brings a level of cultural understanding, relatability, and trust that participants feel. That connection allows us to have real conversations, not just deliver information.
We also build our workshops with input from community leaders and partners to ensure the content is relevant, grounded, and reflects what people are actually experiencing. Whether we’re in urban or remote communities, we take the time to listen first, then adapt our delivery so it resonates.
Our facilitation style is interactive and story-driven. We use real-life examples that people recognize, from social media scams to everyday financial decisions, so participants can see themselves in the situations we’re discussing. We create a space where people feel comfortable asking questions, sharing experiences, and learning without judgment.
National recognition such as the Young Indigenous Entrepreneur / Game Changer awards has amplified your story and mission. How has that visibility changed the way you think about growth, partnerships, and scaling Teqare across Canada?
National recognition has opened a lot of doors for us. Through these awards, we’ve connected with incredible leaders, funders, and partners across Canada who are aligned with the work we’re doing. I truly trust that Creator God brings the right people into our path when we need them, and that the right doors open at the right time. Even recently, we had a sponsor for a First Nation we hadn’t visited yet, and when I reached out on social media looking for a contact, someone always seemed to step forward who could help or connect us. Those relationships are helping us expand into new provinces in a meaningful and supported way.
It has also strengthened trust. When we reach out to First Nations or organizations that may not have heard of us yet, they often look us up first. Seeing that recognition gives them confidence in who we are and the work we deliver. It helps create that initial layer of credibility before we even step into the community.
Your vision is to be in every school in Canada, helping youth, adults, and elders navigate an increasingly complex digital world. What does the next 5–10 years look like for Teqare, and what advice would you share with other Indigenous entrepreneurs who want to build impact-driven tech businesses?
Over the next three years, our goal is to deliver our cyber safety workshops in every First Nation across Canada while continuing to build strong, ongoing relationships so communities know they can reach out to us anytime for support in cyber safety, financial literacy and scam prevention.
Looking five to ten years ahead, we see Teqare expanding into urban centres across the country, building partnerships with senior and retirement homes to deliver yearly scam prevention and cyber safety training. As technology continues to evolve, that ongoing education will be critical to keeping people safe and confident.
For Indigenous entrepreneurs, my advice is simple. Start by building and testing your idea in the real world. Offer workshops or services at low or no cost to understand the true need and impact. If people are benefiting and the demand is there, then focus on finding partners or funders who believe in the work and can help you scale.
Stay grounded in your purpose, listen to the community, and grow at a pace where you can maintain quality and trust.
Disclaimer: Indigenous-SME Business Magazine is committed to providing insightful interviews that highlight the successes and challenges faced by small and medium-sized businesses. The views expressed in this interview are those of the guest and may not reflect the opinions of the magazine or its affiliates.
