Manu Sharma is a United Way East Ontario Community Builder Award recipient!
On October 30, more than 120 people gathered at Richcraft Hall at Carleton University for TiECon Canada’s annual conference—a full day devoted to entrepreneurship and innovation.
Then came the moment Manu never saw coming. Our volunteer presenter, Derek deLouche, took the stage and shared that Manu was being awarded a Community Builder Award for the work he’s done and continues to do within our community.
Manu was shocked, and the whole room erupted in cheers.
Manu Sharma
For more than 16 years, Manu has quietly and consistently shown up for Ottawa as a mentor, educator, civic leader, and social entrepreneur.
He is known across Ottawa’s non-profit and innovation sectors for his empathy, humility, and unwavering commitment to paying it forward. Over the years, he has volunteered with organizations including TiE Ottawa, Youth Ottawa, Christie Lake Kids, Invest Ottawa, Ottawa Network for Education, Empower’em, and Ottawa Foyers Partage. Each reflects his belief that access and opportunity are rights, not privileges.
At the heart of Manu’s volunteer story is his decades-long dedication to mentorship and leadership development. As co-founder of Mindtrust Leadership, he helped design and
launch the Youth Leadership Program, which is preparing to welcome its 24th cohort. The program has helped hundreds of young people find their voices, build civic awareness, and lead with purpose.
At TiE Ottawa, where he has been an active member for more than 20 years, he is known as “the mentor’s mentor”—a steady, thoughtful presence who young people, entrepreneurs, and fellow volunteers turn to for perspective and encouragement.
He has also served on two City of Ottawa citizen committees, held board and advisory roles with Impact Hub Ottawa and CSED (a social enterprise development centre), and continues to share his knowledge as a professor at Lambton College.
When the pandemic hit in 2020, Manu reactivated his tech firm, OAK Computing, to help local charities, non-profits, and small businesses transition to digital operations and stay connected to their communities. His support included immigrant-owned restaurants facing the threat of closure.
Earlier, through the OAK Innovation Fund, he contributed more than $100,000 in technical resources to help social-impact organizations bridge the digital divide.
His commitment extends beyond our region. Through Kiva, a global non-profit microlending platform, Manu has personally funded more than 900 microloans, supporting entrepreneurs, particularly women, in developing regions as they build sustainable livelihoods.
United Way East Ontario is proud to celebrate Manu Sharma as a Community Builder Award recipient.
With more than 5,000 hours devoted to mentorship, coaching, and teaching—much of it supporting young people from marginalized communities—Manu’s legacy isn’t measured in accolades. It’s measured in the people who found confidence, resilience, and opportunity because he took the time to offer a helping hand.
Manu, thank you for your extraordinary generosity, your quiet leadership, and the lasting ripple of impact you continue to create across our community.
Do you know a volunteer who has gone above and beyond to support their community?
Our Community Builder Awards program accepts nominations year-round!
