Two entrepreneurs have launched an Indigenous real estate advisory firm designed to serve First Nations, investment funds and all levels of governments.

Énska will also advise family offices and non-profit organizations.

Wes Hall and Tim Coldwell co-founded the company, which will focus on real estate advisory, project governance and Indigenous capital services. Énska is being billed as the first of its kind in Canada.

“Énska, is the Mohawk word for one,” said Coldwell, Énska’s president, in a news release. “We chose this name because one person, one company or one project can start a movement and because we recognize that to make change, we need to do it together, as one. We exist to discover and deliver shared value, to make what matters and our vision is to use real estate to grow community wealth.”

The company aims to help clients reduce development costs by advising on modern methods of construction and deliver third-party-verified social and environmental outcomes without added cost.

“Doing the right thing often comes with a price tag,” said Coldwell. “Énska plans and governs your project so there is no premium.”

The company also aim to address Canada’s skill-trade shortage by using real estate supply chains to bring career opportunities to 50,000 youths by 2050.

Hall will serve as the company’s executive chairman. He founded and chairs the BlackNorth Initiative, which supports Black entrepreneurs in Canada; Kingsdale Advisors, a business advisory firm; and Canadian private-equity company We Shall Investments.

He has also served as a Dragon on the popular CBC TV show Dragon’s Den, which helps startup companies grow.

A former president of Chandos Construction, Coldwell is a member of the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte, who are part of the Mohawk First Nation.

“With his experience and drive, investors in real estate will have a specialized resource for increasing BIPOC participation in major capital projects,” said Hall.

Énska is based at the Six Nations headquarters in Ohsweken, Ont., and also has an office in downtown Toronto.

Pictured: Tim Coldwell, president of Énska