A Toronto Tech Week event with a Brampton flavour

Brampton turned a basketball night into a boardroom last week, as the Brampton Innovation District hosted Courtside Capital: Where Tech Meets Sports during Toronto Tech Week.

The event, held at the CAA Centre, drew more than 200 attendees from the innovation and technology ecosystem, including early-stage founders, investors and ecosystem leaders supporting startup growth, according to a post from the City of Brampton's Economic Development office.

The gathering was organized in partnership with Invest Brampton — the city's Economic Development Office — and the Brampton Honey Badgers, the professional basketball club that calls the CAA Centre home.

Innovation Alley and reverse pitches

The evening mixed business with the game-day atmosphere the Honey Badgers are known for. A startup showcase dubbed Innovation Alley featured more than 20 startups and emerging companies, while investors took part in reverse pitches and attendees networked around a live Honey Badgers game-day experience.

Several of the showcased companies are based in Brampton, including BurnOn AI, ELO Gaming, ZEnergy and Unyfer. Other participants from across the ecosystem included FanLinc, TritonWear, Aurmada, LINKSPORTS, Next Play AI and DataCoach.

The investor side of the room was equally crowded. Participating groups included Winner Capital, Keiretsu Forum Canada, Angel Investors Durham, Georgian Angel Network, Horizon Angel Investors and Altitude Angels.

Building connections for Canadian startups

Throughout the evening, conversations centred on investment, scaling, partnerships and strengthening ties across the innovation ecosystem, the city said. Speakers and participants shared perspectives on startup growth, investment opportunities and collaboration between founders, investors and ecosystem builders.

The event also highlighted the work of the Brampton Innovation District itself, which offers entrepreneurs programming, mentorship, networking opportunities and ecosystem support aimed at helping startups and scale-ups grow.

Local partners behind the event

The Downtown Brampton BIA sponsored Courtside Capital, with iBentos and Nisarg Media serving as execution partners.

Organizers framed the event as a signal of Brampton's growing role as a hub for innovation and entrepreneurship. The city, one of Canada's fastest-growing municipalities, is home to roughly 800,000 people and more than 124,000 businesses.