In collaboration with
Yacht Gala + Pitch Battle
Founder Ball brings Canada’s top startups to Toronto for a live angel allocation battle aboard the Yankee Lady III. The Final Five battle at the all-white yacht gala for up to $1M as 250 Angels allocate their capital in real time.
April 15 – MAY 15
The window opens. We are filtering for traction, not just decks. 20 Semi-Finalists selected to enter the arena. One Semi-Finalist will also be the recipient of the ultimate Startupfest experience.
The field narrows. 20 Semi-Finalists are chosen to pitch online and 5 finalists are chosen to battle live at the Yacht Gala.
JUNE 11 @ 6:00 PM
Battle live at the most exclusive gala of the year. 5 Finalists, VC’s, Celebrities, and YOU. This is not your father’s demo day.
In collaboration with
PART PITCH BATTLE.
PART EN BLANC YACHT GALA.
This is not your average pitch competition.
Founder Ball brings Canada’s most ambitious startups to Toronto for a live angel allocation battle aboard the Yankee Lady III.
Five finalists. Up to $1M in Angel Investor Capital. One live leaderboard.
Founder Ball Angels do not just watch from the sidelines. They allocate investment units into the startups they believe in most, while founders pitch, build momentum, and compete for capital in real time.
The sponsors cover the experience. Angels back the future.
By day, it is a live pitch battle. By night, it becomes an en blanc yacht gala with 250 of Toronto’s most influential founders, investors, executives, operators, sponsors, and media.
Competition. Celebration. Capital. Full circle.
Founder Ball is where Canada’s startup community shows up, allocates capital, and backs its next breakout companies.
One startup amongst the finalists will also be selected as “Startupfest’s Pick”, and be the recipient of an amazing Startupfest experience including: a ticket to Startupfest, a round-trip to Montréal, an onstage pitch spot in the Startup Showcase, a spot on the Demo Floor, and a VIP party invite.
CEO & Co-Founder, FourthD
VP of Marketing & Comms, WCPD
Founding Partner, Kaizen Equity Partners
CEO & Co-Founder, Ajamjo
Director, TD Innovation Partners
Deep Tech Investor, ventureLAB & Techstars
Partner at Leadout Capital
CEO, Shift Canada
CEO, DMZ Ventures
SVP, Bell Media & Techstars
CEO & Co-Founder, Horizon Advisors
Co-founder, RxSource Corp
CEO, NectAir
Partner & National Leader, MNP
Founder & CEO, Jagger
Managing Partner, Leadout Capital
Founder & CEO, ZerotoOne Strategic
Managing Partner, Framework vC
Founder & CEO, Linkus Group
CEO & Co-Founder, Axess Law
CEO & Co-founder, Fundmore
Marketing Director, Ajamjo
Co-founder & CEO at Maple
Founder & CEO, First Pay
$1 Million
Investment
May 26, 2026 6:00 PM – 9:00 pm
This is an invite-only event for:
Top 20 founders from the pitch competition
Sponsors, partners, and judges
Free to attend. Catering & bar included.
Location:
THE battle: 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
5 Vetted finalist battle for the glory of up to one million dollar in angel capital investment.
Location:
TD Terrace, 4th Floor, 160 front St W, Toronto, ON
THE WARM UP: 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Location:
Toronto Harbour
THE celebration: 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM
7:30PM Debark
Don’t be fashionably late. The Yankee Lady III cruises off. The celebration begins!
Location:
Toronto Harbour, We Leave Land.
The after party: 10:00 PM – 2:00 AM
The tie comes off. The network opens up. We take over the rooftop at Portland Square for the official closing celebration.
Location:
600 King St W, Toronto, ON
Wherever your gravitational force takes you, our constellation offers wonder. We have invited industry icons like Bruce Croxon and Joanna Griffiths to filter the noise and find the signal.
50 Seats Reserved for Non-Accredited Investors.
Venue: Clio
Address: 600 King St W, Toronto, ON M5V 1M3
Vessel: The Northern Spirit
Address: 207 Queens Quay West, Toronto, ON M5J 1A7
Founder Ball takes place on June 11, 2026.
The full experience runs from 10:00 AM to 2:00 AM.
The en blanc yacht gala is Founder Ball’s all-white celebration aboard the Yankee Lady III on Lake Ontario.
It is where founders, Angels, sponsors, media, and Toronto business leaders continue building relationships while live investor allocation unfolds throughout the evening.
The yacht departs at 7:30 PM sharp.
The Founder Ball Champion is the startup that attracts the most total investor allocation by the end of the evening.
The Champion will be crowned at midnight.
Founder Ball is an independent event and investment platform produced with support from sponsors, partners, and members of the Canadian startup ecosystem.
Confirmed sponsors, partners, and supporters include Verifast, Leadout Capital, Hello Jagger, FirstPay, Kaizen Equity, TD Innovation Partners, WCPD, MNP, VerbFactory, and others.
Email: info@founderball.org