Showpass CEO Lucas McCarthy has been named to Billboard’s Top 40 Under 40, marking a milestone moment for a Calgary-born company that has quietly become one of North America’s fastest-growing event technology platforms.
What began as McCarthy’s frustration with long lines and clunky ticketing systems has grown into a global operation powering thousands of events each year across multiple countries. Showpass now delivers more than 20 million tickets annually — “roughly every 2.5 seconds, we sell a ticket to a Canadian,” McCarthy says.
The company has become a lifeline for independent organizers, offering tools like face-value resale and predictive analytics that aim to make live experiences more transparent, equitable, and human.
“We’re watching the old gatekeepers lose their grip and that’s exciting,” McCarthy says. “What motivates me is seeing artists, promoters, and fans take back control through technology that actually works for them.”
The Billboard recognition underscores a broader shift underway: ticketing is being rewritten, and Showpass is positioning Calgary at the centre of that change.
As the company moves into its next phase of growth, it has made two strategic hires. Showpass has appointed Linda Chan as Head of Marketing and Jonathon McCurley as Partnerships Executive — roles designed to support the company’s push toward a full-stack operating system for event organizers.
Chan brings 15 years of experience leading brand and growth strategies at Canadian scaleups, including Benevity. She helped shape high-impact conference programs and community-driven brand initiatives involving global names like Microsoft, Atlassian, Okta, and Levi’s. She now aims to help position Showpass as Calgary’s next homegrown unicorn.
McCurley joins with more than two decades of partnership development experience across the U.S. live events sector — from arenas and rodeos to cultural festivals and large-scale seasonal attractions. He will focus on deepening relationships with organizers and supporting adoption of Showpass’s next-generation tools.
“Linda’s leadership and brand expertise come at an exciting time for Showpass as we scale,” says McCarthy. “Jonathon’s deep understanding of the live events space makes him a trusted voice for organizers. Together, they’ll help us tell our story, build our ecosystem, and stay connected to the people who make live experiences possible.”
The appointments follow the addition of Chief Strategy Officer Brian Arnone earlier this year, reinforcing Showpass’s ambition to build a connected, end-to-end platform for the global events industry — with Calgary as its launchpad.
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