Calgary-based Showpass has committed more than $10 million to support independent event entrepreneurs through Event Inkubator, a new accelerator combining access to financing, technology and business expertise.
The program targets established organizers with demonstrated audience demand who are ready to expand.
For those businesses, booking bigger acts, securing larger venues or entering new markets can require substantial spending before ticket revenue arrives.
“Once they’ve proven it works, the next challenge is figuring out how far they can take it,” said Lucas McCarthy, founder and CEO of Showpass.
Selected participants will gain access to growth capital through Showire, the company’s financing solution, subject to approval. The program also includes Showpass’s event technology, a private peer community, in-person executive meetups and dedicated support. Showpass says entrepreneurs will retain ownership of their businesses and audience relationships.
The initiative builds on a strategy Calgary.tech covered in April, when Showpass said it had invested more than $3 million into Canadian events over the preceding 30 days. That coverage highlighted the company’s expansion beyond ticketing into broader support for independent organizers.
Showpass has also been expanding its customer base. In September, Calgary.tech reported that the company had landed a FAN EXPO partnership spanning 13 North American cities, bringing its ticketing and event operations technology to a convention portfolio attracting more than one million fans annually.
Applications for Event Inkubator’s founding group are open through November 30, 2026, including to businesses that do not currently use Showpass. Virtual information sessions are scheduled for October 29 and November 19.
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