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MOTIVATION TORONTO ORIGINALS
Founder feature
After discovering painting during the pandemic, the founder of Tote and Paint began bringing brushes, colour and a chance to slow down into workplaces and community spaces.
OUR FIRST ORIGINAL FEATURE
Our first original founder feature is on its way.
MEET THE FOUNDERS ON FILM ↗Toronto founders are building AI for home services and expanding mobile commerce, while entertainment reshapes the city’s retail spaces. This week brings technology investors together, celebrates local artists and gives residents a chance to vote ahead of the October 26 election.
Curated as of . Selected recent stories, not a live feed. Funding figures and company performance claims are attributed to their sources. Event schedules can change; follow organizer links for current details.
Fresh Toronto and Canadian technology news with claims clearly attributed and linked.
The Toronto startup emerged from stealth with $6.3 million USD in previously unannounced seed funding. Its software helps warranty businesses handle claims, with decisions outside established rules escalated for human review.
The federal government announced up to $162 million over five years for Mitacs AI Advantage. The program will connect students, recent graduates and postdoctoral fellows with Canadian businesses adopting and developing AI.
The Toronto mobile-commerce platform acquired Kin’s technology, intellectual property and customers. The purchase price was not disclosed; the company is maintaining Kin as a separate product for now.
The Ontario Brain Institute selected five entrepreneurs for its 2026 NERVE cohort. Each receives $100,000 in non-dilutive funding and 12 months of commercialization support.
The Toronto company says its inaugural Yard of the Future Summit brought together more than 100 supply-chain leaders and included a live demonstration of gate automation at a Loblaw distribution centre.
Investment, company building and the pressures shaping Toronto business.
Retail Insider examines how shopping centres are repurposing former department stores for play, food and events. At Toronto’s Sherway Gardens, a roughly 34,000-square-foot Splitsville bowling venue is expected in fall 2027.
EB Games says a permanent 1,500-square-foot Nintendo space will open at 267 Yonge Street on October 17 at 10 a.m., with playable demos, merchandise and photo opportunities. It is an announced opening, not yet open.
The GTA-headquartered fibre provider announced a $105 million structured investment and a $110 million credit-facility increase to support expansion into Burlington, Brampton and Mississauga.
Toronto housing, civic participation, culture and public space.
The City has introduced pre-approved designs intended to make multiplex planning and permit preparation easier. Property owners still need to check site conditions, applicable requirements and the City’s approval process.
The Frankfort Family Reena Residence includes accessible, rent-geared-to-income homes for people with developmental and physical disabilities, including seniors and older adults.
Tenfold brings Akin Dupont artists together at Remote Gallery from October 8–10. The opening reception runs Thursday from 6–9 p.m., followed by Friday and Saturday gallery hours.
Toronto Fire Services’ 2026 campaign focuses on safe charging practices for lithium-ion batteries. Follow the City’s guidance on charging, storage and disposal of devices and batteries.
Eligible Toronto voters can vote October 6–11 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Kids Vote Weekend runs October 10–11, giving young people a chance to learn how voting works. Use MyVote to find your voting place.
Conversations that bring Toronto founders, builders and creative people into the same room.
Motivation Toronto founder Abrham Bisrat moderated a Toronto panel with Angella Fajardo on building a startup in the age of AI. Hosted by Ella Events, the conversation featured Litespace co-founders Jack Lau and Zeeshan Shahid sharing practical lessons on HRTech, entrepreneurship and building through a fast-moving technology cycle.
The room brought together professionals, artists and entrepreneurs for an evening of thoughtful conversation and new connections. Stay tuned for the next Motivation Toronto event.
Honest conversations with the people turning ideas into companies, communities and momentum.
VISIT THE YOUTUBE CHANNEL ↗
04:12A founder conversation from Startupfest about the idea, the mission and what it takes to bring a new platform into the world.
WATCH THE STORY ↗
06:38A conversation recorded in the middle of Toronto’s technology community.
WATCH THE STORY ↗
03:57A practical lesson for founders trying to find customers before momentum runs out.
WATCH THE STORY ↗October 7–12 · Thanksgiving week. Details checked October 7. Follow organizer links for registration, availability and accessibility.
Festival archive · September 22–24, 2026. What changed, what is driving the conversation, and what remains in progress.
Organizers unveiled the new name at the opening of the Toronto conference. The Canadian Press reports that the nonprofit and annual festival will both use Nrth, with plans for more frequent events beginning in 2027. This is a change in brand and programming mandate, not a sale or change of ownership.
On-site coverage identifies Canadian control of technology, infrastructure, capital, defence and payments as a defining festival theme. Nrth CEO Lisa Zarzeczny says sovereignty now runs across every content track alongside AI.
The announced speaker mix includes leaders from Cohere, Reddit, Coinbase, OpenTable, Bumble, Xanadu and Clio, alongside former Raptor Kyle Lowry and investor Arlene Dickinson. Speaker appearances and schedule changes remain subject to the organizer’s live program.
Six Brampton technology companies are scheduled to pitch on the final afternoon, including travel-planning startup Cotriply. This is a founder showcase; no winner or investment result was public at our cutoff.
Tangerine’s competition accepted pitches from eligible Ontario businesses at the festival on September 22 and 23. Its rules schedule the winner announcement for September 24 at Meridian Hall; we will not name a winner until a result is publicly confirmed.
Coverage note: the festival’s official site now uses the Nrth name. Older event pages and third-party listings may still say Elevate. We use “Elevate / Nrth” where that helps readers follow the transition.
Every founder's journey runs on a line. Ours just happens to run through Toronto.
Three formats. One goal: get past the pitch and into how it actually happened.
Long-form dinner conversations with the people building Toronto's next generation of companies.
Quick, unscripted interviews shot in the neighbourhood coffee shops where the real talk happens.
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