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BRAMPTON, Ontario, June 12, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On June 11th Altitude Accelerator and Brampton Angels hosted the inaugural Founders and Funders: Where Innovation Meets Investment, a high-impact, one-day event designed to spark meaningful connections and collaboration to fuel Canada's next wave of innovation.
This landmark event was made possible through the City of Brampton's leadership and partnership, serving not only as the host city but as a committed champion of the region's innovation economy. Brampton continues to position itself as a thriving hub for tech, entrepreneurship, and investment-and Founders & Funders exemplifies this vision in action.
Award Recipients:
Thank you to our sponsors, Pallet Valo, MNP, Smart & Biggar, Preference Capital and YMedia for their ongoing support and contribution to supporting the innovation community. These sponsors have been invaluable as judges for the pitch competition as well as contributors to the grand prize.
- Over 50 startups applied to the First Look Pitch Competition, and we are pleased to announce Jeff Skinner, CEO and his company, stoked bio as the first prize winner. Stoked bio uses advanced AI and high-throughput biology to rapidly discover and design new drugs for urgent clinical needs targeting bacterial, fungal, viral infections and high-need oncology applications to deliver effective treatments faster and more affordably. Stoked bio will receive $30,000 in prizes--cash and in-kind services from Smart & Biggar, Pallet Valo, MNP and Preference Capital.
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From Left: Councillor Gurpartap Singh Toor, Mayor Patrick Brown and First Look Competition winner, Jeff Skinner, CEO stoked bio
Mayor Patrick Brown Innovation Award recipients:
- Founder of the Year Award: Brad Schmidt, CEO of Panaxium-a Brampton Angels portfolio company-is recognized for his leadership in advancing bioelectronic medicine. Panaxium develops precision neuromodulation therapies aimed at dramatically improving recovery outcomes for patients with stroke and traumatic brain injuries.
- Funder of the Year Award: Paul Lishman, investor with Brampton Angels, is recognized for his strong support for startup founders and stands out as the leading funding contributor to the Brampton Angels portfolio of companies.
- Angel Contributor of the Year Award: Andrew Opala, Chairman of the Board at Altitude Accelerator, and Managing Partner of Preference Capital is recognized for his outstanding commitment and impact. His strategic guidance, development of valuable partnerships, and introductions to high-potential startups have strengthened both Altitude Accelerator and Brampton Angels.
From left: Jeff Skinner, CEO, stoked bio; Andrew Opala, Managing Partner, Preference Capital; Paul Lishman, Investor; Brad Schmidt, CEO Panaxium
Quote:
"Our intention with Founders & Funders, our inaugural event, was to create a rare opportunity for early-stage companies to gain direct access to angel investors. Altitude Accelerator and Brampton Angels bring together the resources, network, and investors to support founders' need to succeed. Events like this are designed to connect exceptional innovations with the capital needed to scale. We're proud of the vibrant, supportive, and growing community we've built-every member is deeply committed to investing in and advancing this diverse ecosystem.”
~Pam Banks, Executive Director, Altitude Accelerator and Brampton Angels.
Altitude Accelerator Announces NEW Investment Fund:
Pam Banks, Executive Director, announced the launch of a new special purpose vehicle (SPV) designed to unite smaller investments from multiple investors into a single fund supporting promising innovations.
Altitude Accelerator identified a significant need for early-stage investment in the Western GTA. This SPV structure enables a broader range of accredited, qualified, and crowdfunding investors to participate with smaller amounts, lowering both risk and financial barriers. In turn, this helps raise critical early-stage capital for startups while giving new investors valuable exposure and experience.
Altitude Accelerator has partnered with Preference Capital to establish the SPV and manage tax reporting. By pooling resources, investors can diversify across multiple startups rather than concentrating funds in a single company. With leading Ontario venture capital groups guiding these investments, participants benefit from a professional, transparent process and gain the knowledge to become more effective investors in the future.
Quote:
"Our mission at Preference Capital is to open the door for new investors by lowering the barrier to entry. By pooling capital into SPVs, we give every day accredited and qualified investors a front-row seat in professionally-led startup deals-diversifying risk and building real experience with every cheque.”
~Andrew Opala, Founder and Managing Partner, Preference Capital
About
Altitude Accelerator is a not-for-profit innovation hub and business incubator committed to commercializing impactful technology in Southern Ontario. Altitude Accelerator helps tech founders grow from idea to investment faster & smarter. Two forces-- Altitude + Brampton Angels--one path to scaling.
Headquartered in Brampton, Ontario's Innovation District, Altitude Accelerator was created through a partnership with the University of Toronto Mississauga, the Mississauga Board of Trade, and the Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation, & Trade. Altitude Accelerator is part of Ontario's Regional Innovation Centre Network.
Media Contact:
Pam Banks
Executive Director
Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1c143c1b-c5ea-44a6-9ba5-1d766aa1ce5e
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/24b63caf-1244-4982-ae07-669038f7f9ce
