Toronto tech conference Elevate rebrands to Nrth, has plans to expand

John Ruffolo, right, the founder of Maverix Private Equity and OMERS Ventures, used an appearance at the Elevate tech conference in Toronto on Wednesday, October 8, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout - Elevate - Ferguson Media Collective (Mandatory Credit)

TORONTO — Toronto tech conference Elevate is getting a new name.

Organizers say they’re rebranding the annual festival and the non-profit that hosts it as Nrth.

They decided to change the name because they say the tech industry has transformed since Elevate’s conception a year ago and they want the event to evolve as well.

In addition to rebranding the three-day conference, organizers say they also have plans to host more frequent events starting in 2027.

They announced their future plans and the new name Wednesday evening at the opening of the conference, where former Toronto Raptor Kyle Lowry and “Dragon’s Den” star Arlene Dickinson were scheduled to speak.

Over the next two days, executives from Canadian artificial intelligence firm Cohere, social media platform Reddit, cryptocurrency business Coinbase and geography tool MapQuest are expected to appear.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 23, 2026.

Tara Deschamps, The Canadian Press