Founder Funder Cup
Innovation Bay’s End-of-Year Pickleball, BBQ & Community Gathering
Join Innovation Bay and Gilbert + Tobin for an afternoon of pickleball, BBQ, drinks and networking with tech founders and investors.
When: Wednesday, 25 November 2026 | 1–5 PM
Where: Pro Pickle, Waterloo, Sydney
Who: Tech founders, VCs and angel investors
Tickets: Play in the two-person tournament (all skill levels welcome, 50 spots) or join for casual pickleball, BBQ and drinks.
Important: Tournament players must arrive by 1 PM sharp.
Spaces are limited, registration is subject to approval, and eligible plus-ones are welcome.
One last chance to bring the community together before everyone disappears for summer. This time, we’re settling things on the pickleball court.
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More information:
Brining together founders, VCs and angel investors from across the Innovation Bay community to close out 2026 with pickleball, a BBQ, drinks and good conversation.
Whether you want to compete in the tournament or just come along for some casual pickleball, BBQ and drinks, we’d love to have you there.
The Founder Funder Cup Tournament
The afternoon will kick off with a two-person team pickleball tournament, with structured teams and a proper competition to determine who takes home the inaugural Founder Funder Cup.
You don’t need any previous pickleball experience to enter. We’ll have players of all levels taking part.
If you register for the tournament, you must be at the venue by 1:00 PM sharp. This will allow us to confirm teams and get the competition underway on time. When registering, please select the I’m here to play ticket. There is a limit of 50 spaces, so get in soon!
If the tournament isn’t for you, register for the I’m here to eat drink and be merry ticket and join us for the afternoon without competing.
What to expect
A curated and professionally run pickleball tournament for players of all levels
Casual pickleball throughout the afternoon
BBQ and drinks
Plenty of time to catch up with the Innovation Bay community and meet new founders and investors
Good conversation with the people building and backing technology companies
No panels. No long presentations. No pitch decks.
Who’s it for?
This is an Innovation Bay community event for tech founders, VCs and angel investors.
Members are welcome to bring a plus-one, provided they are also a tech founder or tech investor. Spaces are limited so there will be a wait list, watch for approval of your registration request. We’re aiming for a 50:50 mix of founders and investors.
Event details
Wednesday, 25 November 2026
1:00 PM – 5:00 PM AEDT
Pro Pickle, Waterloo, Sydney
17B Botany Road, Waterloo NSW 2017
Registration
Please select the registration option that best suits you:
I’m here to play ticket – Enter the Founder Funder Cup as an individual and we’ll pair you with another player to form a two-person team for the competition. If you have a partner in mind we can make that work on the day!
I’m here to eat drink and be merry ticket – Join us for the afternoon without entering the tournament. Have a casual hit, enjoy the BBQ and drinks, and spend time with the community.
Tournament players must arrive by 1:00 PM sharp.
If you have any questions, please reach out to your Community Manager. We look forward to bringing everyone together for one final Innovation Bay community event for 2026.