Winnipeg-based Activate Games Inc., the creator of the world’s first live-action gaming experience, recently doubled its debt financing facilities to $72 million in partnership with Export Development Canada (EDC) and RBC Royal Bank.
The expanded facilities fuel Activate’s next phase of growth across North America, Europe, and Asia, providing a clear path to 100 locations in 12 countries by 2027, the company said.
Activate explained that it operates a scalable, technology-enabled active entertainment platform that combines physical gameplay with proprietary software, data tracking, and recurring Player engagement. The company continues to see strong unit-level performance, repeat visitation, and expanding global demand.
Following recent market entries in France, Mexico and Finland, and three additional locations in London, Activate’s global expansion continues with first sites planned in Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Malaysia, Norway and Austria, marking an important next phase of international growth and bringing the company’s active gaming experience to new audiences worldwide.
“Activate was designed to scale globally,” said Adam Schmidt, Founder and CEO of Activate. “We’ve built a capital-efficient model supported by proprietary technology and strong Player retention. This financing positions us to accelerate development in priority markets while maintaining disciplined execution.”
The $72 million in total credit facilities support Activate’s upcoming corporate openings in Miami, Las Vegas, Jacksonville, Ottawa and Montreal.
“These expanded facilities provide the financial flexibility to execute our growth strategy with speed and prudence,” said Dan Haroun, CFO of Activate. “Doubling our credit capacity reflects lender confidence in our operating performance, development pipeline, and long-term expansion plan.”
“EDC is proud to continue supporting Activate as it scales and showcases Canadian innovation at the intersection of digital technologies and entertainment – areas where Canada has significant strengths,” said Guillermo Freire, Senior Vice-President, Mid-Market Group, Export Development Canada.
“Through our financing and broader suite of support, we’re helping high-potential Canadian companies like Activate build resilience and advance their growth.”
Recently, the company opened locations near Oslo, Norway in the Snøbyen district and the Nordstan Shopping Centre in Gothenburg, Sweden, following the debut of its first Nordic location in Helsinki, Finland last month.
“We built Activate to create a global gaming network that brings people together through play,” said Schmidt. “Thanks to our partnership with Realinvest, we’re delivering a next-generation interactive entertainment experience unlike anything else in the region. We’re proud to welcome Sweden and Norway into the growing global Activate community.”
Today, Activate operates more than 70 locations worldwide and is on track to open 30 additional locations in 2026, including five new locations with Realinvest across the Nordic region, with openings planned in Stockholm (SWE), Copenhagen (DNK) and Burgan (NOR).
Its first location opened in Winnipeg in 2019.
“Activate is an immersive entertainment experience where you are partnering or competing with friends to complete challenges and pass levels and win the game, essentially,” said Haroun.
“It’s a technology-driven entertainment business that allows individuals to move from room to room, competing and completing different challenges that are both physical and mental in nature.”
There are more than 40 locations in the U.S.
Haroun said Activate locations range between 9,000 square feet and 12,000 square feet. There are a couple locations a little bit bigger and smaller.
“You’ll walk in, you’ll be greeted by our team. You’ll be given a wristband to scan in. You have an account that will stay with you for that visit, but also when you come back and repeat,” he said. “So it’s really about a replayable experience where you will partner with two to five people to scan into different rooms and compete in challenges. We have some challenges and games that are sports-inspired. We have a viral grid floor that’s gone viral on TikTok many times. A laser game where you feel like you’re a ninja dodging lasers to complete challenges.
“So we have 12 unique rooms, with more innovation to come, that really allow a guest to come in and have an exhilarating experience with friends, with family, and come back again and pick up right where you left off, but do it in a physical way.”
When looking for locations, the company looks for good, easy access for our customers.
“We have demographics that we study. We look at traffic patterns, we look at the co-tenants around us. Obviously the size — there’s all sorts of complexity with fitting the game rooms appropriately. But we really look for retail areas that are busy and easily accessible for our guests,” added Haroun.
“With this recently announced expansion in our financing with EDC and RBC, we’re going to continue to be expanding our corporate locations. We’ve got locations coming up that we’re evaluating in the California market. We’ve got sites under construction in Miami, in Vegas, Jacksonville.
“We’ll also be entering the Ottawa market, as well as our first location in Quebec as well. So that’s what’s planned from a financing perspective.
Globally, we continue to expand. We’ve got planned expansion in Malaysia, Germany, Austria. And so we continue to see the product and the global community growing and resonating really well as we enter new markets.”
Haroun said consumers are more and more looking for a great reason to get together and connect.
“What Activate allows people to do is get off the screens, get off the couch, get out of the house, bring people together, and have a memorable experience together. And that’s really what Activate is doing — meeting that consumer need for an innovative experience. We continue to believe that that shift is a tailwind that we will continue to benefit from, and we’re really set up to meet the moment.”
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