Brickhouse Ventures

What Brickhouse Ventures does

Brickhouse Ventures Inc. is a privately held, Vancouver-based venture advisory and investment firm that consults, advises, and invests in early-stage sports and entertainment media and technology companies. Founded circa 2020 and operated with 1–10 employees under principal Matt Hoffar, the firm positions itself within a narrow vertical, providing equity capital, strategic advisory, board representation, and access to its principal's network across basketball, boxing, and entertainment media. Its stated geographic focus is Canada and the United States, and its disclosed operations are centered on three portfolio/advisee entities: Empire Boxing Promotions (a B.C.-based pro boxing promoter running the Takeover and RELOADED event series at Western Canadian casinos), Unlearning Network (a Vancouver podcast production company producing Hoop Dreams The Podcast with Will Gates and Arthur Agee, distributed on REVOLT, Apple, Spotify, and YouTube, plus the Empire Boxing Podcast with Jana Finkbiner), and HooperIQ (a basketball technology app founded by Marek Klassen, on whose advisory board Hoffar sits).

The firm does not operate a proprietary technology platform, API, or AI product; its underlying 'technology' is its principal-led relationship network, content assets (podcasts, live boxing events), and earned-media positioning across niche sports-culture outlets. Its business model rests on two disclosed revenue streams: investment returns from equity stakes in portfolio companies and consulting/advisory fees from engagements such as board advisory work. Pricing, fee schedules, fund size, AUM, and revenue are not publicly disclosed; the only documented capital event is a January 2023 SEC Form D exempt offering of approximately USD 24,291 filed by a related British Columbia entity, indicating private placement activity at very small scale rather than an institutional fund structure. Distribution and deal sourcing are conducted through direct principal-led outreach, the firm's Brickhouse Intel blog, portfolio-company podcasts, and earned-media coverage in outlets including SLAM Magazine, WBEZ, and Daily Hive.

Name

Brickhouse Ventures

Legal name

Brickhouse Ventures Inc.

Website

https://brickhouse.ventures

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Brickhouse Ventures is a Vancouver-based venture advisory and investment firm that consults, advises, and takes equity stakes in early-stage sports and entertainment media and technology companies across Canada and the United States, with portfolio holdings in pro boxing promotions, podcast production, and basketball technology.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Venture Capital & Advisory

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (52394), Other Financial Vehicles (525990)

SIC

Miscellaneous Business Credit Institution (6159)

akta.pro primary industry

Sector-Focused Venture Capital (Vertical Specialists) (FSANAAAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Capital Raising Advisory (Debt/Equity/Private Capital) (BPAHADAG)

Keywords

• Venture capital services
• Sports media investing
• Advisory consulting
• Early-stage investment
• Entertainment media

Headquarters

HQ city

Vancouver

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Investment returns from portfolio companies: Equity stakes in portfolio companies (e.g., Empire Boxing Promotions, Unlearning Network) generate returns through capital appreciation and/or exits.
2. Consulting and advisory fees: Engagements providing consulting and advisory services to early-stage sports and entertainment media and technology companies (e.g., advisory board services such as Matt Hoffar's role at HooperIQ).

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Brickhouse Ventures Inc. is a venture advisory firm that consults, advises, and invests equity capital in early-stage sports and entertainment media and technology companies. It operates portfolio activities including professional boxing promotion (Empire Boxing Promotions) and podcast production through the Unlearning Network (Hoop Dreams The Podcast, Empire Boxing Podcast), and provides advisory board services to sports-tech companies such as HooperIQ.

Product overview

Brickhouse Ventures is a single firm offering consulting, advisory and investment services to early-stage sports and entertainment media and technology companies, rather than a multi-module software platform. Its product offering centers on advisory/investment activity plus its portfolio companies: Empire Boxing Promotions, a professional boxing promotion company running live event series (Takeover 2, Takeover 3, RELOADED, The TAKEOVER) in British Columbia, Canada; and the Unlearning Network, a Vancouver-based podcast production company whose products include Hoop Dreams The Podcast and the Empire Boxing Podcast (the latter produced in collaboration with Empire Boxing Promotions). Brickhouse also maintains an advisory relationship with HooperIQ, a basketball technology app. Brickhouse Ventures itself does not expose a public software product, API or AI capability through its website.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Brickhouse Intel: News and intel section on the Brickhouse Ventures website covering portfolio company updates and industry news.

Products and services

• Brickhouse Ventures Advisory & Investment Services Consulting, advisory, and equity investment services for founders of early-stage sports and entertainment media and technology companies in Canada and the United States, including advisory board engagements (e.g., Matt Hoffar's advisory role at HooperIQ) and equity stakes in portfolio companies.
• Empire Boxing Promotions (portfolio company) Portfolio company of Brickhouse Ventures that produces live professional boxing events in British Columbia, Canada, including the Takeover series (The TAKEOVER, Takeover 2, Takeover 3) and RELOADED at venues such as Grand Villa Casino in Burnaby and River Rock Casino in Richmond, featuring professional boxers from across Canada.
• Unlearning Network Podcast Production

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and flagship portfolio company.

• SLAM MagazineminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 September 2024SLAM Magazine featured Hoop Dreams-related content for the documentary's 30th Anniversary in its September 2024 issue, with Brickhouse-associated podcast content tied to the same coverage.
• Project BackboardminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 September 2024Project Backboard partnered with SLAM Magazine on a refurbished basketball court at Garfield Park on the West Side of Chicago honouring the 30th Anniversary of Hoop Dreams; coverage also featured Brickhouse-associated podcast principals.
• HooperIQminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2024Brickhouse Ventures' Matt Hoffar joined the Advisory Board of HooperIQ, a basketball technology app founded by pro basketball player Marek Klassen.
• REVOLT Podcast NetworkcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 September 2023The Agee & Gates Hoop Dreams Podcast joined the REVOLT Podcast Network for the launch of Season 3; subsequent seasons are distributed across REVOLT, Apple, Spotify and YouTube.
• STING Sports CanadaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2023STING Sports Canada became the official boxing glove and equipment provider to Empire Boxing (a Brickhouse portfolio company) for 2023, supplying gloves and equipment for Empire Boxing events.
• Unlearning Networkflagship portfolio companyStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2021Unlearning Network is a Brickhouse portfolio company based in Vancouver. It produces Hoop Dreams The Podcast (featuring Will Gates and Arthur Agee) and co-produced the Empire Boxing Podcast with Empire Boxing Promotions.
• Empire Boxing Promotionsflagship portfolio companyStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmpire Boxing Promotions is a Brickhouse portfolio company producing live professional boxing events (The Takeover, Reloaded, Takeover 2, Takeover 3) at venues such as Grand Villa Casino (Burnaby) and River Rock Casino (Richmond, B.C.), and co-produces podcasts with the Unlearning Network.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves2 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• BITKRAFT Ventures: Global early-stage investment platform focused on gaming, esports, and interactive entertainment — closely comparable to Brickhouse's sports/entertainment media/tech thesis, with deeper specialization in gaming/esports that overlaps with Brickhouse's e-sports investment mandate. Differentiated by global footprint and significantly larger fund sizes.
• Lightship Capital: Early-stage venture firm investing in media, entertainment, and culture — comparable to Brickhouse on the entertainment-media side of the thesis, with overlapping content/community-driven investment theses and a similar early-stage mandate.
• KB Partners: Growth-equity firm specializing in sports, media, and entertainment — comparable to Brickhouse in vertical focus and operator-led value-add model, though at a later growth stage and significantly larger check size. Useful as a downstream investor profile for Brickhouse portfolio maturation.
• Courtside Ventures: Early-stage venture firm investing in sports, media, and consumer technology — directly comparable to Brickhouse in vertical focus (sports + media + tech), stage (early-stage/seed), and operating model (high-touch founder support). Differentiated from Brickhouse primarily by AUM scale and US-centric footprint.
• Elysian Park Ventures: Sports technology venture firm backed by the ownership group of the LA Dodgers, investing across sports-tech, media, and consumer — directly comparable to Brickhouse in vertical focus (sports tech/media) and stage (early-stage), with deeper strategic ties to professional sports franchises.
• Sweet Capital: Early-stage venture fund focused on sports, media, and consumer — closely comparable to Brickhouse in vertical focus and stage, with a portfolio that includes athlete-founded and creator-led companies similar to Brickhouse's HooperIQ and Unlearning Network exposure.
• Drive by DraftKings (DraftKings Ventures): Corporate venture arm of DraftKings investing in sports-tech, media, and entertainment startups — directly comparable to Brickhouse's sports-tech investment focus, with the strategic advantage of distribution access through DraftKings' platform. Differentiated by corporate-strategic positioning versus Brickhouse's independent advisory model.

Broad incumbents

• The Chernin Group: Multi-stage media and technology investment platform with holdings across sports, digital media, and consumer — operates as a broad incumbent in the same sports/media/tech space Brickhouse targets at the early stage. Comparability is in vertical and operating expertise, not deal size or stage.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Brickhouse Ventures