FounderFuel
AcceleratorMontreal · Pre-Seed–Seed · 2 people tracked
Investment thesis
FounderFuel runs a 16-week accelerator built around five pillars—Leadership, Narrative, Learning, Networks, and Execution—to develop both the skills and mindsets of early-stage founders. It invests C$120K per company (a C$100K SAFE plus a C$20K equity investment for 5% in founder shares) and works with companies across all sectors that use technology, particularly software and data, to build new business models in large markets. Hardware is considered when paired with a software or data component. The program targets pre-seed and seed-stage teams with a functioning product and early traction, offering mentorship, coaching, and access to the networks of Real Ventures, Panache Ventures, and Inovia Capital ahead of raising their first institutional round.
Source: firm website, verified Aug 7, 2026.
Team · 2 people
from the firm's website & public directoriesFounder mafia
3 people who came through FounderFuel went on to found or lead other companies.
What they invest in
from 41 of 81 portfolio companiesSaaS ×22AI & Machine Learning ×10Retail Tech ×8Consumer ×6Enterprise Software ×6E-commerce ×5Fintech ×5Hardware ×5
HQs:Canada×18United States×5
Portfolio companies · 81 tracked
alumni founders can tell you what the program is really likeAIM Colours makes a 1 mm battery-free film that laminates inside physical objects and accessories, allowing a single object to change to any colour with a tap.
Deep TechHardwareNew Materials
Apps bringing visibility, discoverability and monetization to web publishers; acquired by Unity Technologies in March 2014.
BenchSci provides a proprietary knowledge graph and curated biomedical dataset built from millions of research papers, patents, preprints, and databases, covering reagents such as antibodies, RNAi, CRISPR records, cell lines, and animal models.
AI & Machine LearningBiotechData & Infrastructure
Co-investorsAfore CapitalCreative Destruction Lab (CDL)F-Prime Capital PartnersGolden Venture PartnersGolden VenturesTwo Small Fish Ventures+1 more
Marketplace where employers find and test-drive top students and recent grads.
Same-day and scheduled deliveries for e-commerce merchants; acquired by GoBolt in May 2022.
Co-investorsCreative Destruction Lab (CDL)
Bus.com provides charter and transit transportation services for enterprise and government organizations across North America.
Climate TechEnterprise SoftwareMarketplacesMobility & TransportationMontreal, CA
Kyle Boulay(Cofounder, CEO)inWolf Kohlberg(Founder)in
Co-investorsBMW i VenturesJackson Square VenturesY Combinator
Platform connecting designers and developers with vetted clients; acquired.
Enkidoo offers two products: DOOSYNC, a data migration service for transferring historical data into new cloud point-of-sale (POS) systems for retailers, and SPOQUE.AI, a patented interactive AI solution for supply chain and enterprise systems.
AI & Machine LearningLogistics & Supply ChainRetail Tech
Fundmetric is an AI platform that connects siloed data and uses machine learning to help non-profit fundraising teams predict donor behavior, personalize outreach, and optimize the donor journey.
AI & Machine LearningData & InfrastructureSaaS
Co-investorsFront Row Ventures
GoBolt operates a supply chain network for merchants, providing warehousing, pick and pack, shipping, and last-mile delivery through a network of warehouses across North America and custom-built apps.
CleantechE-commerceLogistics & Supply Chain
Co-investorsIngka InvestmentsKensington Capital Partners LimitedPlaza VenturesWhitecap Venture PartnersParagon PartnersYaletown Partners
Guides is a publishing platform for creating, updating, and sharing instructional guides without a CMS or developer.
EdTechMedia & EntertainmentSaaS
Hello Darwin operates a platform and advisory service that helps businesses identify, prioritize, and apply for grants, tax credits, and government funding programs, with a strong focus on Quebec and broader Canadian programs.
Enterprise SoftwareFintechGovTechSaaS
Co-investorsTactico
Tools for web publishers to create interactive, mobile-friendly infographics with live data; acquired.
instaMek provides mobile auto repair, maintenance, and pre-purchase vehicle inspection services delivered at the customer's home or workplace by certified Red Seal mechanics.
ConsumerMarketplacesMobility & Transportation
Co-investorsEdmonton Unlimited
Co-investorsAvant Global LLCNomad Venture Partners, LlcThe CraftoryTinySeedWavemaker ImpactZenStone Venture Capital+1 more
Keatext offers a cloud-based, AI-powered text analytics platform that interprets customer and employee feedback using natural language understanding to help organizations improve the experience of the people they serve.
AI & Machine LearningEnterprise SoftwareSaaSMontreal, CA
Narjès Boufaden(Founder & CEO)Charles-Olivier Simard(Co-founder & CTO)
Co-investorsGood AI Capital
Co-investorsDiaspora Ventures
Co-investorsCompanyon VenturesPanache Ventures
Share and listen to friends' music for free; acquired.
Machine vision for bird deterrence.
LoginRadius provides a fully-managed customer identity and access management (CIAM) platform that handles authentication, social login, and identity management for enterprises, governments, and organizations.
CybersecurityEnterprise SoftwareSaaSVancouver, CA
Rakesh Soni(Founder)
Co-investorsForgePoint CapitalBDC Capital CorporationEdmonton UnlimitedM12 (Microsoft's Venture Fund)Verdex CapitalYaletown Partners
A retailer offering sustainably and ethically produced fine jewelry at accessible prices, designed for everyday wear and conscious consumption.
Co-investorsIncite.org
Mejuri is a jewelry brand that designs and sells fine jewelry directly to consumers, with a philanthropic program (the Empowerment Fund, purpose-driven products, and corporate giving) supporting women and underrepresented communities.
ConsumerDirect to ConsumerE-commerceRetail TechToronto, CA
Co-investorsCedar Mundi VenturesDASH VenturesImaginary Venture CapitalIncite.org
Mosaic manufactures automated FFF 3D printing systems that enable on-demand production of polymer parts at scale for manufacturers.
Advanced ManufacturingAI & Machine LearningHardwareToronto, CA
Mitch Debora(Founder)in
Co-investorsTechstars
Kickflip (MyCustomizer) is a no-code product customizer app that lets brands add real-time visual product configurators with conditional logic, pricing, and inventory management to their online stores.
E-commerceRetail TechSaaS
NameShouts is a name pronunciation tool that provides audio and phonetic pronunciations for names across 22+ languages, with features like slow-motion playback, saved lists, priority name requests, and integrations via plug-ins and extensions.
ConsumerSaaS
Nectar builds software and data tools for migratory and commercial beekeepers, including a traceability system that generates operation-specific best management practices from hive data.
AgTechAI & Machine LearningIoTSaaSMontreal, CA
Marc-André Roberge(Co-Founder & CEO)
Co-investorsTall Grass VenturesGV (Google Ventures)MenloMenlo VenturesTrue Ventures
Now In Store builds productivity apps for online stores, including Foldsquare, which generates print-ready PDF catalogs and line sheets from product data, and Flook, which turns any PDF into an interactive, shoppable flipbook.
E-commerceRetail TechSaaS
Hardware company (OSCP) backed by FounderFuel.
Opencare operates a curated network of vetted dentists across North America that helps patients find and access quality dental care.
B2B MarketplacesHealthtechMarketplaces
Cameron Howieson(Founder)in
Co-investors8VCAcequia Capital (AceCap)Collaborative FundGraph VenturesInovia Capital
Monitoring email and cloud files for compliance risk with automatic tagging.
Co-investorsSilicon Catalyst
Paper provides personalized academic support services to K-12 schools, including tutoring, 24/7 support, and after-school enrichment programs designed to build student confidence and academic skills.
EdTech
Philip Cutler(Founder & CEO)
Co-investorsBirchmere VenturesBullpen CapitalFramework Venture PartnersIVP (Institutional Venture Partners)Sapphire VenturesSoftBank Vision Fund+1 more
Pelcro is a subscription and membership management platform that handles recurring billing, paywalls, member data, access control, e-commerce, and donation processing, with AI tools built into its workflows.
FintechMedia & EntertainmentSaaS
Co-investorsFront Row Ventures
Periodic is a white-label booking and scheduling platform for businesses with multiple locations, service types, and resources, letting them run branded booking sites on their own domain.
Enterprise SoftwareSaaSBloomington, US
Brad Wisler(Executive Officer, Director)Michael Trotzke(Director)Nealesh Patel(Director)
Co-investorsElevate Ventures
Prospecer is a cloud-based platform for interior designers to create, track, and manage project specifications, schedules, and contract documents for finishes, lighting, furniture, and other project elements.
Construction TechPropTechSaaS
QuoteMachine is a sales, invoicing, and order management platform built for retail businesses.
Retail TechSaaSSales Tech
Co-investorsClocktower VenturesManresa VenturesPrecursor VenturesTelegraph Hill Capital
Ready Education provides a campus experience platform for higher education institutions that integrates academic and co-curricular learning experiences to enhance student community and retention.
ConsumerEdTechFuture of WorkSaaSSocialMontreal, CA
Danial Jameel(Founder/CEO)inAlice Dinu(Founder)inJames Dang(Founder)in
Co-investorsFundersClubGoAhead VenturesLevel EquityY Combinator
reelyActive builds open source IoT and Real-Time Location System (RTLS) middleware, including Pareto Anywhere, that captures data about who and what is present in physical spaces and delivers a usable data stream running at the edge, locally, or in the cloud.
Data & InfrastructureHardwareIoT
Roll lets people play board games with friends from a phone or browser by sharing a link to join a game.
ConsumerGamingSocial
Smart data targeting for efficient social media advertising.
SnapWrite is an AI merchandising platform that connects to a company's existing systems (ERPs, PIMs, PLMs, spreadsheets) to collect, clean, structure, and enrich product data, then automatically publishes it across sales channels and AI discovery engines.
AI & Machine LearningE-commerceRetail Tech
Sonder operates a hospitality platform offering managed short-term rental accommodations across multiple cities globally, combining contemporary design with technology-enabled services for guests.
MarketplacesPropTechTravel & HospitalitySan Francisco, US
Francis Davidson(Co-Founder & CEO (2014–2025))inMartin Picard(Co-Founder)Lucas Pellan(Co-Founder)Sanjay Banker(President & Chief Financial Officer)Satyen Pandya(Chief Technology Officer)Daniel Cornwell(Interim Co-CEO (from June 2025))
Co-investorsAkkadian VenturesAlate PartnersBDC Venture CapitalBlackbird VenturesGreylock PartnersReshape+4 more
Integrating hotel and apartment booking into web/app platforms.
Transit is a public transit app that helps people navigate cities using buses, trains, bikes, and walking instead of cars.
AI & Machine LearningConsumerMobility & TransportationSaaSMontreal, CA
Sam Vermette(Co-founder & CEO)Guillaume Campagna(Co-founder & CTO)Jake Sion(Chief Operating Officer)David Block-Schachter(Chief Business Officer)
Co-investorsAlliance Ventures
Unity is a cross-platform real-time development engine and creation platform used by content creators and developers to build games and interactive experiences for mobile, PC, console, and extended reality (XR) devices.
Creator EconomyDeveloper ToolsEnterprise SoftwareGamingSan Francisco, US
Matthew Bromberg(Chief Executive Officer and President)
Co-investorsEdge VCEQUIAMEvolution VC PartnersGP BullhoundiGlobe PartnersInterlace Ventures+12 more
Personalized skincare solutions website.
AI & Machine LearningBiotechData & InfrastructureDeep TechHealthtechMontréal, CA
Co-investorsAir Street CapitalAmplify CapitalBrightspark VenturesFront Row VenturesPanache VenturesTechstars+1 more
Vish provides salon color management software paired with a smart Bluetooth scale that lets stylists measure and record color formulas to the tenth of a gram, track inventory, and adjust pricing.
HardwareRetail TechSaaS
Wavo provides software and managed marketing services for music marketers, offering music business intelligence and data-driven artist marketing tools.
Marketing TechMedia & EntertainmentSaaS
Willful operates an online estate planning platform that guides individuals through creating legally valid wills and power of attorney documents.
FintechLegalTechSaaS
Erin Bury(Co-founder & CEO)inKevin Oulds(Co-founder & Head of Research and Innovation)inJulia Wilkie(Head of Customer Experience and Operations)inChris Long(Head of Product)in
Co-investorsBackbone AngelsMaRS Investment Accelerator Fund (IAF)TacticoMaRS
KAMPI is an app and platform that uses machine learning and AI to turn shrimp farmers' daily records into recommendations for managing biomass, biological and environmental parameters, feeding, and profitability across the harvest cycle.
AgTechAI & Machine LearningFoodTech
Co-investorsAqua SparkDesigner Fund
Zeffy operates a 100% free, all-in-one fundraising and donor management platform for nonprofits and charities, offering tools such as donation collection and volunteer management.
FintechImpact & Social GoodSaaS
François(Co-founder)Thibaut(Co-founder)
Co-investorsMAINRing CapitalPanache Ventures
Exits · 1
IPOs and acquisitions across the tracked portfolioValence Discoveryacq. by Recursion
Portfolio news
latest coverage across their companies
Transit · kqed.org · Aug 18, 2026
Zeffy · rallyup.com · Jul 24, 2026
Bus.com · chad.co.uk · Jul 19, 2026
Unity · marketscale.com · Jul 18, 2026
Sonder · singletrackworld.com · Jul 16, 2026
Nectar · demandgenreport.com · Jun 2, 2026
Paper · finsmes.com · May 7, 2026
Wavo · wavo.fr · Mar 25, 2026
Frequently asked questions
- How many investments has FounderFuel made?
- FounderFuel has 81 tracked investments, 1 of which have exited via acquisition or IPO.
- What stage does FounderFuel invest at?
- FounderFuel invests at the Pre-Seed, Seed stages.
- What is FounderFuel's typical check size?
- FounderFuel typically writes checks of $88K.
- What sectors does FounderFuel focus on?
- FounderFuel focuses on AI & Machine Learning, Data & Infrastructure, EdTech, Fintech, Hardware, SaaS, Sector Agnostic.
- Where is FounderFuel located?
- FounderFuel is headquartered in Montreal, CA.
- Does FounderFuel lead rounds?
- FounderFuel typically participates in rounds rather than leading them.
- Who does FounderFuel co-invest with?
- FounderFuel most often shares deals with Front Row Ventures, Tactico, Techstars, among 87 tracked co-investors.
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