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Founder Fuel

Works to develop both the skills and mindsets of the founders shaping our future through game-changing technology.
Founder Fuel
Number of Employees
0 - 50
Headquarters
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Established
2011
Social Media
Summary

FounderFuel is a startup accelerator based in Montreal, Canada. The organization provides early-stage startups with mentorship, funding, and resources to help them grow and succeed. FounderFuel was founded in 2011 and has since invested in over 100 startups across a range of industries.

In addition to its investment and mentorship programs, FounderFuel also hosts community events and workshops to help startups connect with mentors, advisors, and other industry experts. The organization's goal is to help entrepreneurs build successful companies that have the potential to create positive change in the world.

FounderFuel's portfolio includes a diverse range of startups, from hospitality and travel booking apps to real estate technology and Internet of Things (IoT) data analytics platforms. Some notable startups in FounderFuel's portfolio include Sonder, Hopper, and Botpress.

History

Founded in 2011, FounderFuel is a Canadian startup accelerator based in Montreal, Quebec. The organization was created with the goal of helping entrepreneurs build successful companies by providing them with mentorship, funding, and resources.

FounderFuel was the first Canadian member of the Global Accelerator Network, a network of startup accelerators that provide startups with mentorship, funding, and resources to help them grow their businesses. The organization has helped launch over 100 startups, many of which have gone on to receive additional funding and achieve significant success.

In 2015, FounderFuel was acquired by Real Ventures, a Canadian venture capital firm. The acquisition allowed FounderFuel to expand its reach and resources, and to work more closely with Real Ventures to support the Canadian startup ecosystem.

FounderFuel's accelerator program typically lasts for 12 weeks and provides startups with access to mentorship, resources, and funding. The program is designed to help startups refine their business models, validate their ideas, and prepare for further investment. At the end of the program, startups participate in a demo day, where they showcase their businesses to investors and potential partners.

In addition to its accelerator program, FounderFuel also provides mentorship, networking opportunities, and resources to entrepreneurs through its community events and workshops. The organization is committed to supporting the growth and success of the Canadian startup ecosystem and has played an important role in helping to establish Montreal as a hub for tech startups.

Overall, FounderFuel has had a significant impact on the Canadian startup ecosystem and has helped launch several successful companies. Its focus on providing mentorship, resources, and funding to entrepreneurs has helped to support the growth of the Canadian startup ecosystem and has contributed to the success of many Canadian startups.

Investment criteria
  • Strong founding team: FounderFuel looks for startups with a strong founding team that has the necessary skills, experience, and vision to succeed. The organization places a strong emphasis on team dynamics and looks for teams that have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities.
  • Market potential: FounderFuel looks for startups that are addressing large, growing markets with significant potential for disruption. The organization is particularly interested in startups that are leveraging new technologies to create innovative products and services.
  • Scalability: FounderFuel invests in startups that have the potential to scale rapidly and achieve significant growth. The organization looks for startups with a clear path to revenue growth, and that has a business model that can be replicated and expanded.
  • Traction: FounderFuel looks for startups that have demonstrated traction, either through customer acquisition or revenue growth. The organization is particularly interested in startups that have a clear understanding of their customers and market, and that has developed a strong value proposition.
  • Coachability: FounderFuel invests in startups that are open to feedback and mentorship, and that are willing to work collaboratively with mentors and advisors to refine their business models and strategies.
Values
  • Strong founding team: FounderFuel looks for startups with a strong founding team that has the necessary skills, experience, and vision to succeed. The organization places a strong emphasis on team dynamics and looks for teams that have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities.
  • Market potential: FounderFuel looks for startups that are addressing large, growing markets with significant potential for disruption. The organization is particularly interested in startups that are leveraging new technologies to create innovative products and services.
  • Scalability: FounderFuel invests in startups that have the potential to scale rapidly and achieve significant growth. The organization looks for startups with a clear path to revenue growth, and that has a business model that can be replicated and expanded.
  • Traction: FounderFuel looks for startups that have demonstrated traction, either through customer acquisition or revenue growth. The organization is particularly interested in startups that have a clear understanding of their customers and market, and that has developed a strong value proposition.
  • Coachability: FounderFuel invests in startups that are open to feedback and mentorship, and that are willing to work collaboratively with mentors and advisors to refine their business models and strategies.
Mission

FounderFuel's mission statement is to "help entrepreneurs create world-changing companies." The organization is committed to supporting innovation and entrepreneurship and believes that startups have the potential to create positive change in the world.

To achieve its mission, FounderFuel provides startups with access to mentorship, funding, and resources. The organization's mentorship program is designed to help startups refine their business models, validate their ideas, and prepare for further investment. Through its funding program, FounderFuel provides startups with the capital they need to launch and grow their businesses.

Portfolio

FounderFuel is a Canadian startup accelerator that provides mentorship, funding, and resources to early-stage startups. Since its inception in 2011, FounderFuel has invested in more than 100 startups across a range of industries, including software, hardware, and consumer products.

Here are some examples of startups in FounderFuel's portfolio:

  • Sonder: A hospitality startup that provides fully-furnished apartments for short-term stays. Sonder has raised over $560 million in funding to date and has expanded to over 35 cities worldwide.
  • Botpress: An open-source conversational AI platform that allows businesses to build chatbots and virtual assistants. Botpress has raised $15 million in funding to date and has over 15,000 active developers using its platform.
  • Local Logic: A real estate technology startup that uses artificial intelligence to provide insights into neighbourhoods and cities. Local Logic has raised over $7 million in funding to date and works with real estate companies in North America and Europe.
  • Hopper: A travel booking app that uses artificial intelligence to predict and analyze airfare prices. Hopper has raised over $400 million in funding to date and has been downloaded over 50 million times.
  • Mnubo: An Internet of Things (IoT) data analytics platform that helps companies analyze and derive insights from IoT data. Mnubo was acquired by Aspen Technology in 2020.
References
Founder Fuel
Number of Employees
0 - 50
Headquarters
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Established
2011
Social Media