About

Think your team has what it takes?

At FounderFuel we believe startup success is more about the people than the idea. We take a lot of care in choosing the smartest and most resourceful, dedicated and passionate people we can find.

Once selected to join the program, you’ll be surrounded by a few like-minded entrepreneurial teams for an intense 12 weeks. You will be developing your business within an ecosystem of experienced entrepreneurs, top executives, VCs, and Angels that we have assembled specifically for you. From this network, you’ll receive invaluable advice via a series of workshops, feature presentations and one-to-one input from the mentors you click with.

You have an idea, and we have the network and ecosystem to accelerate it – that’s a great opportunity. All we ask of you is to bring your “A-Game”; we’ll handle the rest. Simple.

FUNDING

Each team in the program receives a $10K investment, plus an additional $5K per co-founder in exchange for 6% equity in the company. As an example, a team of 3 will receive a total of $25K.

This is ample money to get your company off the ground and ready for subsequent funding, which is exactly what we’re trying to help you accomplish.

TYPES OF STARTUPS

Web and mobile is what we’re all about, so you’re at the right place if that’s your thing.

The program is intense and going through it alone is not something we recommend. Find a co-founder or two, and apply as a team. You’ll be more productive and get to your goals faster.

MONTREAL

Considered as one of the most vibrant startup cities in North America, Montreal is affordable, vibrant, and renowned worldwide for its nightlife and “Joie de vivre.“

FounderFuel HQ is at Notman House, a centrally located historical monument built in the 1800s, now reborn as a technology hub.

FAQs

How do you choose which companies to accept into the program?: We pay close attention to the team because having the right people is just as important as a great idea. Creativity, commitment and perseverance are definitely on our shortlist of qualifications. So show us who you are just as much as you sell us your idea.
Why should we apply to you instead of Y-Combinator or Techstars?: You shouldn’t, you should apply to us all! All of our these programs believe that people matter, but you can’t get it right everytime – so perhaps we see something that the other guys miss, or vice versa.
What do you provide?: Everything you need to get started. While you’ll spend most of your time developing your product and business, we will also provide you with a pretty packed schedule of master classes, guest speakers and feedback sessions with mentors and other teams. You can count on being surrounded by smart people, having a (small!) office space, meeting rooms, Internet, and as much RedBull and coffee as you can handle.
Where do teams live while they’re there?: We will certainly provide guidance to help you find a place to stay, but you’re mostly on your own with this one. The good news is you can absolutely count on affordable living in Montreal.
Do the teams need to be there for the entire time?: Yes. We understand there may be last minute unusual circumstances that change things, but you are expected to spend the 12 weeks in Montreal.
Are we required to stay in Montreal after the program?: Absolutely not. You live where you can best realize your goals – but we guarantee you’d be sad to leave!
We don’t speak French, will that be a problem?: Not at all. Most people in Montreal are bilingual so you’ll do just fine if you only speak English. A word of advice, don’t go around asking people “Voulez-vous coucher avec moi?” because it won’t fly.