Introducing our FounderFuel 2019 sponsors!
April 18th, 2019
FounderFuel season is upon us! We’re looking forward to introducing you to this year’s cohort in a few weeks time. To get the juices flowing we’re very pleased to introduce our 2019 sponsors, without whom FounderFuel could not exist.
FounderFuel has now invested in almost 100 startups. Since the very first cohort in 2011, our sponsors have been an essential part of our journey. It is thanks to their support that we can deliver a high-quality accelerator that serves our companies and brings the community together. From the first kickoff party to the spectacle that is FounderFuel Demo Day, our sponsors are a crucial element to our success — and your enjoyment!
Our sponsor’s contribution goes far beyond funding. With their deep expertise and networks, they are also key allies for our companies as they navigate the twists and turns of the venture backed path. As our portfolio matures we have been repeatedly gratified to watch the connections made in FounderFuel develop into long lasting and productive business relationships.
We have an incredible lineup of sponsors this year. Some have been with us since the very beginning, others are new relationships. Each of them has a proven commitment to supporting young companies as they grow. And we believe that each of them shares our belief that giving first is the way the world turns and that by paying it forward we can nurture our startup community to become ever stronger.
Thank you so much to all of our sponsors for your support!
We look forward to working with you to make FounderFuel 2019 a success.
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Gold Sponsors
BDO provides personalized accounting and tax services to emerging companies, with a focus on building long-term relationships. Led by Matt Harrison, BDO’s National Emerging Technology leader, BDO has been a stalwart partner to FounderFuel and Real Ventures since their inception, and a positive force within the startup ecosystem for over a decade.
Fasken has been helping entrepreneurs scale their business by providing legal expertise and programs tailored to their needs for nearly twenty years. Christian Jacques and Jean-Nicolas Delage have both been long-time supporters of Founderfuel and both have an extensive track record of supporting startups and building community in Montreal and beyond.
EY helps companies from the seed stage to expansion with a range of accounting and strategic services. Our work with EY is supported by partners Francis Guimond (audit) and Stephane LeBlanc (tax), whose teams work hand-in-hand with some of Montreal’s best-known startups. Nassim Bennacer, who manages the partnership, has been an engaged and connected member of our ecosystem for years.
Microsoft has become an important part of Montreal’s startup community as an employer, investor, aquirerer, and cloud provider. We are thrilled to be deepening our ties with them in partnership with Adam Nanjee, the energetic new leader of Microsoft for Startups in Canada, as well as his excellent team including the always helpful Sarah Muma.
RBC is committed to serving young, fast growing firms in the technology sector. With projects such as Borealis AI and RBC Reach, they have also become key actors in the Canadian startup community. RBC’s partnership with FounderFuel is led by Anne No’s commercial banking group, which includes community stalwarts Guillaume de Tilly Dion and Krity Utchanah. Additional support comes from RBC’s innovation team as well as Sadri Cefai and Grondin Group.
Silver Sponsors
Amazon has become a crucial partner for thousands of startups around the world, including many in the Real Ventures and FounderFuel portfolio. Amazon’s work with Canadian startups is newly under the leadership of Andrea Baptiste. We are excited to partner with her to deepen their engagement in the Montreal and Canadian startup ecosystem.
BFL Canada is the largest employee-owned and operated commercial insurance broker and consulting firm in Canada. With 13 offices across the country they have a strong track record of helping SMBs manage risk and enhance employee benefits. Our partnership with BFL is led by Valérie Flechette, who is on a mission to deepen BFL’s connections to the innovation community.
Xero is the world’s leading cloud accounting software and an amazing startup success story out of New Zealand. We have huge respect for the product and company they have built and are thrilled to be working with them for the first time. Our partnership with Xero is led by the entrepreneurial LP Bougie, their first bilingual account manager in Quebec.