Big Wins, Bold Moves & Fresh Insights: Here’s What’s Happening This Week! 🚀

🔔 Your campaign updates feed

💪 VEGAIN is a StartUp TNT Finalist! VEGAIN has been selected as a Top-5 Finalist for StartUp TNT Agri-Food Summit. As the only CPG brand to move forward, they’ll be pitching live for the Angels in Regina, Saskatchewan, on Wednesday, May 1st. Read more.

Invest in VEGAIN | $210K Raised | 42% of target

🍷 Proxies is hosting their final investor webinar! Proxies has rescheduled their last investor webinar to May 5th, and they’d love to see you there. This session will provide key insights into how they’re building long-term value in a $4.5B+ category. Read more.

Invest in Proxies | $1.62M Raised | 92% of target

☕ Dispatch is talking about Tariffs! For Dispatch Coffee, only 20% of their annual contracts are being impacted by the tariffs since 80% of their coffee comes through Montreal. Dispatch also believes the tariffs may help accelerate their competitive advantage since they don’t follow the conventional commodity pricing of large commercial roasters. Read more.

Invest in Dispatch Coffee | $84K Raised | 34% of target

🔔 Alumni updates

🥗 Five new SmartVending machines have been deployed at Alberta Health Services locations across Alberta, expanding access to healthy, ready-to-eat meals. The machines are part of an ongoing partnership between SMRT1 Technologies and UpMeals, aimed at making nutritious food more convenient and accessible in healthcare settings.

🩸 At CHFA Vancouver, joni sampled over 1,000 travel packs, supported 50+ attendees with on-the-spot product needs, and connected with hundreds of customers and retailers—advancing its mission to make sustainable period care accessible to everybody. The strong showing was supported by key partners LeBeau Excel Sales & Marketing and Purity Life Health Products LP.

🥬 KaleMart24 has secured a new location at 2025 Peel Street in Montréal, set to open in Summer 2025. This expansion continues the company’s mission to bring health-focused, grab-and-go convenience to urban communities across Canada.

🚜 Prairie Clean Energy is opening Canada’s first flax straw processing facility in Weyburn, creating 30+ jobs and boosting the local economy by $3M annually. The plant will turn flax waste into clean energy and fiber, offering farmers new revenue while supporting sustainability.

✍️ From our desk

2024 Community Capital Report Industry Spotlight: Equity Crowdfunding Gains Ground in a Challenging Market

Canada’s private capital markets underwent a major shift in 2024. As traditional funding sources like venture capital and private equity pulled back, equity crowdfunding emerged as a critical lifeline for early-stage startups and growth-stage companies.

Key Highlights:

• Venture capital slowed significantly, with investment activity dropping to $7.9 billion across 592 deals—the lowest level since 2020. Pre-seed and seed-stage funding declined 19% year over year, making it harder for emerging founders to secure early capital.

• Private equity and growth capital activity also contracted, as high interest rates and reduced exit opportunities led many firms to focus on existing portfolios rather than new investments.

• Equity crowdfunding gained momentum, providing a more accessible path for founders to raise capital while engaging their communities. In 2024, nearly $1.85 million was invested under the 45-110 prospectus exemption across 1,557 individual investments.

• FrontFundr led the startup crowdfunding market, capturing 93% of total investments with over $1.7 million raised. This reflects growing confidence in community-driven capital formation.

• Blossom Social ran Canada’s top crowdfunding campaign, raising $1.34 million from 742 investors. The fintech company also set a record for the biggest launch day on the FrontFundr platform, securing $500,000 in the first 24 hours.

• Global crowdfunding trends reinforced this growth, with younger and more diverse investors driving momentum. Millennials and Gen Z now represent more than 60% of global crowdfunding participants, while women account for 47% of supporters—particularly in impact-driven campaigns.

Equity crowdfunding is no longer a niche alternative—it’s becoming a core part of Canada’s startup ecosystem. As more investors look for early-stage opportunities and founders seek capital beyond traditional channels, this model is helping reshape access to innovation.

👉 Read our 2024 Community Capital Report

Coming Next Week: We’ll dive into our 2024 Funded Report—highlighting top-performing campaigns, investor participation trends, and the companies that defined this year in community capital.

🤔 What’s on our minds

A New Era for Canadian Business: What Mark Carney’s Election Means for Trade, Climate, and Growth

Mark Carney's election victory this week as Canada's Prime Minister signals a transformative period for Canadian businesses, characterized by a strategic shift in trade relations, a reimagined approach to climate policy, and a focus on economic diversification.​

Redefining Trade Relations

Carney's administration is poised to recalibrate Canada's trade dynamics, particularly in response to evolving U.S. policies. While immediate negotiations with the U.S. are anticipated to commence later this year, this interval allows Canada to consolidate domestic consensus and formulate a comprehensive trade strategy. Businesses should anticipate potential adjustments in trade agreements and prepare for a landscape that may include revised tariffs and regulatory standards.​

Innovative Climate Policy

Departing from traditional carbon taxation, Carney advocates for incentive-based environmental policies. His approach includes implementing tax incentives, transition bonds, and border carbon taxes to promote sustainable practices without imposing direct consumer taxes. This paradigm shift encourages businesses to invest in green technologies and sustainable operations, aligning economic growth with environmental responsibility.​

Economic Diversification and Domestic Empowerment

In response to global economic uncertainties, Carney emphasizes diversifying Canada's economic partnerships beyond North America, strengthening ties with Europe and Asia. Additionally, his policies aim to reduce interprovincial trade barriers and bolster domestic industries, particularly in energy and manufacturing sectors. Businesses can expect initiatives that support domestic production and innovation, fostering a resilient and self-reliant economy.​

Implications for Canadian Businesses

Under Carney's leadership, businesses should prepare for a period of strategic realignment. Key considerations include:​

• Trade Strategy Adaptation: Stay informed on upcoming trade negotiations and adjust supply chains to mitigate potential disruptions.​

• Sustainability Integration: Leverage available incentives to adopt sustainable practices, aligning operations with the government's environmental objectives.​

• Market Diversification: Explore opportunities in emerging markets, reducing dependency on traditional trade partners.​

Carney's tenure presents both challenges and opportunities. By proactively adapting to policy shifts and embracing innovation, Canadian businesses can position themselves for sustainable growth in this new economic era.​

🎙️ Hear from our latest founder feature

Fueling an Innovation Economy: How Holt is Investing in the World’s Best Fintechs with Jan Christopher Arp

🪙 On legacy: The Holt Xchange is rooted in the legacy of Sir Herbert Holt—an Irish immigrant who arrived in Canada with just $100 and went on to shape the nation’s financial system as chair of both RBC and Hydro-Québec. Five generations later, that same long-term mindset drives our approach. We’re not here for quick wins—we invest with decades in mind, staying steady through market cycles and doubling down when others pull back. It’s patient capital, guided by history, and built for bold innovation.

💎 On fintech specialization: We're laser-focused on fintech. While that technically makes us generalists—because fintech spans so many industries—our specialization gives us a real edge. We have deep expertise in the space, allowing us to navigate evolving trends, regulations, and market dynamics. With fintech currently trading at a 30% discount relative to the broader market, we see enormous potential for growth.

📈 On the portfolio: Owl was one of our earliest and most promising investments. The company stood out during our diligence process, scoring highly across 100+ data points gathered from our advisor network. Led by a seasoned, 3x founder, they quickly honed in on the insurance industry and secured multi-million, multi-year contracts with their underwriting technology. Watching Owl’s valuation grow has been a powerful validation of our early conviction.

🎧 Want to hear the full story? Listen on Spotify or watch on YouTube.

📌 FrontFundr bulletin

FrontFundr's Record Year Headlines Major Canadian Publications 🚀

FrontFundr’s 2024 Community Capital Report is making waves, featured in the Financial Post, The Globe and Mail, and Yahoo Finance. The report reveals a record $68.3 million raised across 66 campaigns, doubling 2023’s total, and highlights FrontFundr’s 93% market share in Canadian equity crowdfunding. With standout campaigns like Blossom Social and Edison Motors, the coverage reflects a major shift in Canada’s private capital landscape toward more accessible investment opportunities.

Elite Circle Perks Are On The Way! 🎉

We’ve sent your exclusive FrontFundr swag, including your vest, hat, mugs, notebooks, and pens, in the mail! Expect to receive your perks within the next week or two, depending on your location across Canada. Thank you for being a valued member of our Elite Circle!