🚀 Major milestones, alumni features & FrontFundr’s new partnership

🔔 Your campaign updates feed

🚛 Edison Motors is now approved by Environment Canada

Edison Motors has received authorization for the national emission mark from Environment Canada, which means they can legally sell their trucks to customers. Edison is now working on getting approval from Transport Canada.

Invest in Edison Motors | $11.4M Raised | 77% of target

💪 VEGAIN won Product of the Year

VEGAIN’s SURGE™ Clear Protein has won Product of the Year at the BC Food & Beverage Awards! This award validates the team’s hard work and community support, marking a milestone as VEGAIN continues to grow and expand its impact.

Invest in VEGAIN | $465K Raised | 93% of target

👥 Fanbase releases a new feature! 

Fanbase is distributing a new slate of premium microdramas through an exclusive partnership with Wild Peach Studios. This collaboration introduces a new revenue model for Fanbase and positions the platform within a fast-growing category. 

Invest in Fanbase | $13.2M Raised | 78% of target

📱Gander Social gets a shoutout!

Gander Social gets a shoutout from Arlene Dickinson on threads. She shared that she recently spoke with Ben Waldman, CEO and founder of Gander Social, and expressed excitement about the platform’s progress.

Invest in Gander Social | $1.4M Raised | 94% of target

🔔 Alumni updates

🌸 Blossom Social Founder and CEO, Maxwell Nicholson, joins the Trends with Benefits podcast to share how online investing is reshaping transparency, trust, and community for the next generation of retail investors. 

🌾 Prairie Clean Energy is at Canadian Western Agribition! As it launches Prairie Clean Flax Bedding, a major milestone in its move into sustainable livestock products. 

💳 tiptap is proud to support this year’s guignolée season, a long-standing tradition in Quebec and Eastern Canada where communities collect food and donations to prepare Christmas baskets for those in need.

🤔 What’s on our minds

🏢 Sonder Shuts Down After Bankruptcy

Sonder Holdings, the company founded in Montreal in 2014 before relocating to San Francisco, has officially filed for Chapter 7 liquidation as of November 2025. Once a promising “apartment‑hotel” startup offering short‑term rentals with hotel‑like amenities and tech‑enabled convenience, Sonder operated thousands of units worldwide at its peak. 

🚀 What Went Wrong And Why It Matters

The collapse was triggered largely by the termination of a licensing agreement with Marriott International (on November 9, 2025), after prolonged difficulties integrating Sonder’s booking and technology systems with Marriott’s network. Sonder says the failed integration led to unexpected costs and a steep revenue drop.

Despite intensive efforts to find alternate financing, sell the business, or restructure, the company was unable to secure a viable “going concern” transaction or liquidity to continue operations.

🚀 Why Investors Should Pay Attention

Sonder’s sudden collapse highlights the risks in high-growth, asset-heavy startups. The bankruptcy has implications beyond the company itself:

• Travelers and customers: Guests with active bookings were directly affected, being kicked out of their bookings without notice.

• Investors: Sonder’s stock plummeted more than 60% after the news, showing how fragile valuations can be in fast-growing startups.

• Market trends: The failure underscores the dangers of over-leveraging and relying heavily on partnerships to sustain growth.

📌 Final Thoughts

Sonder’s downfall serves as a cautionary tale for investors and entrepreneurs alike. Canadian investors with exposure to tech-enabled hospitality, global rental markets, or similar high-growth ventures should monitor cash flow sustainability and partnership dependencies carefully. While innovation drives opportunity, sudden collapses like Sonder’s show that growth alone isn’t enough to guarantee long-term stability.

🎙️ Hear from our latest founder feature

Valley of Mother of God Gin: Canadian Luxury Gin with Malcolm Roberts and Shelly Perry, Co-Founders

Q: What inspired you to start a distillery?

A: We wanted to create something distinctly Canadian, a gin that captures the beauty, complexity, and refinement of this country. I’ve worked in global beverage marketing, and Shelley’s background is in food science, so we had the perfect mix of creativity and chemistry. It was a passion project that grew into something much bigger once we realized how unique our formula really was.

Q: What makes your gin stand out in such a crowded spirits market?

A: Our botanicals are what set us apart. We use locally sourced ingredients that highlight the Canadian landscape, things like birch bark, wild juniper, and grains of paradise. Every element is intentional. We also think about gin as more than just a spirit. There’s a level of precision and restraint that makes our gin elegant, not overpowering.

Q: You’ve seen strong traction and recognition so far. What’s been most exciting about the response?

A: The feedback from both consumers and the industry has been incredible. Within our first year at the LCBO, we moved from a direct delivery program to a general listing, which almost never happens for a new distiller. And we’re now featured in some of the best bars and restaurants in the country.

🎧 Want to listen to the full episode?

Spotify / YouTube / Apple

🚨 Partnership Spotlight

More Capital, More Confidence: Explore Debt Options

Combine equity and debt to build a stronger, more flexible capital plan for your business. Did you know that debt financing can complement your raise to help you scale faster?

FrontFundr has partnered with Boundless AI to give Canadian founders access to flexible debt solutions alongside their equity crowdfunding campaigns. This means you can:

• Strengthen cash flow and extend runway

• Build a balanced capital plan without diluting ownership further

• Accelerate growth while keeping your fundraising on track

• Access capital from two aligned partners focused on your success

Many companies find that combining equity and debt gives them more flexibility, stability, and confidence to hit key milestones.

Learn more about the partnership and how it can benefit your company: Read the full blog post.

Interested in raising between $3K and $300M in non-dilutive (debt) capital to help your business: 

• buy inventory

• buy equipment

• increase marketing

• refinance existing debt or; 

• acquire a competitor

FrontFundr has arranged a free Boundless AI debt funding assessment (value $500) for the first ten companies that sign up before December 15, 2025. 

Maximize your raise and set your company up for long-term success.

📌 FrontFundr Bulletin

FrontFundr sets new records in FY2025

FrontFundr is celebrating a milestone year, posting record FY2025 results and marking a decade since processing its first investment in 2015. Momentum continued across the board:

• Revenue: $1.85M (+60%)

• Investment volume: $81.4M (+45%)

• Transactions: ~5,800 (2× FY2024)

• Community: 58,000+ users and 20,000+ active investors

Driven by standout campaigns, strong investor engagement, and platform growth, 2025 also brought national media coverage reaching 70,000+ readers. With the 2025 Community Capital Report coming in early 2026, FrontFundr’s continued momentum shows Canadians are eager to back homegrown companies and shape the future of innovation.

Read the full press release: FY2025 Results Press Release

🎤 FrontFundr Decemeber Pitch Day Event!

The FrontFundr community is invited to join our live Pitch Day on December 9th at 10 AM PST/ 1 PM EST. Featuring some of Canada’s most innovative companies currently raising capital on FrontFundr. Space is limited to 100 attendees, so be sure to reserve your spot today! 

Want to see what our Pitch Day looks like? Check out highlights from October!