👟 New launch, campaign momentum & Canada’s biggest retail investor event recap

🔔 Your campaign updates feed

👟 Hettas has launched!

Hettas is now live on FrontFundr! Raising funds to take the next big step in building the first performance running shoe brand designed specifically for women. With three product lines launched, a growing community of runners, and a mission rooted in science and equity, the company is poised to scale production, expand its reach, and redefine the future of women’s athletic footwear.

Invest in Hettas | $64.5K Raised | 26% of target

🍻Collective Arts has extended!

Collective Arts campaign has extended for another 81 days!  Combining exceptional beverages with the world’s most inspiring emerging artists. Every product showcases authentic art, exceptional taste, and a purpose-driven approach, resonating deeply with a new generation of consumers who demand more from the brands they support.

Invest in Collective Arts | $163K Raised | 33% of target

🔋RheEnergise has extended!

RheEnergise campaign has extended to Oct 3rd! Be part of the clean energy future with High-Density Hydro®, an innovative form of pumped hydro that delivers long-duration storage with minimal environmental impact. Learn more about how their low-impact, scalable solution is changing the game in energy storage.

Invest in RheEnergise | $3.2M Raised | 63% of target

🔔 Alumni updates

🌸 Blossom Social just hosted Canada’s largest retail investor conference at the iconic Rogers Centre. The Blossom Investor Conference brought together over 1,400 retail investors and 300+ industry leaders to celebrate the power of community in investing.

🔵 joni’s Co-Foundr and CEO, Lindsay Briggs, won the Agent of Change award at #CHFANOW tradeshow in Toronto with the Canadian Health Food Association, recognizing her impact in social justice, advocacy, and regulatory affairs.

🤔 What’s on our minds

🧑‍💻 Hire Yourself: Why More Canadians Are Choosing Entrepreneurship Over Traditional Jobs

Canada's labour market is in a tough spot. With unemployment rising to 7.1% in 2025, job seekers across the country are facing fewer opportunities, slower hiring, and stiffer competition. But while some wait for the market to rebound, others are taking a different route: they’re hiring themselves.

According to a recent RBC report, entrepreneurship has spiked across the country, with a noticeable increase in small business registrations among young adults. Gen Z, in particular, is leading this shift, drawn to the autonomy, flexibility, and creative potential that entrepreneurship offers.

At the same time, other data suggests a complex picture. A recent Yahoo Finance article notes that while entrepreneurial dreams are rising, Canada’s actual growth in early‑stage and scaling businesses is lagging. Many Canadians express the desire to found a business, but fewer succeed in turning that ambition into sustainable ventures. This gap between aspiration and execution underscores that enthusiasm alone isn’t enough, as the path to lasting entrepreneurship is fraught with obstacles.

The Broader Impact

This wave of self-employment could have major implications for Canada’s economy. Research from the OECD highlights how new and young firms consistently punch above their weight in terms of job creation. Young firms, especially in their first five years, account for a large share of net new jobs in advanced economies. If Canada’s current startup boom is sustained, it could help offset slowing growth in traditional sectors and breathe new life into regional economies.

Still, the picture isn’t entirely rosy. Access to capital remains uneven, and many founders face challenges scaling beyond the early stages. Regulatory friction, lack of mentorship, and uneven support across provinces make entrepreneurship riskier for some than others. In rural and remote areas, infrastructure gaps add another layer of complexity.

Final Thought

If the trend continues, Canada may be witnessing a permanent shift in how work is defined and pursued. The dream of the stable, long-term employer is giving way to a more fragmented but dynamic workforce of small business owners, freelancers, creators, and digital entrepreneurs.

As this shift accelerates, the challenge for policymakers is to keep pace by streamlining small business regulations, expanding access to early-stage funding, and investing in skills training that empowers Canadians to create jobs, not just apply for them.

For investors and institutions, this is a moment to recognize that Canada’s economic future may not be built by a few large corporations but by thousands of small ones. Whether this becomes a short-term fix or a lasting transformation will depend on how effectively we support those choosing to hire themselves.

🎙️ Hear from our latest founder feature

Edison Motors: Diesel-electric trucks redefined with Eric Little

Q: What were those early days like, trying to prove the idea could work?

We always said we wanted to make “a train for the road.” That meant using electric motors for propulsion but keeping a diesel generator onboard. Same fuel truckers already use, just far more efficient. At first, we hacked together a system using Tesla parts and a refurbished 1983 CAT engine as a generator. It wasn’t pretty, but it worked. Within a year, we had our first truck on the road and drove it to a local truck show to prove the concept. That weekend, we raised another $1.5M and suddenly we weren’t just converting trucks, we were designing our own from scratch.

Q: The trucking market is massive. Where do you see Edison fitting in?

Most people think of semis hauling goods on highways, and that’s about 80% of the market. But the part I’m most excited about is the other 20%: vocational trucks. Vehicles, such as, garbage trucks, service rigs, logging haulers, mining trucks, that has special functionality. These fleets need more torque, more customization, and more durability. They also spend way more on fuel, so our efficiency is a big win for them. It’s still a multi-billion dollar market, and frankly, these are some of the coolest trucks to build.

Q: Looking back, has there been a defining moment for Edison so far?

A: Without a doubt, it was when we rolled out our first prototype, “Carl”, back in 2022 at Hope Brigade Days. People thought we were crazy. Everyone told us it couldn’t be done, that there was no way to make a diesel-electric hybrid work truck more efficient than the status quo. But with just $400,000 in capital, we built it, drove it, and proved the concept. That moment validated everything we’d been fighting for. Fast forward a few years, and now we’re standing up a factory to build trucks for actual customers. That prototype wasn’t just a vehicle, it was the turning point where the impossible became real.

🎧 Want to listen to the full episode?

Spotify / YouTube

📌 FrontFundr Bulletin

🌸 FrontFundr at Blossom Investor Tour 2025!

Big thanks to the Blossom Social team for hosting an incredible event at the Rogers Centre this weekend. From insightful panels to engaging discussions on personal finance and equity crowdfunding, we were proud to represent how everyday Canadians can invest in early-stage companies. See more of our full experience here!

🛍️ FrontFundr at Ecom North Toronto Summit 2025!

FrontFundr’s Peter-Paul Van Hoeken pitched at a reversed-pitch session on funding options for entrepreneurs. Education is key, as many founders are eager to explore new models like investment crowdfunding, which allows them to raise capital by engaging both their community and the broader public.

📣 CMD Summit: Brand vs. Performance with Trieste Reading

FrontFundr’s Trieste Reading will be speaking at CMD Summit Surrey 2025 this October, hosted by the Melville School of Business at Kwantlen Polytechnic University. She will be moderating the Fireside Chat – Brand vs Performance: Finding the balance between voice and ROI. If you’re in the Vancouver area and want to dive deep into marketing, check out this event!