100+ Builders and Counting. Here’s What We’re Seeing

A few weeks ago, we quietly launched the FiC Directory.

No press. No budget. Just a messy MVP, a handful of WhatsApp invites, and one big goal: make it easier to find the real ones—founders, orgs, dreamers, doers—building in Canada.

We figured we’d get a few listings to trickle in while we fixed bugs and caught our breath.

Instead? We woke up to over 100 submissions. And counting.

So… who’s joining?

Honestly? A little bit of everyone:

• Clean tech founders building climate-first tools

• Student side-hustlers with zero network but big energy

• Local orgs with wild programs and no visibility

• Designers, product folks, ex-corporate escapees

• Newcomer founders looking for community—not gatekeeping

Most of them don’t have PR teams. They’re not on TechCrunch.
But they’re building real stuff. And now, they’re finding each other.

What we’re seeing behind the scenes

This might sound obvious, but it’s worth saying out loud:

• People care more about connection than clout

• Ecosystem maps are nice, but they rarely show who actually helps

• Founders are tired. And they want real, no-bullshit resources

• The “startup community” often leaves out the weird, the small, the local
  → That’s where the good stuff is.

We’re not trying to fix everything. But we’re making the space where builders can start finding each other without the noise.

What’s coming next

This is just the beginning. We’re building:

• Better filters (so you can actually find who you need)

• Tags and highlights for underrepresented orgs + builders

• Location-aware discovery → find who’s near you

• A few experiments we’re not ready to talk about yet (but you’ll like them 👀)

Wanna join the map?

This isn’t just a list. It’s a snapshot of what’s actually happening in Canada’s startup scene—beyond the headlines.

If you’re building something, supporting builders, or just figuring it out as you go:

👉 Add yourself to the Directory

We’re reviewing listings daily. We read every one.
So far? It’s been weird, wonderful, and exactly what we hoped for.