I’m so beyond proud to announce that my website builder plugin, Refoundry, is a top-25 finalist in New Ventures BC’s annual competition.
This competition rewards top tech startups with education, mentorship, and network development, along with the potential for cash prizes and visibility in the venture capital space. I got Refoundry’s go-to-market strategy started within the New Ventures BC Accelerator Program, so applying to the competition felt like a natural next step.
The New Ventures BC Society is a nonprofit focused on developing entrepreneurship and innovation in BC’s startup tech sector, since 2000. They have raised over $1B in financing for startups, supporting them through accelerator programs, events, free educational resources, and the annual competition in partnership with Innovate BC.
The competition starts with over 200 applicants from around the province who submit a business idea. Everyone who’s eligible moves into round two, which is a “feasibility test” ie. clear documentation of what you’re building, why you built it, what problem it solves, and how it can make money. This was familiar territory to me, because I’ve always kicked off every project with a meeting to ask clients the existential “why, what, how, and who” questions.
This time though, I was on the other side of those questions.
My submission was sharply focused on financials and the business model. I wound up in the top 15 that got to bypass a pitch round, and go straight to the third round. We’ll be joined by 10 more companies from the pitch group, and produce a condensed venture plan. Just 10 finalists will be chosen to do the final pitch before a jury.
Some of my past website clients have actually also participated in the New Ventures BC competition. Semios won the Alumni Impact Award in 2022 and entered the competition in 2011. And Solegear Bioplastics (now Good Natured Products) claimed both second place and the BCIC Economic Impact Prize in 2010.
When I hired a team of engineers to build Refoundry with me, it was primarily about getting my agency unstuck and to a place where we could give clients what they want and be profitable. I’d spent years looking at other low-code site builders, but nothing could do what I wanted.
It was a big, scary decision to personally invest in creating a tech tool. I’ve been a designer, a developer, and an agency owner—actually building the tech and not working with somebody else’s was a whole new ball game. I had a clear vision, but also plenty of impostor syndrome and nerves.
I’ve been fortunate to have the whole agency’s buy-in on developing and iterating Refoundry. Winning the competition would offset our current need for angel investors to help us fast track AI development and scale our business development efforts.
Nerves aside, this process has been incredibly educational, valuable, and validating. Having to articulate the business model and justify why it matters, and confirm the scalability of Refoundry based on a targeted audience, has been great. It has further shaped how I present, talk about, and market Refoundry more effectively.
Looking forward to the next round.
