Fuel Media

What Fuel Media does

Fuel Media Inc. is a privately held, design-first Canadian creative studio operating as a subsidiary of SDI (Strategic Design Inc.) with offices in Bruce County, Toronto, and Orillia. The firm delivers custom-built digital experiences for a mix of national enterprises and regional small businesses, with a stated policy of never using templates. Core service lines include custom websites (WordPress or Shopify with bespoke CMS), branding and identity design (logos, modernization, visual/brand guidelines), social media strategy and management (organic + paid), and UI/UX design systems built in Figma using an Atomic Design methodology.

The technology stack centers on WordPress and Shopify for web delivery, Figma-based design systems with 200+ accessible UI components, and custom CMS architectures that allow clients to self-manage content. Beyond standard web/branding work, the firm has built event-specific platforms including the Falcon's Nest gamified fan engagement app (point-based challenges, QR activations, leaderboards, real-time admin dashboards) for the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, an AI-powered Fan Photo Experience that uses face recognition and dynamic templating to deliver branded photo outputs at live events, and the SDI OnSight mobile dashboard for multi-location event operational tracking.

Revenue is generated primarily through project-based custom engagements (custom quotes based on scope, complexity, and timeline), supplemented by subscription-based managed website services (self-managed CMS tier and fully managed monthly tier). Lead generation relies on direct client engagement through website contact forms, a free website audit offering, and referral networks. Customer acquisition is sales-led, with no channel partners or marketplace distribution. Recent expansion includes joining the Good Things family for full-service marketing reach. Customers include Samsung, Jack Link's Canada, SickKids Foundation, Saudi Arabian Football Federation, Kraft Hockeyville, Miller Genuine Draft, Beach Motel, LakeHouse Bath + Kitchen, and Seaman & Sons Builders.

Name

Fuel Media

Legal name

Fuel Media Inc.

Website

https://fuelmedia.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Fuel Media Inc. is a Canadian design-first creative studio that builds custom websites, brand identities, social media strategies, and UI/UX design systems for national brands and Ontario-based small businesses, operating as a subsidiary of SDI.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Custom Website Design & Development: Project-based custom website development using WordPress or Shopify. Offered as either self-managed CMS or fully managed service. Revenue generated through one-time project fees with optional ongoing monthly support.
2. Branding & Identity Services: Logo design, logo modernization, wordmark creation, and brand identity guidelines. Includes discovery sessions, revisions, and brand toolkit delivery.
3. Social Media Strategy & Management: Custom social strategy development, content calendars, post creation, paid advertising services, and ongoing social support. Can include content capture days and advanced reporting add-ons.
4. UI/UX Design Systems: Component library creation, accessibility compliance implementation, wireframing, prototyping, and design handoff specifications for scalable digital products.
5. Managed Website Services: Monthly support and security updates for clients who prefer hands-off backend management. Includes content updates and maintenance.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Fuel Media is a Canadian design-first creative studio that designs and develops custom websites (WordPress and Shopify), brand identities, and social media strategies for businesses and national brands. The firm also builds specialized platforms including UI/UX design systems in Figma, the Falcon's Nest gamified fan engagement app for sports federations, and AI-powered branded photo experiences for live event activations. Services are sold as project-based engagements with optional ongoing monthly managed support.

Product overview

Fuel Media operates as a design-first creative studio offering a portfolio of interconnected digital products and services. The core offering centers on Custom Websites (available as self-managed CMS solutions via WordPress/Shopship or fully managed packages) and Branding & Identity services (including logo design, modernization, and comprehensive identity guidelines). Additional service lines include Social Media Strategy (custom strategy, paid advertising, evergreen calendars, and ongoing support) and UI/UX & Design Systems (interface design and component libraries). The portfolio extends to specialized platforms including the Falcon's Nest Fan Engagement App for sports federation gamification and an AI-powered Fan Photo Experience for branded event activations. All services emphasize custom-built solutions without templates, accessibility compliance (AODA/WCAG), and strategic planning-first approach.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Custom Websites with CMS Custom-built websites using WordPress or Shopify with a content management system, allowing client teams to easily update content and images themselves. Includes tailored content planning, training, and support. Targeted at businesses seeking independent content management.
• Custom Website – Fully Managed Fully managed custom websites where Fuel Media handles all content updates, edits, and maintenance. Includes monthly support and security updates for teams who prefer not to manage the backend.
• Custom Social Strategy Complete social media roadmap including audience avatars, brand pillars, platform hierarchy, hashtag frameworks, and conversion strategy. Targeted at brands seeking structured organic social growth.
• UI/UX Design Interface design service including collaborative wireframing, UX research, high-fidelity prototypes, mobile-first responsive design, and user-focused navigation flows. Targeted at product and digital teams.
• Design Systems Scalable component libraries with documentation, color and typography tokens, layout grids, and accessibility standards for consistent design across platforms. Targeted at teams needing reusable, brand-consistent UI assets.
• Branding & Identity Package Strategy-led branding offering covering new logo design, logo modernization, visual identity guidelines, and brand identity guidelines. Includes discovery sessions, revisions, and a brand toolkit delivered in required file formats. Targeted at businesses and rebrands.
• Falcon's Nest Fan Engagement App All-in-one gamified fan engagement platform featuring point-based challenges, QR-powered mini-games, leaderboards, and real-time admin analytics for on-site and online fan participation. Targeted at sports federations, event organizers, and brands running activations.
• AI Fan Photo Experience AI-powered web application merging face recognition and dynamic templating to deliver branded photo outputs in seconds at live events. No downloads required, mobile-friendly, with customizable templates and multilingual support. Targeted at brands running live activations, arenas, and festivals.

Quantifiable outcome

• Beach Motel achieved 43% paid social traffic clicking 'Book Now' and fully booked soft launch
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

AI capability2 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• SDI (Strategic Design Inc.)coreOthersFuel Media is a subsidiary of SDI (Strategic Design Inc.), an SDI Company. Leverages SDI OnSight operational platform for multi-location event tracking and reporting. Access to broader SDI network and marketing capabilities through sdimktg.com.

Scale indicators18 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Blue Flame (BDO Canada creative arm) / Taxi Creative: Canadian creative agency network offering brand strategy, digital, social, and experiential work for large enterprise clients. Comparable to Fuel Media in Canadian heritage and enterprise client work, though operating at significantly larger scale.
• Tendril Studio: Toronto/Vancouver-based boutique design and development studio specializing in custom websites, brand systems, and design systems for enterprise clients. Highly comparable to Fuel Media in scale, Canadian presence, custom-not-template positioning, and design-system offerings.
• Jacknife: Canadian brand experience agency delivering brand identity, digital, and experiential work. Comparable to Fuel Media as a mid-sized Canadian creative firm working with enterprise CPG, retail, and sports clients on integrated brand campaigns.
• Sid Lee: Montreal-headquartered creative agency with deep experience in brand identity, digital experiences, and experiential marketing for global brands like Cirque du Soleil, Adidas, and The North Face. Comparable to Fuel Media in offering cross-channel creative, brand systems, and interactive digital platforms.
• Bruce Mau Design: Toronto-based design studio known for high-profile brand identity systems and large-scale design thinking engagements. Comparable to Fuel Media in brand-identity and custom-design positioning, though operating at a higher price tier and project scale.
• Local Projects: Experience design studio building interactive installations, branded experiences, and digital platforms for museums, sports, and cultural institutions. Highly comparable to Fuel Media's experiential work like the SAFF Falcon's Nest app and Samsung Undercover Roadshow.
• Cossette: One of Canada's largest full-service creative and communications agencies. Directly comparable to Fuel Media as a Canadian agency offering branding, digital, social strategy, and experiential work for enterprise clients across CPG, tech, and nonprofit verticals.
• Diamond: Los Angeles-based digital creative agency building custom websites, brand experiences, and interactive campaigns for entertainment and consumer brands. Comparable to Fuel Media in custom-website and experiential-campaign execution without templates.
• Motiv Studios: Canadian digital agency delivering web, branding, social, and content production for enterprise clients. Comparable to Fuel Media's service mix across custom websites, brand identity, and social strategy for mid-market to enterprise Canadian and global brands.

Others

• Good Things Group: Sister/parent network referenced in Fuel Media's recent 'Good Things Family' expansion move. Adjacent rather than directly competing, as it represents the parent ecosystem into which Fuel Media's services are being integrated for cross-sell.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/fuelmediacom

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Fuel Media