BGC Funding Innovation Inc.
Funding Innovation is a Burlington, Ontario company that operates a sealed-bid art easel auction program in 2,200+ Canadian retail locations, channeling the majority of winning bid proceeds to 100+ charity partners and retaining a transaction-fee margin on each sale.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersBurlington, Canada
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What BGC Funding Innovation Inc. does
BGC Funding Innovation Inc., doing business as Funding Innovation, is a Burlington, Ontario-based company founded in January 2015 that operates a sealed-bid art easel auction program to raise funds for Canadian charities. The company places branded art easels in retail venues where shoppers submit written bids on framed prints (typically valued at $300-$500) starting at a $225 minimum bid; winning bidders pay a $29.95 shipping fee. Each retail location is paired with one or more of 100+ charity partners including Children's Miracle Network, Support Our Troops, Ducks Unlimited Canada, Make-A-Wish Canada, SickKids Foundation, and the British Columbia Children's Hospital Foundation.
The business has scaled to 2,200+ easel hosting locations across 12+ national retail chains — notably Dairy Queen, Canadian Tire, Save on Foods, Metro, Giant Tiger, and The Beer Store — and is supported by 22 regional offices and approximately 80 employees. Framed prints are sourced and produced via manufacturing partners including Frameworth and Art East. Since inception the company has channeled more than $18.1M to charitable causes, demonstrating both operating scale and a decade-long track record of venue and nonprofit expansion.
The revenue model is a transaction fee on each winning bid: charities receive 75% or more of the winning bid while the company retains the residual margin (approximately 17%) plus shipping revenue. In 2024 the company added a direct-to-consumer e-commerce Shop to liquidate inventory outside the in-store auction channel, and through its Airways of Heroes program it has extended the easel format into Canadian airports in partnership with Support Our Troops. The company is privately held and bootstrapped, with no external funding rounds disclosed.
BGC Funding Innovation Inc. firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- BGC Funding Innovation Inc.
- Legal name
- BGC Funding Innovation Inc.
- Website
- https://fundinginnovation.ca
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Funding Innovation is a Burlington, Ontario company that operates a sealed-bid art easel auction program in 2,200+ Canadian retail locations, channeling the majority of winning bid proceeds to 100+ charity partners and retaining a transaction-fee margin on each sale.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where BGC Funding Innovation Inc. is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Burlington
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
BGC Funding Innovation Inc. business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Art Easel Auction Proceeds: Revenue is generated from successful bids on art, sport, and music prints displayed on art easels in retail locations. Winning bidders pay the bid amount plus applicable taxes and shipping. A minimum of 75% of net proceeds is donated to charity partners; on a program-to-date basis charities have received over 83% of net proceeds. Funding Innovation retains the remainder to cover operations, technology, and infrastructure investment.
- E-commerce Print Liquidation Sales: The company operates a direct-to-consumer e-commerce storefront selling surplus inventory of Canadian-made art, sport, music, and TV/movie prints at liquidation prices. Revenue is generated through one-time product transactions.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Sealed Bid Auction — minimum bid of $225, prints valued at $300-$500 |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | E-commerce Liquidation Store — one-time purchase prices ranging from $50 to $300+ |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
BGC Funding Innovation Inc. product offering
Product offeringCore offering
BGC Funding Innovation Inc. operates the Art Easel Program, a national sealed-bid auction fundraising initiative that places display easels featuring fully licensed Canadian-made art, sport, and music prints in partner retail locations. Consumers place bids over a two-week cycle, with a minimum bid of $225 CDN; a minimum of 75% of net proceeds (program-to-date over 83%) is donated to charity partners. The company supplements this core model with a direct-to-consumer e-commerce Shop selling surplus inventory of licensed prints at liquidation prices.
Product overview
Funding Innovation operates primarily as a fundraising organization offering the Art Easel Program as its core product—a sealed bid auction platform where licensed Canadian-made framed prints (featuring sports, music, TV & movies, and general art) are displayed on easels in retail partner locations for public bidding, with proceeds donated to charity partners. The company also operates a supplementary e-commerce Shop for print liquidation sales. The Art Easel Program requires retailers to provide 4 square feet of space and charges no cost or risk to charity partners, with a minimum of 75% of net proceeds donated.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Art Easel Program A national sealed-bid auction fundraising program that places display easels featuring fully licensed Canadian-made art, sport, and music prints in partner retail locations across Canada. Retail customers place bids over a 14-day period with a minimum bid of $225 CDN; a minimum of 75% of net proceeds (program-to-date over 83%) is donated to charity partners, and 100% of any bid over $500 CDN is donated. The program is provided to charities at zero cost, zero risk, and zero time commitment, and to retailers at no cost in exchange for 4 square feet of floor space.
- Shop (Print Liquidation E-commerce) A direct-to-consumer e-commerce storefront selling surplus inventory of fully licensed Canadian-made art, sport, music, and TV/movie prints at liquidation prices. Prices range from $50 to $300+ with Canada-wide shipping, providing retail consumers with access to the same print quality offered through the Art Easel Program.
Quantifiable outcome
- Minimum 75% of net proceeds donated to charities; actual program-to-date donation rate exceeds 83%.
- +7 more outcomes
Companies that use BGC Funding Innovation Inc.
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
BGC Funding Innovation Inc. technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
BGC Funding Innovation Inc. partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Dairy Queen CanadacoreDairy Queen Canada has been a corporate partner since 2016. 140+ DQ franchise locations across Canada host art easels benefiting Children's Miracle Network Canada. Together they have raised over $700,000 for CMN. Dairy Queen also celebrated reaching $500,000 raised for CMN in December 2020. 160+ DQ locations have raised over $700,000 for CMN.
- Canadian TirecoreMajor Canadian retail chain hosting art easels in support of charity partners. Canadian Tire is one of the founding corporate partners referenced in the $6 million milestone announcement by June 2019.
- Save on FoodscoreSave on Foods hosts art easels in support of charity partners. In late 2016, Save-On-Foods agreed to host easels in 134 stores across Western Canada in support of BC Children's Hospital Foundation, a key milestone in the BCCHF reaching $1 million.
- Metro Ontario Inc. / Food BasicscoreMetro Ontario has been hosting easels for Track3 in Metro and Food Basics stores throughout Ontario since 2015. Metro raised $1,000,000 for Ontario Track3 Adaptive Sports Association as of February 2024, making it a flagship partner milestone.
- Buy-Low FoodsminorRegional grocery chain hosting art easels in support of local charity partners.
- The Beer StoreminorThe Beer Store hosts art easels supporting local charity partners, including the Support Our Troops 'Airways of Heroes' program at airport locations.
- Giant TigerminorDiscount retailer chain hosting art easels as part of the national corporate partner network.
- Frameworth Sports MarketingcoreOne of two Canadian manufacturing partners. Frameworth, based in Toronto, produces the sports, music, and art prints featured on the art easels. The company has an eye for detail ensuring the best product quality on the market.
- Art EastcoreSecond Canadian manufacturing partner, based in London, Ontario. Art East works with Funding Innovation on all aspects of design and production, creating high-quality Canadian-made prints.
- Children's Miracle Network CanadacoreNational charity partner. Funding Innovation has raised over $3 million for CMN Canada as of September 2020. CMN is dedicated to supporting children's hospitals across Canada.
- Support Our TroopscoreOfficial charitable cause of the Canadian Armed Forces, administered by Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services. Funding Innovation is a principal fundraiser for Support Our Troops, having raised over $1.2 million including over $500,000 through the 'Airways of Heroes' airport program involving 22 airports across Canada.
- Ducks Unlimited CanadacoreNational conservation charity partner since September 2019. Funding Innovation raised $1 million for DUC as of June 2022, supporting nationwide wetland and grassland conservation efforts.
- Make-A-Wish CanadacoreNational charity partner granting magical wishes to children with critical illnesses. Funding Innovation raised over $500,000 for Make-A-Wish Canada as of November 2020.
- Jumpstart (Canadian Tire Jumpstart)minorNational charity partner dedicated to helping kids participate in sport. Listed among the national charity partners on the Partners page.
- Ontario Track3 Adaptive Sports AssociationcoreVolunteer-powered charity enabling kids and youth with disabilities to participate in snow sports. Metro Ontario raised $1,000,000 for Track3 through the Art Easel Program since 2015.
- Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA)minorGTAA hosts Support Our Troops art easels throughout Pearson International Airport. Joined the program in November 2022. The 'Airways of Heroes' initiative has raised over $400,000 for Support Our Troops across 22 airports.
- SickKids FoundationcoreSickKids Foundation is a national charity partner. Funding Innovation's support helps ensure SickKids and children's hospitals across Canada can respond to the most urgent funding needs.
- BC Children's Hospital FoundationcorePart of Children's Miracle Network, BCCHF is the only hospital in British Columbia devoted exclusively to children's care. Funding Innovation raised over $1 million for BCCHF as of May 2021, starting from $8,057.35 in the first year.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
BGC Funding Innovation Inc. competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Omaze: Charity fundraising platform offering once-in-a-lifetime experiences and prizes in exchange for donations. Comparable to Funding Innovation as a prize/experience-driven charity fundraising model, though operating at a larger consumer brand scale.
Broad incumbents
- Bonterra (Network for Good): Established nonprofit software suite covering fundraising, CRM, and grants management. Comparable as a charity-fundraising infrastructure provider, though much broader in scope than Funding Innovation's auction-focused model.
Direct peers
- Handbid: Mobile-first charity auction and fundraising platform used by nonprofits for events. Comparable to Funding Innovation as an auction-driven fundraising tool for charities, though deployed at fundraising events rather than in-store displays.
- ClickBid: Online and mobile auction platform purpose-built for nonprofit fundraising. Comparable to Funding Innovation as an auction-enabled charity fundraising solution, focused on event-night digital bidding rather than retail-place bidding.
- RallyUp: All-in-one fundraising platform with auctions, raffles, and sweepstakes for nonprofits. Comparable to Funding Innovation as a multi-format charity fundraising platform, delivered online rather than through physical retail easels.
- Auctria: Charity auction event management software used by nonprofits to run online, silent, and live auctions. Comparable to Funding Innovation's sealed-bid auction mechanic, though software-based and event-driven rather than embedded in retail locations.
- GalaBid: Charity auction software platform serving nonprofits and schools with silent, live, and online auctions. Closely comparable to Funding Innovation's core auction mechanic for charity fundraising, but focused on event-based rather than continuous retail auctions.
- Givebutter: Online fundraising platform offering auctions, peer-to-peer campaigns, and donation pages for nonprofits. Comparable to Funding Innovation as a fundraising intermediation platform for charities, but operates digitally rather than through retail-host placement.
- OneCause: US-based leading provider of charity auction and fundraising software for nonprofits, schools, and churches. Directly comparable to Funding Innovation's auction-driven fundraising model, though delivered via digital/mobile platforms rather than physical retail easels.
Others
- Great Big Canvas: Online retailer of framed art prints, posters, and wall decor. Comparable to Funding Innovation's Shop product line (licensed print retail), but lacks the charity-fundraising component that defines the parent business.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
BGC Funding Innovation Inc. social profiles
Digital presenceBGC Funding Innovation Inc. financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
BGC Funding Innovation Inc. leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
BGC Funding Innovation Inc. funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
BGC Funding Innovation Inc. M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about BGC Funding Innovation Inc.
What does BGC Funding Innovation Inc. do?
BGC Funding Innovation Inc. operates the Art Easel Program, a national sealed-bid auction fundraising initiative that places display easels featuring fully licensed Canadian-made art, sport, and music prints in partner retail locations. Consumers place bids over a two-week cycle, with a minimum bid of $225 CDN; a minimum of 75% of net proceeds (program-to-date over 83%) is donated to charity partners. The company supplements this core model with a direct-to-consumer e-commerce Shop selling surplus inventory of licensed prints at liquidation prices.
Is BGC Funding Innovation Inc. a public or private company?
BGC Funding Innovation Inc. is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was BGC Funding Innovation Inc. founded?
BGC Funding Innovation Inc. was founded in 2015. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is BGC Funding Innovation Inc. based?
BGC Funding Innovation Inc. is headquartered in Burlington, Canada, in the North America region.
How does BGC Funding Innovation Inc. make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Art Easel Auction Proceeds are the primary driver. The others are E-commerce Print Liquidation Sales.
Who are BGC Funding Innovation Inc.'s main competitors?
Omaze is listed as an emerging player. Bonterra (Network for Good) is listed as a broad incumbent. Direct peers are Handbid, ClickBid, RallyUp, Auctria, GalaBid, Givebutter and OneCause. Great Big Canvas is listed as an others.
Does BGC Funding Innovation Inc. have an API?
No public API is recorded for BGC Funding Innovation Inc..