Scaling WordPress Without the Headaches
Refoundry is rethinking how digital agencies build WordPress websites—trading fragile themes and dev-heavy processes for a low-code platform that delivers speed, flexibility, and profitability.
Most digital agencies are leaking profit. Manual builds and custom code eat up time, budget, and margin—often shaving 10–20% off every project. Refoundry is flipping the script by:
- Cutting build time by up to 70%
- Boosting agency margins by 20 points
- Building a strong user base, with 100+ sites already built on the platform
The Vancouver startup replaces traditional WordPress themes with a flexible block and styling engine designed for speed and scalability. It offers over 40 flexible blocks for page layouts, more than 70 reusable components like CTAs, banners, and content sections, and a themeless styling engine that can restyle entire sites without touching a single line of code. Agencies start with a short-term support retainer, then transition into long-term platform users that generate recurring license revenue for Refoundry.
By turning junior staff into high-output builders and offering built-in onboarding and Slack support, Refoundry helps agencies scale—without scaling headcount.
Building Momentum From the Ground Up
What they’ve done: Refoundry has quietly delivered real traction—powering over 100 live websites and transforming agency workflows by slashing build time and boosting margins. With $14K+ in committed MRR, 118% Net Revenue Retention, and three agencies already using the platform in production, the company is proving that lean, founder-led growth can still deliver big.
The startup has been entirely bootstrapped to date, funded through client work, SR&ED credits, and IRAP-backed innovation projects—including an AI indexing system set to enter beta this fall. Their public launch in January 2025 marked a key milestone for a platform built from over a decade of agency experience.
Why NVBC: Refoundry entered the 2025 NVBC Competition, presented by Innovate BC, to raise their profile, build investor confidence, and lay the groundwork for their first external raise. The team sees the competition as more than a pitch stage—it’s a launchpad for partnerships, exposure, and validation as they scale a product born from real agency pain.
Up Next: The team is focused on founder-led sales and onboarding 10 paying agencies this year to prove out their CAC-to-LTV model. With funding, they plan to scale through partner channels, boost SEO and content efforts, and build a repeatable, capital-efficient revenue engine.
A Fresh Perspective
Refoundry credits GetFresh Ventures and mentor Diraj Goel for playing a pivotal role in its early growth. Diraj, a seasoned B2B SaaS leader with multiple exits, helped refine their business model, go-to-market strategy, and fundraising approach. His mentorship has not only shaped their sales and partner strategies but also instilled confidence in pursuing disciplined, capital-efficient growth. Though bootstrapped to date, this guidance has been crucial in positioning Refoundry for a successful pre-seed round and sustained traction ahead.
Meet The Team
Shawn Johnston, Founder and CEO
Shawn is a seasoned digital strategist with over 13 years of experience leading web projects for clients across North America. As founder of Forge and Smith, he delivered more than 500 websites and built a reputation for systems thinking, creative team empowerment, and sustainable business practices.
Company Cheatsheet:
City: Vancouver
Founded: 2011 (Corporation); 2025 (Official Product Launch)
Sector: SaaS; AI
