“If Peloton and Nintendo had a baby” — that’s how Andy Hoang, founder of Aviron, describes his game-changing fitness company. But behind the fun and innovation is a story of resilience, funding challenges, and breakthrough growth.
Based in Scarborough, Ontario, Aviron is on a mission to end boring workouts. Since 2018, they’ve redefined connected fitness through gamified, interactive equipment—starting with rowing, expanding into cycling with the Aviron Fit Bike, and now bringing their immersive experience to a new treadmill. Aviron continues to push the boundaries of fitness tech by combining entertainment, hardware, and performance—all within one ecosystem.
But as a hardware + software company, raising capital in Canada wasn’t easy.
In this episode of the SOFII Innovators Series, Andy shares how SOFII (Southern Ontario Fund for Investment in Innovation) played a critical role in bridging their capital gap when traditional investors wouldn't bite. Aviron used SOFII funding to buy inventory and get their product to market—setting the stage for over $30M raised, a global footprint, and a team of 90+ employees.
