Venture capital firm Airtree is taking its Frontier founder residency to San Francisco, extending a program first launched in Sydney earlier this year. The move supports the firm's growing presence in the United States and targets Australian and New Zealand linked founders and builders who are considering starting a company. Airtree principal Sid Kasbekar has relocated to the Bay Area to lead the initiative locally.
A Growing US Footprint
Airtree has been building its presence in the United States, and the San Francisco residency marks a formal step in that direction. The firm's decision to place a principal on the ground reflects the importance of the Bay Area as a destination for Australian and New Zealand founders. The program creates a structured way for Airtree to stay close to these founders beyond simply opening an office.
Expanding the Frontier Model to the United States
The San Francisco residency will be led by Sid Kasbekar, who is establishing Airtree's presence in the Bay Area. The program is designed for people with ties to Australia and New Zealand who are in the United States and thinking about what to build next. It accepts participants who have not yet settled on a specific company or product idea.
Capital, Credits, and Community
Airtree will invest USD250,000, approximately AUD392,500, in each participant through an uncapped MFN SAFE. Founders will also receive credits from major artificial intelligence labs, infrastructure providers, and cloud platforms to support experimentation and early product development. Access to Airtree's team, broader network, and community credibility is included as part of the residency package, alongside the capital and technical resources.
An Early Bet on Founders
Frontier pushes Airtree unusually early in the startup formation process by backing individuals before they have a company, product, or even a settled idea. This approach allows the firm to build early relationships with founders who could later raise larger rounds from Airtree. The model is intended to give exceptional people time and space to craft their approach to building a generational company.
Community and Co-Working in San Francisco
Airtree will also introduce broader co-working Fridays in San Francisco, recreating a format that has developed around its Sydney office. This initiative will bring residency founders and other people in the firm's network together in one place on a regular basis. The goal is to create a potent energy among participants and raise the ceiling on what they think is reasonable to attempt.
Leadership Perspective
Sid Kasbekar said the team will focus on finding a few teams that are ambitious and intense, and supporting them in San Francisco the same way Airtree does in Sydney. He described Frontier as the room for Australians and New Zealanders in the United States who want to build a generational company over the next decade. The program is intended to give those founders the time and space needed to craft their approach before committing to a specific direction.
Airtree's expansion of Frontier to San Francisco signals a deeper commitment to supporting early-stage founders from Australia and New Zealand in key global markets. By combining investment, technical credits, community, and access to its network, the firm is positioning itself close to the earliest stages of company creation. The new residency is now open for expressions of interest, with interested founders encouraged to connect with Sid Kasbekar directly.