Antler is a global early-stage venture capital firm that supports founders from the initial stages of their journey. The firm provides a platform for entrepreneurs to launch and scale their companies, offering pre-seed funding, hands-on support, and access to a broad community. The program is designed to help founders move quickly from an idea to a fully-fledged company, backing them from day zero.
Program Structure and Support
- Founder Community: Participants are surrounded by a community of driven founders, providing opportunities to find co-founders, maintain accountability, and build a strong support network.
- Practical Focus: The program emphasizes practical building over theoretical instruction, avoiding a calendar filled with generic content sessions to allow founders to focus on what is most critical for progress.
- Resource Access: Founders gain access to significant resources, including hundreds of thousands of dollars in cloud credits, a world-class global network, and one-on-one sparring sessions with experienced entrepreneurs.
- Post-Investment Support: After investment, the relationship with founders intensifies, with weekly collaboration focusing on customer and revenue growth, as well as preparation for future fundraising rounds. Antler also facilitates introductions to downstream investors.
Investment Details
- Total Pre-Seed Commitment: Antler commits a total of €500,000 to successful companies from its investment committee.
- Initial Investment: An upfront investment of €200,000 is wired immediately following the investment decision. This is composed of €100,000 for an 8.5% equity stake and €100,000 structured as an uncapped SAFE or convertible note with a most-favored-nation (MFN) clause.
- Pre-Committed Follow-On Funds: An additional €300,000 is pre-committed as matching funds for the next funding round. Antler will invest one-third of the total amount raised from other professional or semi-professional investors within nine months of the initial investment.
- Subsequent Funding: The firm can continue to support its portfolio companies with larger follow-on investments, including potential pro-rata investments, in subsequent rounds up to Series C.
- Standardized Terms: The investment terms are standardized and non-negotiable to ensure a consistent process for all participants.
The Residency
- Program Format: The residency is a full-time, in-person opportunity designed to help founders launch and scale their businesses. It is not feasible to participate while holding another full-time job.
- Founder Activities: During the program, founders focus on key milestones such as customer interviews, MVP development, business model refinement, and go-to-market strategy, culminating in a pitch to Antler’s Investment Committee.
- Time Commitment: While a full-time commitment is required, there is no mandatory 9-to-5 office schedule. Founders are expected to attend cohort activities and are encouraged to use the space to foster community, with most attending 4-5 days a week.
- Locations: Antler operates residencies in over 24 locations worldwide, with its Nordic programs based in Stockholm, Oslo, Copenhagen, and Helsinki.
Candidate Profile and Eligibility
- Ideal Applicants: The program seeks highly ambitious operators, technologists, and serial entrepreneurs. Both individuals and teams are encouraged to apply.
- Business Stage: Antler invests at the very beginning of a founder's journey, often at the ideation stage or as early as a clearly defined product statement. The firm aims to be the first institutional capital into its portfolio companies.
- Business Idea: Applicants are welcome with or without a fully formed business idea. The program is structured to help founders refine their concepts.
- Prior Investment: Startups that have already secured investment may still be eligible, with specific cases reviewed by the Investment Committee.
- Industry Scope: The firm is industry agnostic and invests in scalable companies with exceptional founders. However, it does not invest in sectors such as drugs, narcotics, adult entertainment, or gambling.
Application Process
- Step 1 - Online Application: Candidates begin by filling out an online form, indicating their preferred residency location and providing personal and professional details.
- Step 2 - Application Review: The local residency team carefully evaluates each profile, vision, and potential.
- Step 3 - Interviews: Shortlisted applicants meet with the residency team and general partners to assess motivation, resilience, and founder potential. The entire process typically takes about two weeks.
- Step 4 - Offer: Successful candidates receive a formal offer with details for their cohort.
- Application Status: Applicants can check their status on the Antler portal. Response times are typically within 2-3 weeks but may vary by region.
- Location and Visa: Candidates can only apply to one location at a time and must have the necessary visa documentation for their chosen country. Antler provides an offer letter but does not offer direct support for visa acquisition.
With a global presence in over 24 locations, Antler has cultivated one of the largest communities of early-stage founders in the world. Its growing portfolio includes over 1,300 companies with a total portfolio value of $4.8 billion, demonstrating a significant impact on job creation, economic contribution, and innovation worldwide.