Antler is a global early-stage venture capital firm and inception-stage investor that supports founders through its Antler Residency in the United States. The US program currently operates in San Francisco, New York City, and Austin, offering an in-person environment for founders to build, test, and scale new companies from the earliest stages. The residency is designed for ambitious operators, builders, solo founders, and co-founding teams who want structured support, access to capital, and a high-caliber founder community while building a venture-backed startup.
Program details
The Antler Residency focuses on the earliest and most uncertain phase of company building, often before a founder has finalized a co-founder, product, or business model. • Format: The program brings selected founders together in person for up to three months. • Focus areas: Participants work on idea validation, team formation, business model development, product-building, and preparation for investment. • Community: Founders work alongside other high-potential builders and receive access to operators, investors, domain experts, and Antler’s global founder network. • Programming: The residency includes workshops, speaker sessions, social events, weekly standups, office hours, Town Halls, and community dinners, with flexibility based on each founder’s stage and needs.
Eligibility
The residency is designed for founders with strong ambition, execution ability, and domain insight rather than only for applicants with a fully formed startup. • Profile: Antler backs “outlier achievers” with edge, velocity, and deep domain strength, including builders working across AI, enterprise SaaS, consumer, fintech, climate, deep tech, health, and emerging categories. • Stage: Applicants do not need to have a fully formed or incorporated startup on day one, but they should have serious intent to build an investable company. • Team status: Solo founders and co-founding teams are welcome; at least one founder must be full-time in the residency. • Location and work authorization: At least one co-founder must already have US work authorization, and Antler does not provide visa sponsorship.
Structure and timeline
The Antler US Residency is a full-time, in-person commitment. Participants are expected to dedicate 100% of their working energy to building their startup and engaging with the founder community. Antler invites selected operators, builders, and founders to join the residency on a monthly basis, and its cohort start-date page lists US intake as rolling for San Francisco, New York City, and Austin. The application page also notes that applicants can apply and secure a place at any time.
Benefits
Participants gain access to a focused company-building environment, direct feedback, founder community, and investor support. • First institutional investor pathway: Residents may be considered for Antler’s initial investment. • Founder network: Antler supports founders through a global network spanning multiple cities and continues working with portfolio companies beyond the first check. • Workspace and community: Portfolio founders may continue using Antler office space and community resources after investment. • Partner credits: Antler’s US page states that its initial commitment is typically paired with $650,000 in partner credits.
Funding or investment terms
Antler positions itself as the first investor in many of the companies it backs. For the US program, Antler states that its initial commitment typically ranges from $500,000 to $1 million, with the opportunity to pitch its Investment Committee when ready. Current official US materials do not list a fixed equity percentage, and they do not state that the current US investment is $250,000 for 9% equity.
Application and selection process
Applicants apply through Antler’s online application page and select their preferred region and city. The application page allows US applicants to choose Austin, New York City, or San Francisco. Antler reviews applications year-round, and applicants may submit only one application at a time. During the residency, founders are expected to engage seriously with the investment process, incorporate feedback, and prepare professionally for pitch opportunities.
The Antler US Residency is a founder-first program for people ready to build venture-scale companies from inception. By combining in-person company building, peer community, access to investors, and potential pre-seed funding, the program provides a structured path for founders to move from early concept or team formation toward an investable startup. Prospective applicants interested in the US residency should apply through Antler’s official application page and choose the US city that best fits their founder journey.