Antler

Antler is a global venture capital firm that functions as a 'Day Zero' investor, dedicated to backing the world's most driven founders from the earliest possible stage. Unlike traditional VCs, accelerators, or incubators, Antler gets involved before a company is even formed, supporting individuals with or without a co-founder or a fully-fledged idea. Their mission is to empower exceptional people to build the defining companies of tomorrow, particularly in the rapidly evolving AI landscape. With a presence in over 30 cities across six continents, Antler has built a global community of more than 8,000 founders and 600+ expert advisors, making it one of the most active early-stage investors worldwide.

How to use Antler

The journey with Antler is a structured pathway designed to take founders from ideation to a funded company. The process typically follows these steps:

1. Application: Aspiring founders apply to a residency program in one of Antler's global locations. The application is open to individuals from all backgrounds, whether they are engineers, product experts, or domain specialists.
2. Residency Program: Successful applicants join a cohort of other talented and ambitious individuals. This intensive phase, typically lasting a few months, is designed to facilitate co-founder matching, idea validation, and the development of a business model and initial product.
3. Investment Pitch: Towards the end of the residency, teams present their validated business concepts to Antler's Investment Committee.
4. Pre-Seed Funding: Teams that demonstrate strong potential receive their first investment check from Antler, enabling them to launch their company and start building.
5. Scaling and Growth: Post-investment, founders become part of the Antler portfolio and gain full access to its global network, expert advice, and resources to scale their business, acquire customers, and hire talent.
6. Follow-on Funding: Antler continues to support its portfolio companies in raising subsequent funding rounds. Through its growth fund, Antler Elevate, it can also provide scale-up capital from Series A onwards.

Core Features of Antler

• Day Zero Investment: Capital and support for founders at the pre-idea, pre-team, and pre-incorporation stage.
• Global Residency Programs: Structured, in-person programs in major tech hubs worldwide that help build founding teams and validate ideas.
• Pre-Seed Capital: Provides the crucial first check to get a startup off the ground.
• Vast Global Network: Access to a community of over 8,000 founders, 600+ expert advisors, and a wide network of VCs and corporate partners.
• Expert Mentorship: Direct guidance from Antler's partners, who are experienced serial entrepreneurs, operators, and investors.
• Scale-up Capital (Antler Elevate): A dedicated fund to provide follow-on capital to promising portfolio companies from Series A onwards.
• Strong AI Focus: A dedicated thesis and specialized support for founders building AI-native companies, recognized as one of the most active AI investors globally.

Use Cases for Antler

Antler is ideal for a diverse range of individuals and teams:

• Aspiring Entrepreneurs with an Idea: Individuals with a business concept can find a co-founder and secure the initial capital and support needed to launch.
• Skilled Professionals Seeking a Team: Talented engineers, product managers, and domain experts can join a residency to find the right co-founder and a compelling problem to solve.
• Early-Stage Startups Seeking a First Check: Pre-seed stage companies looking for their first institutional investor and a strategic partner for global growth.
• Founders Building AI Companies: Entrepreneurs focused on AI can leverage Antler's specific expertise, dedicated network, and capital for the AI sector.

Advantages of Antler

Partnering with Antler offers several unique advantages:

• Early Conviction: Antler invests in people first, providing backing based on the strength of the founding team earlier than almost any other institutional investor.
• Global by Default: Founders are immediately integrated into a global platform, providing a significant advantage for international hiring, fundraising, and market expansion.
• Structured Founder Journey: The residency program offers a clear, step-by-step process from ideation to investment, de-risking the initial phase of company building.
• Unparalleled Network Effect: The collective knowledge and connections of the vast Antler community provide an invaluable strategic asset.
• Long-Term Partnership: Antler's support extends far beyond the initial check, offering continuous guidance and follow-on funding opportunities throughout a company's lifecycle.

Pricing and Plans

Antler's model is based on investment, not fees. Founders receive capital in exchange for equity.

• Application & Residency: Applying to and participating in the Antler residency program is free. In many locations, Antler also provides a stipend to individuals during the program to cover living expenses.
• Pre-Seed Investment: For companies selected for investment, Antler provides a standardized amount of pre-seed funding. In return, Antler typically receives an equity stake in the company (e.g., 10-12%, though terms may vary by location). All specific terms are transparently communicated to successful founders.