Founders who move the world forward come from everywhere with any background. This is one of our foundational beliefs at Antler, and why we’re committed to removing barriers to entry so the most driven founders can launch and scale businesses that create employment, contribute to GDP, and improve lives.
While the investment value of diverse teams is tremendous—companies with at least one woman or one ethnically diverse founder generate over 60%+ in business value—it is well known and reported that founders from underrepresented communities raise a fraction of venture capital (VC) funding. Seventy-seven percent of VC funding goes to companies with white founders, 11% of VC dollars go to women founders, and around 1% goes to black founders.
To help level the playing field with more equitable access to funding, Antler is proud to partner with Microsoft for Startups to support underrepresented founders around the world. We’re united in our commitment to empower founders at every stage of their journey—from day zero to greatness—and to increase diversity in entrepreneurship.
In the first phase of our partnership, Microsoft for Startups provided non-dilutive grants to accelerate the success and extend the operating runway of select entrepreneurs backed by Antler. Initial grant recipients included 23 recently funded women entrepreneurs based in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and North America, who are building companies spanning a wide variety of sectors, from fintech to supply chain to Web3.
Watch this video to meet some of the Rising Entrepreneur grant recipients. Stay tuned for more updates on our partnership with Microsoft for Startups this year to reduce the challenges disproportionately impacting underrepresented founders.
Visit Microsoft for Startups to learn more about the Rising Entrepreneur grant recipients.
Read Antler’s second annual ESG and Impact Report to learn how VC firms can build diverse teams and create sustainable value from the outset.
