Antler backs eight new AI-first Australian startups across robotics, fintech, wellness, and beyond

Antler has announced the new investments from its 12th Australian residency utilising AI across a variety of sectors. Backed by Antler’s ARC model and global AI focus, these founders are on a mission to scale rapidly and reshape industries.

Maeve Couch

Manager, Marketing and Communications
May 6, 2025
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Antler has unveiled the latest startups to emerge from our 12th Australian residency: sixteen high-conviction founders, eight AI-first companies tackling complex problems in financial advice, home insurance, academic research, scent-based wellness, robotics development, and more.

The new cohort was selected from thousands of applicants and reflects an increasing trend: founders leveraging AI to enhance ways of working and living, reduce operational overhead, and address deeply entrenched industry challenges from day one.

It’s also the second cohort backed under our Agreement of Rolling Capital (ARC) which guarantees follow-on capital when startups raise AU$300,000 or more from third-party investors, de-risking their path from idea to scale.

"Antler’s model is built to thrive in tough markets - and so are the founders we back. We’re seeing more founders bring deep domain expertise to bear with AI, moving faster with leaner teams and solving bigger problems.” ~ Mike Abbott, Partner at Antler in Australia

The announcement follows Antler’s recognition as the most active AI investor globally in 2024 by Dealroom, coinciding with the expansion of our global investment thesis to double down on AI technologies.

This latest group joins our growing global portfolio of AI startups like Lovable, Wrtn, and Tactiq, with ongoing support from Antler Elevate for Series A+ growth and international expansion.

Meet the new cohort below.

  • AdviseWell – A virtual AI-powered paraplanner helping financial advisors scale advice efficiently and compliantly.
  • Auric – AI-personalised aromatherapy rituals via smart devices designed to enhance mood, sleep, and focus.
  • Imitation Machines – Human-to-robot teaching through demonstration and imitation, cutting down the time and coding expertise needed to deploy robotics.
  • Lodgicl – Streamlining insurance claims workflows by digitising site assessments and linking data to policy terms.
  • PaperLab – A research assistant for scientists, summarising and synthesising academic literature at scale.
  • Prefactor – A developer-first platform for authentication and authorisation, unifying user logic with customisable, low-lift integrations.
  • RoundTable - Unlocking new revenue for creators by enabling live, camera-on experiences that connect them directly with superfans.
  • ViaPay - Agentic AI that automates B2B payments, replacing manual invoicing and reconciliation to speed up transactions and reduce admin.

Want the full breakdown?

Apply to Antler's 14th residency

Antler’s 14th residency begins August 11 and will run across Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane.

Applications are now open here.

Interested founders can also join our upcoming AMA sessions to get all your burning questions answered:

For all press enquiries: press@antler.co

Maeve Couch

Manager, Marketing and Communications

As the Marketing and Communications Manager, Maeve is focussed on bolstering Antler Australia's marketing and media presence while helping nurture and build robust digital and physical identities for their Australian founder cohorts. Working with startups for over 5 years, including the fintech Cape as their Marketing Manager and through her own digital marketing company, she has amplified a diverse suite of companies from their inception to global expansion.

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