Antler’s New UK Terms: Giving Founders the Strongest Start at Day Zero

Antler is significantly increasing its commitment to founders building in the UK. Our redesigned inception-stage terms give outlier founders the strongest possible platform from day zero; enabling them to focus on building, reach the right milestones faster, and raise with confidence.

What’s New

From the Autumn residency onwards, Antler will invest up to £500k in new UK companies:

• £210,000 inception investment on Day Zero
  
  • £125,000 for 8.5% equity - We take a minority stake in your company; no more, no less. Clear, simple, upfront.
  • £85,000 via a convertible note - that's cash up front that takes equity when you raise your next funding round. It comes with a Most Favoured Nation (MFN) clause, meaning it will convert at the best terms any new investor offers in that round.
  • Why this matters: You get more capital at inception, but don’t give away additional equity until your valuation improves, helping protect your ownership.

• Up to £330,000 in follow-on: the ARC commitment
  
  • ARC stands for Agreement for Rolling Capital. It’s a follow-on investment commitment Antler signs with you at inception. Here’s how it works:
  • If you raise more than £50,000 in external funding from professional investors within 9 months of our initial investment, Antler will match 50% of that round:
  • This is capped at:
    
    • £165,000 if you raise less than £1.5M
    • £330,000 if you raise £1.5M or more
  • “Professional investors” means angels, syndicates, or institutional VCs — not friends, family, or accelerators. Grants and non-dilutive funding also don’t qualify for ARC matching.
  • There’s no need to renegotiate — it’s a pre-agreed, binding commitment signed at day zero.‍
  • Why this matters: You can go into your next round knowing that up to £330k is already committed. That’s a powerful signal to other investors, reduces risk, and can speed up your fundraising process.

• Total Capital: Up to £500k from inception to pre-seed, with further support available through Antler Elevate, our dedicated growth fund that can invest up to £25M when you reach Series A (the stage when companies typically raise £5–10M+ from institutional VCs).

This means founders still net the full £500k commitment after our program fee. 

Why It Matters

The market has shifted. Founders today need more capital earlier to make meaningful progress before their next round. These new terms are designed to give them that.

• Protect ownership — The convertible note defers some equity until your next round, keeping more of your company with you at inception.
• Build momentum — With £210k available on day zero, you can hire earlier, test faster, and hit the growth metrics investors look for.
• Raise faster — With ARC pre-signed, you walk into your pre-seed round showing other investors you already have up to £330k of committed capital. That’s a powerful signal and reduces friction in fundraising.

With over 80% of Antler UK companies raising further capital within nine months, we’ve seen how momentum compounds when founders can focus fully on building.

Who It’s For

These terms are not for tourists or “wannabe” founders. They are for those ready to go all in.

• Founders with the grit, focus, and energy to dedicate the next decade to building.
• Outliers who want to take their companies from inception to global scale.
• Builders who aren’t dabbling — but are committed to going further, faster.

Setting a New Benchmark

Inception-stage founders in the UK have historically been underfunded. Other investors are now experimenting with improvements — some even requiring founders to relocate to unlock additional capital.

Our approach is different: We’re increasing our commitment right here in the UK, and giving founders certainty from the very first day we back them.

While some global accelerators headline larger sums, our terms are designed to be the most founder-friendly at inception: transparent and structured to protect ownership, deliver momentum, and set founders up for long-term success.

‍Why Now

The UK is Europe’s most advanced tech and venture ecosystem, but founders are taking longer than ever to raise early capital. Ten years ago, it took startups 1.8 years to raise $1M; today, it takes 3.2 years. Yet, founders raising more than £1.5M at seed are 2–3x more likely to make it to Series A.

By committing £500k from day zero, we’re giving founders the strongest possible chance to build, raise, and scale.

‍Looking Ahead

Antler has already backed over 120 UK startups, including some of the fastest-growing companies in the ecosystem, with follow-on funding from Sequoia, Atomico, and Octopus Ventures. Globally, our portfolio includes unicorns like Airalo and Lovable.

With these new terms, we’re raising the bar again — helping the most ambitious founders in the UK build category-defining companies for global markets.

Applications are now open for our October 2025 residency.