Where exceptional builders meet exceptional co-founders
Every startup's story begins with remarkable people. Technologists, creators, thinkers and builders. At The Antler India Residency, we are bringing exceptional builders together to meet, learn and co-create. Apply to be a part of India's most exclusive community of aspiring founders, where you can find a co-founder to kickstart your entrepreneurial journey. Applications close on May 31, 2022.
The Antler India Residency
The Antler India Residency is India’s most exclusive community of aspiring founders, with a set of interventions and activities designed to forge meaningful connections and collaborations. Ultimately, the Residency’s goal is to help you find the ideal co-founder, a long-term and enduring partnership between builders. The Residency is a space for anyone who is actively ideating, tinkering, building, or taking the first steps in their entrepreneurial journey.
Meet fellow world-class operators who are committed to starting up, spend a targeted 14-weeks at the Residency, and find a co-founder whom you may not have crossed paths with otherwise.
At the end of the Residency, all teams have the opportunity to present to the Antler India Investment Committee for investment. We back you as people at the Residency, and we back you as first believers in your new venture.
An exclusive community of aspiring founders
A scientific process to forge connections
A platform to build a startup
Your first believers and capital backers
Who can apply?
The Antler India Residency is for the top 1% builders and operators who are absolutely certain they want to dedicate their next chapter to entrepreneurship. Here is what that may look like:
- You are a senior leader in a high-growth startup who is certain that you want to build something of your own, but have not had time to explore any concrete ideas or potential co-founders
- You are an engineer excited about emerging technologies and want to start building right away
- You have built engineering teams at large companies and now want to start out on your own
- You are a domain expert who has validated a few ideas and are looking for complementary co-founders to kickstart your venture
- You have already started up as an individual or small co-founding team but are looking for a critical co-founder with specific skill-sets or knowledge
Entrepreneurship is one of the most difficult yet rewarding paths in life. At The Antler India Residency, we want to ensure that all participants are fully committed to the journey, and can reap the full benefits of the Residency. Thus, we require all applicants to be free from any formal jobs: you should have either quit, are actively serving notice, or are on a formal sabbatical before the Residency starts on 20th June.
The Schedule
Phase 1: Find your co-founder(s)
During Phase 1 at Antler India Residency, you will have the opportunity to meet 60 to 75 exceptional individuals from both diverse backgrounds, all passionate about building a successful startup.
The cohort will embark on an intense two months of activities designed to maximize their time with each other. This includes an immersive outdoor experience, collaborative side projects and carefully crafted nudges to help you find your ideal co-founder.
Phase 2: Build your idea into a startup
Once you identify the right co-founder(s) to work with, you will start the building process. In Phase 2, you will spend time identifying and validating a problem to solve, as well as executing that idea. You will be part of a supportive environment to iron out what to build, and start transforming your idea into a startup. Throughout, you will have access to team office hours and sessions led by functional experts across product, design, marketing and sales, amongst others. In addition, we have planned custom modules for developers and engineers in the cohort, hosted by tech specialists who transitioned into being founders, to help make the mindset shift from technology operators to leaders.
At this stage, you will have 4-6 weeks’ time before you pitch to us to be eligible for funding.
Phase 3: Get funding and fund-raising support
For select teams that receive funding from Antler India, you will work extremely closely with our Portfolio team and overall organization to build from 0 to 1. You will have access to all Antler India portfolio resources to help you scale your business, prepare for next-round fundraise, and develop as a founder and human being – including partner time, access to Antler’s global portfolio platform, a dedicated advisory group, and more. Multiple Antler India portfolio companies have raised next rounds from Tier 1 VCs.