Invest in women: fast-track progress

Through residencies in Lisbon and Madrid, Antler in Iberia works with founders from day zero of their startup growth journey. After investment from Antler, our portfolio companies work with the Antler team to unlock continued growth and scale. As partners from the earliest stage, we’re proud to reveal our first portfolio companies.
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You'll see a diverse group of founders. There's a software developer who previously worked for NASA, a second-time founder who has previously raised over 200 million USD, and others who are addressing a wide range of issues with their companies. Among them are builders of a goals-based social app and an all-in-one solution for car repair shop management.

The founders are incredibly talented, and we're thrilled to support them.

This comprehensive guide will take you through the exciting opportunities that lie in Australia's dynamic startup scene and how Antler can support your entrepreneurial aspirations.

Elísabet Ýr Sigurðardóttir, co-founder of Anda, shares her experience working with Antler - from finding the right co-founder to building her business.

On the heels of publishing A Window into Progress—a global report that looks inside Antler, the world’s day zero investor—we are excited to present a digital event series offering deeper insights into our portfolio, investment approach, and unique views of the world. Our first event is "The State of Building Today," featuring perspectives on the state of VC and the startup ecosystems in Europe, the US, India, and Brazil.

Entrepreneurship can be a challenging and rewarding journey, but it is not one that should be taken alone. A co-founder is an essential element in building a successful startup.

Entenda mais sobre o programa que apoia, desde o dia zero, empreendedores brasileiros a criarem suas próprias startups

IndiaP2P's tech platform ensures the country’s highest-quality borrowers get access to faster, cheaper capital.

Against a backdrop of significant economic uncertainties and political challenges, one fact holds true: The dependent relationship between innovation and venture capital (VC)—with the latter financing and enabling the founders who create the biggest and boldest solutions around the globe—fuels the engine of progress. But what will the future of VC look like amidst so much flux?

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At Antler, we make investment decisions on startups that are less than 10 weeks old. In this time, founders find a team, conceive, test and validate business ideas, and start to grow their startup. For those who want to launch a marketplace, Partner James McClure has shared his insider tips to building supply in that short amount of time.

Founding a startup can be an incredibly tough process for any entrepreneur, no matter the experience level. To provide some insight into the entrepreneurship process, Naman Budheo, General Partner at Antler Canada speaks with Evan McCann of The Hard Part on his podcast, and discusses his own path to becoming a founder, how to move past entrepreneurship failures, entering developed industries with heavy-hitting competitors, and how exactly he became an integral part of Antler Canada.

From the types of founders to how we assess Founder DNA, and more. Here's what you need to know.

As unicorns and later-stage companies are battered by the economic climate, the overall health of the European tech ecosystem looks stronger than ever, with more founders coming from big tech and unicorns to build new startups with significant growth potential. Dive into our report and get to know the new generation of European tech founders.

Having previously been an executive search consultant, doubled the headcount of a Aussie startup now at unicorn-status, and now leading Scouting for Antler in Australia, Antler Associate Partner Adele Moynihan knows talent. Over the past four years, she's personally interviewed 3,000 of the 5,000 candidates who have applied. Here are her tips for getting ahead in the process.

12 MINUTES with Antler Founders gives a closer look into the journey of founders toward successfully building their ventures.

Every first Wednesday of the month Alan Poensgen, Antler Partner in Germany, sits down with a founder of an Antler portfolio company and talks about their time at Antler, the team formation, the ideation process, and more.

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Andre Dean Smith, co-founder of ScreenApp, shares his experience of building a startup with Antler, and the traction he has gained post-Antler’s investment in December 2022.

Everything you need to know about Australian business and entrepreneur visas. Explore eligibility criteria, application processes, and tips for a successful relocation to Australia's thriving business ecosystem.

Antler is thrilled to have closed Antler Elevate, a $285 million emerging growth fund that backs the next generation of game-changing founders across 20+ technology ecosystems, propelling them on their paths to greatness.

In conversation with Felicity McVay, Former Global Head of Entertainment at TikTok

Antler was founded on the belief that people innovating is the key to building a better future. In our content series—”It All Starts with People”—we spotlight the exceptional founders we have the privilege of partnering with around the world. Each story is a window into their passions, motivations, and vision—the reasons they are building and the positive dent they are aiming to make on the world.

This time we sat down with Theo Chervinskii, an engineer who found his passion in robotics, to talk about his journey and why he decided to build his company with Antler in Berlin.

Ready to kick start your entrepreneurial journey? Here's why a day zero investor is your best bet!

Antler was founded on the belief that people innovating is the key to building a better future. In our content series—”It All Starts with People”—we spotlight the exceptional founders we have the privilege of partnering with around the world. Each story is a window into their passions, motivations, and vision—the reasons they are building and the positive dent they are aiming to make on the world.

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This time we sat down with Daniel Nguyen, an engineer turned McKinsey consultant, to talk about his journey and why he decided to build his company with Antler in Berlin.

As we approach the fifth anniversary of our first investments, we are excited to share A Window into Progress, a report that captures the breadth, depth, and impact of Antler’s global community, which continues to grow and strengthen through the downturn.

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Spain and Portugal have implemented fresh laws aiming to foster the expansion of their respective startup ecosystems. These legislations introduce novel approaches toward stock options, provide tax deductions for investors, offer corporate tax incentives, acknowledge crowdfunding as a viable financing option, and grant income tax exemptions.

Antler was founded on the belief that people innovating is the key to building a better future. In our content series— "It All Starts with People"—we spotlight the exceptional founders we have the privilege of partnering with around the world. Each story is a window into their passions, motivations, and vision—the reasons they are building and the positive dent they are aiming to make in the world.
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This time we sat down with Charlotte Apperloo to talk about her journey and why she decided to build her company with Antler in Berlin.

Founding a startup can be an incredibly tough process for any entrepreneur, no matter the experience level. To provide some insight into the entrepreneurship process, Bernie Li, General Partner at Antler Canada speaks with Craig Major of Toronto Starts on his podcast, and sheds some light on his own journey, the concept of “founder empathy”, trials and tribulations on the path to success, and some helpful advice on how to get your startup started.

Silvain joined Antler after four years as a CTO at Sayduck, a Finnish company providing services for e-commerce and enhancing interactive shopping experience through displaying 3D products on their websites. Silvain helped to shape the company strategy and played a pivotal role during the acquisition of Sayduck by the Swedish Goodbye Kansas Group. However, he was missing a deeper sense of purpose as the company was “not solving any pressing issue” as he explained in our interview. Therefore, he decided to leave the company and started making the first steps toward building his own company. A company with a significant positive impact on the climate, planet, and people.

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However, this was harder than expected, and even though he met many talented people, there was always something missing – not the right match, timing, or diverse expectations. Struggling to find the right co-founder he joined Antler. Now, he and his co-founder René are building NeoCarbon and are on a mission to tackle climate change using Direct Air Capture.

Here's a sneak peek of some of the founders Antler Australia is working with, what they are up to, and the startups they want to build.

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The Antler residency is a unique opportunity to get together with 60+ other founders eager to build life-changing ventures. No matter how well you prep, it is impossible to be completely prepared for what can be truly transformational. The important thing is to be ready to fully immerse yourself, and take in everything you can during the experience. In this article, I’m outlining how to get the most out of the rollercoaster ride that is an Antler residency. As Co-Global Head of Program, having worked with 450+ founders during our eight latest residencies in Amsterdam, I have a few tips to share.

Have you ever wondered what is it like to be a tech startup founder and bring an idea to life?

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Founder Files is a series of conversations with founders in the earliest days of their entrepreneurial journey hosted by Antler Canada. Guests are founders of our portfolio companies and founders in residence, currently building the next big ventures. Learn about their experiences of finding a co-founder, idea validation and product-market fit.

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In the fourth episode of Founder Files, Elif Hiz interviews Liza Akhvledziani, the CEO and co-founder of Chexy, a platform designed to help tenants pay rent online while earning rewards and building credit. As one of the first entrepreneurs that Antler Canada invested in, Liza highlights her experiences, struggles, and triumphs as a founder, and discusses her future ambitions. 

Have you ever wondered what is it like to be a tech startup founder and bring an idea to life?

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Founder Files is a series of conversations with founders in the earliest days of their entrepreneurial journey hosted by Antler Canada. Guests are founders of our portfolio companies and founders in residence, currently building the next big ventures. Learn about their experiences of finding a co-founder, idea validation and product-market fit.

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In the third episode of Antler Canada's Founder Files, Elif Hiz interviews Justin Cuaresma, a founder in residence in our third residency. Justin is a Software Developer turned entrepreneur. He believes that the future of work is joyful. He bootstrapped CrowdParty, the “Netflix of workplace games,” and is now working on Delightful, a platform made for employees to foster deeper relationships through shared hobbies and interests!  In this video, we’ll dive into Justin's experience at Antler so far and his learnings from the first 7 weeks of the program.

Meet Carl Prins, co-founder and CEO of Pathzero, on personal quest to help avert the climate crisis through world-class carbon accounting.

Nestled in the vibrant startup hub of Nairobi, Antler in Kenya brings together founders from all walks of life to build and invest in companies, tackling some of the most ambitious challenges in Africa. Sometimes that means starting from the very beginning—by lifting up young people in our region and providing them with the tools to drive the world forward. This time, through code. Find out about the incredible work done by Code Yetu, in partnership with Alphathesis and Antler in Kenya.

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Antler US works with founders starting from day zero, bringing them in-house to our Residency studios in Austin, Boulder, and New York City. After investment from Antler, our portfolio companies work with the Antler US team to unlock continued growth and scale. As partners at the earliest stage, we’re proud to showcase some of our US companies who’ve matured and are ready to raise their next round of funding.

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InspeCity is building propulsion and in-space servicing to enable space cities in the future.

Harry Truman once said: “Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers.” The source of myriad mental and physical benefits, it’s no wonder highly successful entrepreneurs and business leaders frequently credit obsessive reading as instrumental to their outperformance. In honor of UNESCO World Book Day, Antler is excited to share books every founder should read in 2023.

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Antler, the world's day zero investor, has launched its first program in Iberia to provide funding, mentorship, and ongoing support to the exceptional founders building companies that will shape the world of tomorrow. The first cohort of Antler’s Iberian residency, which started in January 2023, includes 60 founders from 27 different geographies with a range of backgrounds and experiences.

Have you ever wondered what is it like to be a tech startup founder and bring an idea to life?

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Founder Files is a series of conversations with founders in the earliest days of their entrepreneurial journey hosted by Antler Canada. Guests are founders of our portfolio companies and founders in residence, currently building the next big ventures. Learn about their experiences of finding a co-founder, idea validation and product-market fit.

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In this episode of Antler Canada's Founder Files, Elif Hiz interviews Zane Hengsperger, the youngest founder in residence in our third residency. Zane is currently working with 2 other founders from the cohort and building Blymp, a platform that will empower podcasters to secure relevant brand partnerships. In this article, we’ll dive into Zane’s experience at Antler so far and his learnings from the first 6 weeks of the program.

Michelle You is co-founder and CEO of Supercritical, one of the world's largest carbon removal marketplaces. But Supercritcal isn't the first startup Michelle has built and scaled. Before Supercritical, Michelle was co-founder and Chief Product Officer at Songkick, a company that helped fans discover concerts from their favorite artists. Songkick was backed by investors like YC, Index, Sequoia, Access and ultimately exited to Warner Music. 

Michelle shares how her experience at Songkick has influenced her approach to building Supercritical. We discuss the importance of user interviews, ascertaining key insights from customers, and how to structure an analytical decision making process. These are valuable, hard-earned lessons from a serial founder that you don't want to miss.

“Holidays are a way for you to enrich your own life. It's about going out and experiencing things that you otherwise wouldn't experience in your everyday life, trying new food, meeting new people, and just learning more about the world in a first-hand way.” —Sarah Hilmy, co-founder of travel platform Oddysee.

Our creator economy insights series—starting with our ultimate guide to the creator economy in May 2021—has tracked the explosion of a sector that upended the professional aspirations of the next generation. Today, as uncertainty and macroeconomic challenges pervade, how are creators pivoting and what does it mean for the sector's future?

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As the creator economy continues to grow, expand, and evolve, we've curated a list of 50 exciting leaders to watch in this space. Influencers. Journalists. Operators at prominent creator-related platforms. Founders. These are the players—seen and unseen—who underpin the global creator ecosystem.

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"The future is not some place we are going to, but one we are creating. The paths are not to be found, but made, and the activity of making them changes both the maker and the destination." —John H. Schaar

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Antler was founded on the belief that people innovating is the key to building a better future. In our content series—”It All Starts with People”—we spotlight the exceptional founders we have the privilege of partnering with around the world. Each story is a window into their passions, motivations, and vision—the reasons they are building and the positive dent they are aiming to make on the world.

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This time we sat down with Stephen Scott to talk about why he decided to build his company with Antler in Berlin.

“People sometimes think the emotional and professional are conflicting, but what we believe is when people love their organization, the emotional value will actually make them productive. It will make them give their full self to the organization and make the organization grow for the long term.” —Sharon Li, co-founder and CEO of CHOYS

Have you ever wondered what is it like to be a tech startup founder and bring an idea to life?

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Founder Files is a series of conversations with founders in the earliest days of their entrepreneurial journey hosted by Antler Canada. Guests are founders of our portfolio companies and founders in residence, currently building the next big ventures. Learn about their experiences of finding a co-founder, idea validation and product-market fit.

Swish Goswami is the co-founder and CEO of Surf, a startup that helps consumers monetize their digital footprints through the world’s first extension that passively rewards people for everyday browsing. Surf has raised over $4M to date and also provides first and zero party data to enterprises like Netflix, L’Oreal, United Talent Agency, and Electronic Arts.

In this episode of Early Days, Swish talks about his decision to drop out of the University of Toronto to work in startups, how he honed in on Surf’s ultimate value prop for brands and customers, and his thoughts on the future of consumer data privacy. Tyler grills Swish on how he recruited AAA+ talent to his team at such a young age and how he validated product-market fit with Surf's early (paying) customers.

Businesses born from the global financial crisis have been hugely successful. Explore why, and how founders should think about startups today.

Our baby, UpMarket, is already two months old. It’s been an incredible experience from the point I joined Antler as a founder, only a few months ago, to now being ready to go live with our product and first customer. In this article I will share my experience on the rollercoaster that started with an idea I originally came up with during dinner.

India's approach to unbundle payments made the world look up and take notice. Now it's time to disrupt commerce with the Open Network for Digital Commerce or ONDC. In our latest Theory of Next deep dive we mapped, researched, and reached out to every network participant live on ONDC right now.

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And we're excited to share with you a comprehensive what could be India's next unicorn catalyst with inputs from Vibhor Jain (COO of ONDC), Sujith Nair (Founding member of Beckn Protocol), and founders building on ONDC!

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Co-authored by Nitin Sharma (Partner, Antler) and Gokul Kumaravelu.

We’re thrilled to bring day zero investing to Munich as we open the doors of our new office and host our first founder residency in September 2023. After having been in the DACH ecosystem since 2021, it was clear that adding an office in Munich would only be a question of "when"-not "if".  

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Antler's new Munich office will plug right into this dynamic ecosystem and be well-positioned to support the next generation of entrepreneurs in Central Europe. We look forward to seeing what exciting new ventures emerge from this city!