Antler Korea supports prospective entrepreneurs

Founders at Antler are turning their visions into reality—tackling pressing problems, creating jobs, and unlocking their personal potential. As the world’s issues become more complex, founders are more needed than ever to solve them. What are you waiting for?

Who is Antler Korea for?

We’re looking for people committed to turning their ambitious ideas into game-changing businesses. We work with founders regardless of background or geography—from experienced business operators to technologists and entrepreneurs. Whether you've just started building, but haven't yet raised capital; you've got an idea and are thinking about getting started, but haven't quite made the leap; or you don't have an idea but are determined to be an entrepreneur, Antler is the right place for you to bring your idea to life.

Pre-Launch

Individual Founders and Teams

Pre-idea and pre-team. Ambitious founders can join Antler before the inception of their company to find a co-founder(s) and receive their first cheque. We support these founders through team formation, idea validation, dedicated expert coaching, access to the world’s largest-growing community of like-minded entrepreneurs, and a clear pathway to capital.

Pre-Seed

Startups

Startups can now join Antler seeking support to scale their operations and secure early stage funding. These are typically incorporated companies with a product in market and growing customer base. We provide dedicated expert coaching, industry connections to secure subsequent funding rounds, support to scale operations, and a clear pathway to capital.

Pre-Launch

Individual Founders and Teams

Pre-idea and pre-team. Ambitious founders can join Antler before the inception of their company to find a co-founder(s) and receive their first cheque. We support these founders through team formation, idea validation, dedicated expert coaching, access to the world’s largest-growing community of like-minded entrepreneurs, and a clear pathway to capital.

Pre-Seed

Startups

Startups can now join Antler seeking support to scale their operations and secure early stage funding. These are typically incorporated companies with a product in market and growing customer base. We provide dedicated expert coaching, industry connections to secure subsequent funding rounds, support to scale operations, and a clear pathway to capital.

Antler Korea

Antler Korea's 10-week intensive program focuses on team formation, idea and product-market fit validation, and business building to maximize our founders’ chance of success.

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Formation and Validation

Form your co-founding team, develop your idea, and get buy-in for your vision.

Build your company

Start talking to customers, develop your MVP, refine your business model, and develop your go-to-market strategy with the support and guidance of expert coaches.

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Pitch to Antler’s Investment Committee

Pitch your company to Antler's Investment Committee. Approved teams will secure pre-seed investment.

Post-Program Support

We back you for the entire life cycle of your company—through follow-up funding (to Series C and beyond), tier-one VC access, and our truly global community that supports you forever.

04

Application Process

It takes about 2-3 weeks to complete the entire application process. Once you apply, our scouting team will guide you through the full process and will be available to answer all your questions

Application

Apply on apply.antler.co using your LinkedIn account or CV and fill out a short questionnaire.

Document screening

The document screening is conducted with the take home test after reviewing the application and documents.

First Interview

We interviews for those who have passed the document screening.

2nd interview

We will conduct two partners interviews for those who have passed the telephone interview. Through questions about applicants 'career and case questions, we identify applicants' potential and driving force, problem solving and intellectual skills.

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Application Process

It takes about 2-3 weeks to complete the entire application process. Once you apply, our scouting team will guide you through the full process and will be available to answer all your questions

Application

Apply on apply.antler.co using your LinkedIn account or CV and fill out a short questionnaire.

Document screening

The document screening is conducted with the take home test after reviewing the application and documents.

First Interview

We interviews for those who have passed the document screening.

2nd interview

We will conduct two partners interviews for those who have passed the telephone interview. Through questions about applicants 'career and case questions, we identify applicants' potential and driving force, problem solving and intellectual skills.

Offer to join Antler!

Successful applicants will receive an offer to join Antler Korea

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Application Process

It takes about 2-3 weeks to complete the entire application process. Once you apply, our scouting team will guide you through the full process and will be available to answer all your questions

Application

Apply on apply.antler.co using your LinkedIn account or CV and fill out a short questionnaire.

Document screening

The document screening is conducted with the take home test after reviewing the application and documents.

First Interview

We interviews for those who have passed the document screening.

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It’s the best time in history to build a business

There has never been a better time to innovate and build a company that solves a meaningful problem. As the issues society faces become more complex, founders are more needed than ever to tackle them.

Entrepass Partner

Antler Korea Team

Meet the team supporting Korea's next wave of entrepreneurs

Jiho Kang
Partner

Jiho built his career working with South Korean tech giant SK Planet and ecommerce unicorn Coupang as lead product manager. Jiho is also well connected to Silicon Valley becoming the first Korean to be accepted into the 500 Startups accelerator program in 2010 and went on to co-found Soomgo, a Y-Combinator portfolio company(#153 of top YC portfolio companies) recently valued at over $200m. Jiho’s most recent venture was blockchain startup BxB which was acquired by the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange; Binance in 2020.

Gabriel Jung
Partner

Gabriel was Head of Corporate Venture Capital at GS Retail, the retail subsidiary of Korean conglomerate GS Group. He has led many notable investments, including Moloco, Inc., currently valued at over USD $1.5 billion. He started his career as a consultant at Accenture Strategy, founded a WiseBros&Company, a B2B SaaS company to help universities restructure, worked at Rakuten CEO's Innovation Office helping the Japanese company expand into global markets, and led Bravestone Venture Partners where he made notable investments including seed investment in ImpriMed in the U.S.

JaeHee Chang
Partner

JaeHee co-leads Antler Korea with Jiho and Gabriel. Prior to Antler, JaeHee was in 500 Global Korea Fund/Ecosystems and worked at early stage startups where she led marketing and business development. Prior to her startup experiences, she was in Cheil Worldwide, Naver, and Booz Allen Hamilton, where her work was focused on strategy and business development. With her multicultural background, she has a mission to help startups go global.

Minji Kim
Program Director

Minji previously worked at consulting firm, VC, and startups. She founded two startups: Champ Kitchen, a meal delivery service, and SWING, an e-scooter sharing service. Minji also worked at SoftBank Ventures Asia. She was the captain of the Korea national lacrosse team. She is a Patagonia ambassador and enjoys trail running and climbing.

Roy Junyoung Jang
Senior Program Manager

Roy previously worked at Accelerator, Corporate VC and startups. He started his career as a founding member of Chilling Kitchen, a foodtruck platform that combines content. Roy also worked at Vingle, an interest-based community platform. He served both as an investment manager and a director of co-working space, a new business area at Corporate VC after working as a Accelerator. Roy was a columnist for Korea Tourism Organisation and speaker at TEDx

Heechan Kim
Operations Manager

Heechan worked as a network designer at Coupang, focusing on Logistics Data Analysis and Operations Excellence. He previously worked at a family business, an Asia-wide wholesale business and also served as a translator at various joint operations and occasions in ROK ARMY LOGCMD.

Yoojin Kook
Program Analyst

Yoojin previously worked at consulting and VC firms. After graduating from Oxford studying French literature, she worked as a copywriter in France and was responsible for the website renovation in global beauty brand Givenchy's digital innovation project.

Minhong An
Finance Manager

Minhong is the Finance Manager in Seoul, Korea. She previously had worked in audit services, with PwC, CBIZ, and Jeju Landing International, experience in external and internal audit across Public and Private sectors in both Korea and United States. She has experience in a various industry, such as resort hotel, casino, asset management, manufacturing, and banking.

Amy Choi
Marketing Analyst

Amy started her marketing career at RIDI as one of the starting members of Manta Comics. She is an all-around marketer specializing in creating media presence while being a content creator herself.

JaeHee Chang
Partner

JaeHee co-leads Antler Korea with Jiho and Gabriel. Prior to Antler, JaeHee was in 500 Global Korea Fund/Ecosystems and worked at early stage startups where she led marketing and business development. Prior to her startup experiences, she was in Cheil Worldwide, Naver, and Booz Allen Hamilton, where her work was focused on strategy and business development. With her multicultural background, she has a mission to help startups go global.

Yoojin Kook
Program Analyst

Yoojin previously worked at consulting and VC firms. After graduating from Oxford studying French literature, she worked as a copywriter in France and was responsible for the website renovation in global beauty brand Givenchy's digital innovation project.

Minhong An
Finance Manager

Minhong is the Finance Manager in Seoul, Korea. She previously had worked in audit services, with PwC, CBIZ, and Jeju Landing International, experience in external and internal audit across Public and Private sectors in both Korea and United States. She has experience in a various industry, such as resort hotel, casino, asset management, manufacturing, and banking.

Antler Korea
Seokwon Kim
Program Analyst

Seokwon worked at a startup that provides subscription consulting services. He founded the largest university student poker club in Korea and organized various events with related associations.

Seok Jai Lee
Capital Director

Seok Jai has broad experience in global financial companies such as Citibank, Merrill Lynch, Deutsche AMC, & AllianceBernstein Asset Management. He has been providing financial solutions for local institutional investors like National Pension Service, KIC, BOK, & major life insurance companies and holds strong long-term relationship with C-level in the local financial companies. Before joining Antler Korea, he worked as CFO in BASS, a local SMI company and successfully raised Series B of 10billion KRW from local major VCs.

Minji Kim
Program Director

Minji previously worked at consulting firm, VC, and startups. She founded two startups: Champ Kitchen, a meal delivery service, and SWING, an e-scooter sharing service. Minji also worked at SoftBank Ventures Asia. She was the captain of the Korea national lacrosse team. She is a Patagonia ambassador and enjoys trail running and climbing.

Jiho Kang
Partner

Jiho built his career working with South Korean tech giant SK Planet and ecommerce unicorn Coupang as lead product manager. Jiho is also well connected to Silicon Valley becoming the first Korean to be accepted into the 500 Startups accelerator program in 2010 and went on to co-found Soomgo, a Y-Combinator portfolio company(#153 of top YC portfolio companies) recently valued at over $200m. Jiho’s most recent venture was blockchain startup BxB which was acquired by the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange; Binance in 2020.

Heechan Kim
Operations Manager

Heechan worked as a network designer at Coupang, focusing on Logistics Data Analysis and Operations Excellence. He previously worked at a family business, an Asia-wide wholesale business and also served as a translator at various joint operations and occasions in ROK ARMY LOGCMD.

Gabriel Jung
Partner

Gabriel was Head of Corporate Venture Capital at GS Retail, the retail subsidiary of Korean conglomerate GS Group. He has led many notable investments, including Moloco, Inc., currently valued at over USD $1.5 billion. He started his career as a consultant at Accenture Strategy, founded a WiseBros&Company, a B2B SaaS company to help universities restructure, worked at Rakuten CEO's Innovation Office helping the Japanese company expand into global markets, and led Bravestone Venture Partners where he made notable investments including seed investment in ImpriMed in the U.S.

Amy Choi
Marketing Analyst

Amy started her marketing career at RIDI as one of the starting members of Manta Comics. She is an all-around marketer specializing in creating media presence while being a content creator herself.

News and views from Antler

Read our latest insights and stories about our phenomenal founders.

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What is Startup Generator Program?

Antler Korea supports around 100 founders every program, throughout initial investments to incorporations.

About 40+ founders have successfully received Pre-Seed investment of KRW 200 million in the 1st cohort.

FAQs

What is Program Fee?

Antler provides every founders participating in the program various perks, such as a grant of 3,000,000(KRW), open working space 24/7, mentorship and masterclasses from successful founders, Antler global network, coaching for follow-up investments and demo day events for Antler portfolio founders, without any condition.

To keep the program running, Antler portfolio founders who successfully have been funded by Antler Fund support Antler with 25% from the investment funded.

Those who are not funded will never be asked for any types of expenses from Antler.

What does day zero investing mean?

Day zero investing means backing founders from the very beginning—whether it’s pre-team or even pre-idea—and continuing to support them on their company’s journey to greatness. We are there when a founder is at the starting line, when everything is possible and nothing is certain. When they have made the life-changing decision to take the leap and build a company, leaving conventional career paths behind. When their belief, passion, and drive are often the only things fueling them. And we are still there after we make our first investment, as a long-term partner providing advice, introductions, resources, and follow-on funding—all the way to their exit.

Who is part of Antler’s global community?

Our global community includes founders, investors, operators, experts, and partner organizations across six continents. Antler founders scale faster—from winning their first 100 customers and marketing a new product to raising their next round of funding—with the backing of 5,000+ fellow Antler founders across six continents. They learn from the best in the business through our advisor network of 600 leading operators, our sector-focused communities, and our monthly socials across our locations. And they are powered by curated people and resources for hiring, going to market, and fundraising, along with perks from leading tech providers. Antler founders have a home with us for life—no matter what direction their business or career takes, we’re committed to winning together.

Is Antler an accelerator or incubator?

We are not an accelerator or incubator, we’re the day zero investor. While we take huge pride in helping our founders develop, validate, and start scaling their idea and business model in a short period of time through our residencies around the world, we don’t launch and leave. We keep supporting our founders for the full life cycle of their company—from day zero to greatness.

What is Antler’s investment philosophy?

Above all, we invest in people. We believe that every great company starts with a great team—and the strongest teams pursue the best ideas. Working with thousands of founders around the world, we have found that an amazing team with a mediocre idea in most cases will outperform a mediocre team with a great idea. And great teams will often pivot their idea after finding a more pressing or interesting problem to solve. If we decide to invest, it is first and foremost because we have high conviction that the team we are backing will be future winners and because we can and want to work with the team.

Contact Antler Korea

Get in touch with our team!

Korea