BUILD YOUR STARTUP IN 10 WEEKS WITH ANTLER IN NIGERIA
Start strong, scale fast with Antler in Nigeria.
From day zero, we support and mentor founders driving innovation forward.
Lagos
Finding your co-founder
.avif)
Join a curated network to find co-founders who complement your skills and vision.
Validate your ideas
Get hands-on mentorship from experienced founders and operators who’ve built and scaled successful startups.
Raise VC funding
Teams ready to pitch will present to our Investment Committee which decided which team gets funding.
Partner with a global leader
Scale your startup with a global partner that offers expertise and connections in over 30 locations worldwide.
Who is Antler in Nigeria 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. We accept applications from individuals and teams.
Individuals
Looking for a co-founder?
Are you ready to start something new and looking for the right co-founder?
Antler brings together an exclusive group of ambitious individuals to explore ideas in a 10-week, in-person program in Lagos. You'll meet, learn, and co-create with exceptional builders.
After the program, our fund can invest $100k for 10% in teams that pass the Antler Investment Committee. To support founders in a tough funding environment, we can also provide an additional $100k to match your next investor's ticket and terms.
Join us to turn a strong idea into a real company.
Teams
Pitch Conversation
If you're applying with an idea, MVP, or early traction, you may be shortlisted for a pitch conversation (virtual or in-person) as part of the selection process.
This is not a funding pitch.
The goal is to assess founder quality, problem insight, and whether Antler is the right environment for you. If shortlisted, be prepared to:
- Walk us through your idea and insight into the problem
- Share a deck or demo your MVP (if available)
- Discuss the team, ambition, and direction
We'll also use this conversation to explain how the Antler cohort works, what we look for during the program, and what a path to investment could realistically look like.
The application process
The application process takes about 2-3 weeks to complete. Once you apply, our scouting team will guide you through the entire process and will be available to answer all your questions.
Apply
If applying as an individual, submit your application on antler.co/apply using your LinkedIn URL or CV.
If applying with an existing early-stage startup, you apply as a team and include your pitch deck along with a CV or LinkedIn URL for your co-founder(s) if any.
For Individual Applicants (No existing start-up)
Initial Alignment and Drive Interview
After reviewing your application, one of our scouting team members will conduct a 30-minute interview. This session assesses your drive, motivations, and alignment with the program to determine if Antler is the right fit for you and vice versa. Be prepared to share:
- Why you’re applying to Antler.
- Why now is the right time for you.
- What unique qualities and experiences you bring to the table.
Partner Interview
The next stage is an in-depth interview with one of our partners. Depending on your profile, this will involve either a technical or business problem-solving discussion. Specific instructions will be shared beforehand, so you’ll know what to prepare for.
Coffee Chat
This final-round assessment is a 1-hour conversation designed to explore your leadership qualities and overall alignment with Antler’s vision. It’s an opportunity for us to understand your journey and leadership style in a more casual setting.
For Existing Start-ups
Pitch Interview
If you are applying with an existing startup, you may be shortlisted (based on your pitchdeck) to present your pitch on a call or in-person. When shortlisted, be prepared to:
Share your pitch deck or demo your MVP (if available)
Answer questions about the idea, team, and vision
We’ll also use this time to ask questions about the idea and the team, but also to answer your burning questions on what a collaboration with—and ultimately an investment from—Antler could look like.
What to expect once you join Antler in Nigeria
While all Antler programs follow a similar model, each location takes a tailored approach to give founders the greatest chance of success. In Nigeria, founders at the idea stage join a 10-week program, working within the Antler community to build a brand-new startup from scratch (see details below).
We also support early-stage startups that meet our investment criteria, following an individualized timeline and path within the same cohort-based model.
01 Ideation and validation
This stage of the program runs for 5 weeks and includes:
Masterclasses and expert-led sessions on core startup fundamentals, including problem validation, solution validation, and early growth
Structured team sprints designed to accelerate ideation and test assumptions
Speaker sessions focused on practical, real-world topics relevant to early-stage founders
Weekly coaching touchpoints with the Antler team
Strong peer support and continuous feedback from fellow founders in the cohort
02 Establishing customer willingness to pay
During this 5-week stage, you will dedicate your full-time efforts to refining your idea and business model, with a strong focus on customer interaction and validation. You'll sharpen the details of your business plan and begin preparing for the Antler Investment Committee (IC).
This stage includes:
Continued coaching from the Antler team, with support from venture partners and our local network of industry experts
Legal advisory sessions to refine your idea and business model in light of regulatory requirements and constraints
Accounting advisory sessions to refine your business model, unit economics, and financial assumptions
Guidance on identifying and onboarding additional team members to fill critical skill gaps (where required)
Weekly pitch training sessions with feedback from the Antler team and fellow founders
Targeted pitch deck reviews, Q&A sessions, and pitch preparation ahead of IC
03 Pitch to Antler's Investment Committee
At the end of the program, teams deemed ready will pitch to Antler's Investment Committee (IC). The IC votes on which teams receive an investment.
The investment
All founders go through the Antler Residency Program. Post-program, teams that meet the Investment Committee's criteria can receive $100k for 10% equity.
To support founders in a challenging funding environment, we can also provide an additional $100k to match your next investor's ticket and terms.
Even if you join with an existing startup, you must go through the residency program to be considered for investment. All funding decisions happen after cohort participation, ensuring every team has the same preparation and support.
What I love about Antler is when you have them on your cap table, you're not just getting $$$ but the most amazing community of founders & investors, as well as a war chest of resources to build your company with.
As a second-time founder, I came to Antler to find a like-minded co-founder and discover scalable business ideas that could fit into the African market. I learned a lot from the masterclasses, and the coaching from the Antler team has been from professionals worldwide. The alumni connections and the network Antler have been great.
The Antler team is truly in it with you. They don’t just provide money but are there for advice, intros, moral support, and most importantly community: the people we meet and interact with are just incredible through the Antler network. It not only makes founding easier but so much fun!
I love that I got to meet my great cofounders at Antler. Even more important the support I have gotten from the Antler team and community they have built has been instrumental in AiCare getting to where it has today.
The Antler team has been fundamental in our journey and has offered much more than the initial seed investment. The wrap around support is tailored to each teams needs, and we have especially enjoyed the consulting approach to our product discovery and the expansive network of advisors that we have access too.
Antler companies are disrupting the continent by solving tremendous problems
1,400+
Portfolio companies
$5B+
Combined portfolio value
10,000+
Founders supported
$750M+
Follow-on funding raised
.avif)
.avif)
.avif)
FREQUENTLY —ASKED QUESTIONS
We encourage you to apply if you are a founder grappling with an ambitious problem statement, with unique insight into how to solve it, and have a strong tech/business background. Most founders joining Antler’s programs have 5-15 years of prior work experience.
We typically accept founders that are pre-product. Antler helps early-stage founders iterate, improve, and articulate the problem they want to solve, and helps refine the quality of their solutions. Founders also will benefit from prior validation of the problem/solution (user research, stakeholder conversations, and prototype experiments) in the community.
Antler in Nigeria can help founders come up with an idea from scratch. However, founders must be interested in going after ideas and problems with a unique/deep insight and take quick steps to validate them. We understand that things change quickly with rapid iteration and customer feedback. Some founders may change their idea entirely in the first few weeks.
We are sector agnostic and welcome startups from any industry, with innovation as our primary criterion. We invest in both tech and tech-light businesses, emphasizing the importance of using creative and impactful solutions to address market needs. While not every business needs technology as its core driver, we seek founders leveraging innovation—whether through tech-enabled processes or unique approaches—to build competitive, scalable, and transformative ventures.
Yes, we bring together founders from different backgrounds/skills and provide an environment to interact and form connections based on aligned goals and values. Antler does not assign co-founders, with the matching decision ultimately left to the founders.
At Antler, we invest in the leader of the team and respect their decision to choose a co-founder. If you already have a co-founder, we welcome this as part of your journey. While your co-founder does not need to apply separately, we do require the opportunity to meet them and assess their suitability for the program to ensure alignment and support the venture's success.
We also accept founders and teams who have already launched their products. Antler helps these teams accelerate product-market fit and growth, and gain access to further rounds of capital. Early-stage startups do not necessarily go through the program as some startups will likely be too advanced and hence will only be evaluated for a direct investment.
Finding your first backers is an outstanding achievement. Typically, founders and teams who have raised in previous rounds will go through our acceleration track.
For individuals: You will be interviewing with Antler team members and partners to evaluate your background, your motivation to join Antler, your problem-solving abilities, and your ability to work with others. You do not need a deck for these interviews—these are conversations to get to know you better.
For existing pre-seed/seed startups: You will be interviewing Antler team members and partners to discuss your startup, team, and motivations. Upon receiving your application, we will shortlist founders for an introductory pitch call.
For ideas built from scratch at Antler through our programs: If the Antler Investment Committee (IC) determines that your team and idea are exciting and viable, your team may receive an investment from the Antler Africa Fund. The Antler Africa fund will then provide $100k for 10% shareholding. To support in a tough funding environment, we make available an additional $100k to match your next investor ticket and terms.
For existing pre-seed/seed startups: If the Antler IC determines that your team and idea are exciting and viable, Antler can join your ongoing pre-seed / early seed round with $100-400K tickets at a negotiated valuation.
The Antler in Nigeria community is open to founders across Africa who are committed to relocating to Lagos and building their product in this market. For the upcoming cohort, we are specifically focused on founders who see the value of immersing themselves in the vibrant Lagos ecosystem during the first phase of the program and are dedicated to establishing their ventures within this market.
Accelerators typically start working with preformed teams who have identified a product-market fit. Getting to that stage can be incredibly challenging. You need a team, a network of advisors, and access to capital. Antler removes these barriers related to entrepreneurship for people who are interested in starting a company from day one. We identify and invest in exceptional individuals and early-stage teams with the potential to build global companies. We are a founder-led VC located in 30 locations with 1300+ portfolio companies representing 40 industries. We don’t just invest, we create an ecosystem for great companies to be built.
How is Antler different from other accelerators?
Accelerators typically start working with preformed teams who have identified a product-market fit. Getting to that stage can be incredibly challenging. You need a team, a network of advisors, and access to capital. Antler removes these barriers related to entrepreneurship for people who are interested in starting a company from day one. We identify and invest in exceptional individuals and early-stage teams with the potential to build global companies. We are a founder-led VC located in 30 locations with 1300+ portfolio companies representing 40 industries. We don’t just invest, we create an ecosystem for great companies to be built.
MEET THE TEAM
Anil is a Partner at Antler Africa, based in Lagos. He has an impressive track record that includes founding Toronto’s first restaurant delivery service, he is no stranger to leveraging pioneering technology to disrupt traditional industries. He has spent the better part of the last two decades, building and scaling businesses across diverse sectors in Nigeria, including FMCG, renewable energy, agro-allied industries, and construction. His hands-on operational consulting for major startups such as Jumia, along with advisory services for over 100 startups, showcases his extensive experience supporting entrepreneurs across various stages of growth.
EXPAND BIO
%2520(1).avif)
Lola is a Partner at Antler Africa, based in Lagos. She brings years of leadership experience across the technology, agriculture, and mobility sectors on the continent. She has held senior roles at several high-impact companies, including Google, OLX, Babban Gona, and most recently Bolt, where she led operations across multiple African markets.Her track record spans scaling businesses, driving operational excellence, and leading high-performing teams across diverse environments. Lola holds a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley, and is deeply passionate about building companies that deliver meaningful impact in Africa
EXPAND BIO
.avif)
Daniel is an Associate at Antler Africa based in Lagos. He brings expertise in program management, product development, and venture operations. Previously, he worked at Techstars as an Operations Associate. He is a generalist with experience in working and consulting for early-stage startups and organizations on venture building, fundraising readiness, and product development initiatives. Daniel holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Ibadan.
EXPAND BIO
Dolapo is an Associate at Antler, based in Lagos, where he supports early-stage founders and leads scouting efforts across West Africa.
He began his journey in venture capital at Funema VC, working closely with startups on investment readiness and growth. He later joined 54 Collective (formerly Founders Factory Africa), where he led deal sourcing and supported founders across fintech, healthtech, climate, and commerce. He also co-founded a logistics startup, giving him firsthand experience in building and scaling ventures.
Dolapo holds a BSc in Economics from Obafemi Awolowo University, is a Chartered Accountant (ACA), and a CFA candidate.
EXPAND BIO
Ifelayo is a Finance Associate at Antler Lagos, where she supports portfolio management, investor relations, and financial operations.
Before joining Antler, she worked as a Financial Analyst at Guaranty Trust Bank, focusing on financial performance and liquidity management. She also spent several years at KPMG, leading compliance reviews and delivering financial advisory services for clients in the energy and financial services sectors.
Ifelayo holds a BSc in Genetics from the University of Lagos and is a Chartered Accountant (ACA).
EXPAND BIO