Antler: funding, terms & how to apply
The 'day zero' investor — join a residency before you have a team or even an idea, find a co-founder inside the cohort, and pitch Antler's investment committee for first capital.
Investment
Varies — check official site
Equity
Invests only if you pass the IC (US: $250K at $2.75M post)
Program length
~8–10 weeks residency, then investment decision
Format
In person
Deadlines
Residencies start on city-specific schedules year-round; rolling applications
Acceptance rate
Not published
Facts last checked 2026-08-26. Deals and dates change — the official site is always the source of truth for the current application window.
What Antler actually is
Antler flips the accelerator sequence: you can be accepted as an individual with no co-founder, no idea and no company. The residency's first weeks are structured co-founder dating and idea validation; teams that form then build toward an investment-committee pitch. Only teams that pass the IC get funded — in the US that's $250K at a $2.75M post-money valuation, with terms varying by region.
That structure makes Antler the strongest option for solo operators with deep domain expertise but no network of potential co-founders — and a poor fit if you already have a working product and traction, where a classic accelerator gives you more for less dilution.
What they look for
The bar you need to clear before the application is worth sending.
Exceptional individuals, not just teams — spikes in domain depth, technical skill or prior founder experience.
Evidence you can attract others: the residency is a co-founder market and magnetism matters.
Full-time commitment from day one of the residency.
Grit signals — they explicitly screen for people who ship under ambiguity.
Before you apply
Most rejections happen before the interview — in the application itself
Every question Antler asks — problem, traction, business model, team, market size — maps to work you can finish first. Build your startup profile in StartupKit, run the readiness score, and walk into the application with real answers instead of blank fields. Free, no card.
Build your startup profile freeApplication FAQ
Do I need a co-founder or an idea to apply to Antler?
No. Antler accepts individuals at 'day zero' — the residency exists to form teams and validate ideas. Many funded companies formed inside the cohort.
Does everyone in the residency get funded?
No. Funding is decided by an investment committee pitch after the residency phase; only teams that pass receive the investment. Terms vary by country — in the US it's $250K at a $2.75M post-money cap.
Which Antler location should I apply to?
The one whose market you'll build for — the local partner network, follow-on investors and residency cohort are city-specific. Antler runs in 27+ cities across six continents.
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