Build your company with Antler in the heart of Europe

Antler backs the world’s most driven founders, from day zero to greatness. In our vibrant tech hubs we bring together exceptional founders from all backgrounds to build companies that move the world forward.

We are looking forward to welcoming founders to our joint Continental Europe residency

* For the September residency, French founders will need to relocate to Amsterdam, Berlin, or Munich.

Join an upcoming AMA session

  • Funding for your startup in just 5 weeks
  • Get your first cheque from a global VC

Who is Antler for? 

We’re looking for experienced business operators, technologists, or serial entrepreneurs who can motivate themselves and others to join their mission to build a game-changing business. Whether you’re an individual or a team at the early stages of a startup journey, we are here to help as a partner obsessed with your success. Become part of the top 2% of selected entrepreneurs in your region and elevate your entrepreneurial journey with us.

Individuals

Antler welcomes applications from founders at the very beginning of their startup journey — this can range from pre-idea to a running company with initial traction.

Residency for individual founders extends over 11 weeks. We support individual founders through a network of hand-selected peers (and potential co-founders), idea validation, dedicated expert sparring sessions, access to the world’s largest-growing community of like-minded entrepreneurs, and a clear pathway to a first cheque (€300k investment commitment at Day Zero in two tranches of €100k for 10% without dilution protection and €200k converting at the valuation of your next round).

Teams

Completed teams with an idea at hand are also welcome to join Antler residency. Teams are generally at the stage of validating their idea, building the early product, or having gained initial traction. Here we also stay very close to the team and provide for example dedicated expert sparring sessions, industry connections, and a strong global network of VCs and angels to access funding at the right time. This residency runs in parallel to the one with individual founders but is a bit shorter with a potential Investment Committee meeting already in Week 7 (€300k investment commitment at Day Zero in two tranches of €100k for 10% without dilution protection and €200k converting at the valuation of your next round).

Program Details:

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Overview of the program:

  • Start date: The next Continental Europe residency begins on September the 30th 2024. For French founders looking to start in September, join our Continental Europe locations (Amsterdam, Berlin or Munich).
  • Duration: 10 weeks of Residency
  • Location: Amsterdam, Munich and Berlin (September 2024 residency).
  • Language: Program is run in English
  • Cohort:  A handpicked group of 150 thoughtfully selected founders throughout Continental Europe
  • Intensive 3- month sprint focusing on product, go to market, fundraising and building a team

Structure: The in-person residency is structured in three phases and runs full-time:

6 Weeks Pre-Residency

  • Social networking & community events
  • Kickstart early ideation sprints
  • Expert sessions on deep-tech topics
Weeks 1-2: Team building and ideation
  • Co-founder meeting and team building
  • Activities: Speed Networking, teamwork, design thinking workshops
  • Goal: Establish working relationships, initiate meaningful discussions
Weeks 3-9: Problem validation & Customer discovery
  • Work with selected co-founders, gain traction
  • Dedicated coach support during program
  • Shift to pitching mode: Present progress & plans
  • Get feedback from Antler team & fellow founders
  • Benefit from personalized guidance matched to your needs, delivered by our local network of advisors, each with a distinguished background and specialized expertise
  • Aim: Secure spot in Investment Committee for decision-making.
  • Benefit from personalized guidance matched to your needs, delivered by our local network of advisors, each with a distinguished background and specialized expertise
Weeks 10-12: Traction & Fundraising
  • Emphasis on traction and product
  • Craft compelling narrative
  • Pitch to Investment Committee: Antler and external VC partners
  • Benefit from personalized coaching, provided by our expansive global network of over 600 advisors from all Antler locations worldwide, accessible through our dedicated platform
Weeks 12-24: Product, Go to Market, and Fundraising
  • Only available for teams passing the Investment Committee
  • Intensive 3- month sprint focusing on product, go to market, fundraising and building a team
  • Benefit from personalized coaching, provided by our expansive global network of over 600 advisors from all Antler locations worldwide, accessible through our dedicated platform
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Funding

  • At the end of the residency, your team can access to a first cheque: €300k investment commitment a Day zero in two tranches of €100k fo 10% without dilution protection and €200k converting at the valuation of your next round

What happens after investment?

  • During the 12-week residency, your team created a strong bond with Antler. In the ensuing weeks, we'll work closely to refine your product, sales, and fundraising plans. Our partners and worldwide network will provide tailored guidance to help you build your core team and develop effective go-to-market and fundraising strategies.

Continued Benefits as you Grow

  • As an Antler startup, you will remain a member of our global community where you will meet other founders from around the world, access our portfolio job boards, sign up to events, draw from our resource library, share learnings, and get support from other founders, advisors, and the Antler team.

Application process

The full application process takes about 2-3 weeks to complete. 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.

First interview

Introduce yourself through a first call where we get to know you. We are looking to get a better understanding of your background and explore if our residency would create value for you. In case you have an idea and/or team, we will focus on digging deeper into your project, team, and motivation.

Second interview and Reference Check

You will hear back from us after your first-round interview on whether or not you qualify for a second interview. The goal is to better understand how you approach problems and handle challenges. We will also do a reference check, when applicable.

Third Interview for Technical Co-Founders

Technical Co-founders applying to Continental Europe will potentially have a final technology-focused interview to demonstrate their abilities in the field.

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Application process

The full application process takes about 2-3 weeks to complete. 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.

First interview

Introduce yourself through a first call where we get to know you. We are looking to get a better understanding of your background and explore if our residency would create value for you. In case you have an idea and/or team, we will focus on digging deeper into your project, team, and motivation.

Second interview and Reference Check

You will hear back from us after your first-round interview on whether or not you qualify for a second interview. The goal is to better understand how you approach problems and handle challenges. We will also do a reference check, when applicable.

Third Interview for Technical Co-Founders

Technical Co-founders applying to Continental Europe will potentially have a final technology-focused interview to demonstrate their abilities in the field.

Offer to join Antler

Once we have made an offer, the next steps are simple. You’ll sign an Antler Founder Agreement and shortly after we will send you a welcome package and start onboarding you to the cohort.

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Application process

The full application process takes about 2-3 weeks to complete. 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.

First interview

Introduce yourself through a first call where we get to know you. We are looking to get a better understanding of your background and explore if our residency would create value for you. In case you have an idea and/or team, we will focus on digging deeper into your project, team, and motivation.

Second interview and Reference Check

You will hear back from us after your first-round interview on whether or not you qualify for a second interview. The goal is to better understand how you approach problems and handle challenges. We will also do a reference check, when applicable.

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Founder testimonials

Don't just take it from us. Hear from phenomenal people who joined Antler in France to launch their company.

Amel

Forelight.ai (Ween.ai)

At Antler, we entered a continuous feedback loop that elevated our skills in refining our vision and how we pitch it. Finding our CSO, Achraf, was a game changer for Ween.ai bringing onboard a PhD in AI with an entrepreneurial mindset that truly transformed our approach.

Ahmet

Joining Antler was a transformative experience for me. I had the opportunity to meet incredible co-founders, which I believe is the most vital aspect of launching a successful project. The connections and insights gained through Antler have been invaluable in setting the foundation for my company. I am truly grateful for the experience and highly recommend it to anyone looking to build a strong co-founder team.

Léa and Fah Yik

Tango

Antler's support was valued during the program and remains so today. Their guidance was not only crucial in the early stages of our venture, but it continues to be a strong support in our ongoing development.

Shahtaj

Krispy

We are very grateful to Antler for expanding our network and propelling us toward success. We wouldn't be where we are today without their unwavering support and encouragement.

Raphael

Muchbetter.ai

Antler provided me with a unique opportunity to meet a co-founder whom I would have never encountered otherwise. Our differences in age and expertise have become our greatest strength. Additionally, through Antler, I have connected with a network of entrepreneurs, many of whom have become very close friends. This community has been invaluable, offering a circle of peers I can turn to when I need advice or just someone who truly understands the journey I'm on.

Entrepass Partner

Our team

Meet the people dedicated to our founders’ success here in France

Dr. Christoph Klink
Partner

As Partner in Central Europe, Christoph supports exceptional entrepreneurs along their journey - from entering into a cohort to building and scaling their ventures successfully. He draws on his background as Business Angel and Partner with McKinsey & Company. Before joining Antler he served a range of leading technology organizations, amongst others from the mobility and transportation space, on disruptive strategy and building innovative business models. Building and nurturing top talent organizations is one of his key passions and a great source of inspiration for Christoph.

Alan Poensgen
Partner

Alan is a partner with Antler based out of Berlin. Alan brings extensive experience in building and scaling technology businesses. He was previously MD and Co-Founder at Westwing, a home & living e-commerce company, and one of Europe’s few e-commerce IPOs of the past years. Before Westwing, he built the software development hub at Rocket Internet, and was CEO of a SEA e-commerce company, along with working for a VC and starting his own company in Spain.

Ronald Jan Schuurs
Partner

Ronald Jan is an experienced operator, entrepreneur and investor, with expertise in a.o. e-commerce, fintech and healthtech. He has spent over a decade with various C-level roles in tech startups including Rocket Internet and Delivery Hero. Previously he has been a strategy consultant at Booz & Co and an investment banker at ABN Amro. INSEAD educated.

Antoine Poirson
Partner

Antoine is a partner at Antler France. He was previously a partner at Antler's London office. Antoine was also the cofounder, chairman and COO of StanPlus Tech, a VC backed startup leading the change in the Indian medical transportation market. Before his MBA at INSEAD, Antoine spent 8 years at Areva, the World Nuclear Energy leader and a growing OEM in Renewable Energy.

Saskia van den Ende
Associate Partner

Saskia started her career at BCG in Recruitment, and Egon Zehnder (Executive Search), after which she joined UBER and helped scale their Eats & Rides businesses in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Her most recent role has been with OYO, a Softbank-backed hospitality company, where she helped launch their European business from scratch. At Antler, Saskia has an integral role in scouting founders both for the Amsterdam team but also supporting teams throughout Europe.

Frederik Brandis
Director

Frederik is a Director at Antler based out of Berlin. After kickstarting his career at the BCG, he worked as an operator and investor and decided to now follow his passion and focus on investing in the venture space. Having studied Philosophy and Management in Hamburg, London & Barcelona and working in a big variety of different fields - from football clubs to FemTech - he’s a generalist at heart and incredibly eager to support founding teams from day 0.

Monique Hoell
Venture Partner

Monique isan experienced entrepreneur and strong leader with an international trackrecord of scaling performing organizations and high growth businesses. She cofoundedHelloBody in 2016 and scaled the business to €65million in annual sales andoutstanding profitability.

Dr. Saskia Appelhoff
Venture Partner

Dr. Saskia Appelhoffis a global marketer, entrepreneur and growth leader with 15 years of experience covering all areas of marketing. Saskia has worked internationally across Europe and USA focusing on growing teams and efficiently scaling businesses. Passionate about building purpose-driven brands and companies. Advising start-up focusing on Food & Health Tech and sustainability. Previous brands that she has worked for include Zalando, raisin, SmileDirectClub, Outfittery, Wooga, navabi, blablacar among others.

Dr. Nikolaus Föbus
Venture Partner

Niko was previously a partner at McKinsey, where he was a core member of the Retail & Consumer Goods Practice and led the store ops practice in EMEA. He left McKinsey in 2019 to build his own business, eagle lsp, a legal service provider focusing on tech-enabled, scalable solution in mass litigation and e-Discovery. His first Angel investments include successful Y-Combinator applications.

Fabian Rother
Director (DACH)

As Capital Director Fabian is responsible for securing capital and manages investor relations in the DACH-region. Previously he spent significant time within the media company Bertelsmann´s German advertising sales business. In his last role he led operations for a number of industry sectors as well as brands. Fabian graduated from University of St. Gallen with a Masters in International Affairs and Governance.

Juan Galan
Venture Partner

Technology leader with 15+ years of experience leading engineering teams building solutions in B2C, B2B and IoT in companies of all sizes. Currently CTO @ EQS Group AG

Marie Tricot
Capital Director

Marie is our Capital Director. She was previously Managing Director of the AIFM management company October Factory, a wholly owned entity of the October Group, a leading European alternative SME lender.

Maren Janas
Program Manager

Maren manages the program and coaches the cohorts at Antler France. Previously she build corporate ventures and accelerators at Deloitte in Germany. She holds a Master's Degree in CEMS/International Management attending WU Vienna & HEC Paris.

Matteo Fortunato Condello
Investment Team

Matteo is a former entrepreneur and an experienced professional in consultancy and recruitment. After a BSc in Economics and Management from Bocconi University and an MSc in Finance from VU Amsterdam, Matteo started his career in Huxley as a Recruitment Consultant for tech and financial roles within banking and fintech organizations mostly in the Netherlands and Italy. His passion for startups and innovations led him to create his own AI startup in the hr-tech domain, bynd.ai, and to start working alongside founders to support them on their journey.

Gaultier Brun
Investment Associate

Gaultier is an Investment Associate at Antler France. He was previously with GFC in Berlin focusing on Eastern Europe. He also had experiences in tech startups such as Convelio & sunday. He holds a double Master's degree from EDHEC Business School.

Sophie Fernandez
Outreach & Operations Associate

Sophie is the Operations & Outreach Associate at Antler in France, responsible for increasing visibility and sourcing top founders. Previously, she was a Digital Transformation consultant at McKinsey and developed her marketing strategy expertise at Société Générale and EY. She holds a degree in Digital Strategy and Business from ESSEC and ESCP Business School.

Alexandra Hörndl
Investment Team

With a degree from WU Vienna and a strong foundation in the startup ecosystem, she has previously played pivotal roles in driving strategic growth and expansion. Through her positions at N26, Trade Republic, and FORMEL Skin, she has gained extensive exposure to various verticals, allowing her to develop a comprehensive understanding of the complexities involved in driving startup success. Now she will leverage her skills and collaborate with the exceptional founders who are joining us at Antler. Besides that, she is passionate about creating social impact by working with different NGOs in her spare time.

Lara Planet
Investment Team

Lara is part of the Investment Team at Antler based out of Berlin. Before joining Antler, she spent two years in Copenhagen where next to her studies at Copenhagen Business School, she gained hands-on experience working for an e-Mobility start-up GreenMobility. Before moving to Copenhagen, Lara completed her Bachelor's degree in Berlin and worked for a global mobility service provider Sixt Leasing SE. She also built up her skills and knowledge in strategic consulting at RITTERWALD Consulting, where she helped clients solve complex strategic and operational problems and improve their performance. In her free time, Lara enjoys cooking and is a passionate traveller.

Jaclyn Lew
Investment Team

Jacky is currently pursuing her Master's degree in Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Copenhagen Business School. She started her career by leveraging her marketing knowledge as a working student at Procter and Gamble. Afterward, she worked in Venture Building at Commerzbank's Corporate Venture Capital and discovered her passion for start-ups and sustainable innovation.

Job Wever
Investment Analyst

Job’s career unfolded through internships at ASML, Kempen, and Torqx Capital Partners. He holds a double Master’s degree in Applied Physics and Management Engineering (cum laude) from TU Delft, with an honours term in Artificial Intelligence at Stanford. During this term, he played a pivotal role in the inception of an AI startup in Silicon Valley. In addition to giving several guest lectures on AI, his curiosity regularly leads him digging into all sorts of domains, from deep tech to B2B SaaS to consumer.

Elisabeth Guitine
Finance Associate

Elisabeth is the Finance Associate at Antler in France. She oversees all matters linked to the funds and finance function. She previously worked as a Head of Finance for a french food tech company and coupled her expertise by exercising the role of a VC analyst in a french impact fund.

Raphael Charpenet
Investment Analyst

Raphaël is an Investment Analyst at Antler France. Graduated from ESSEC Business School with a specialization in Urban Economy, he previously worked with the French early-stage VC fund Axeleo Capital (AXC) focused on Smart Cities topics. He also has Real Estate and Strategy Consulting experiences at Klépierre and E-Cube Strategy Consultants.

Gabrielle Precetti
Visiting Investment Associate

Gabrielle is a Visiting Investment Associate at Antler France. She has experience with innovation and industrial programs in the French defence sector, as well as with business development in Benelux. She graduated from McGill University and PSL.

Gaultier Brun
Investment Associate

Gaultier is an Investment Associate at Antler France. He was previously with GFC in Berlin focusing on Eastern Europe. He also had experiences in tech startups such as Convelio & sunday. He holds a double Master's degree from EDHEC Business School.

Lorenzo Puzzangara
Head of Finance

Lorenzo is Finance lead at Antler’s French office, where he oversees all matters linked to the funds and finance function. Prior to Antler, he was with a Geneva-based multi-family office managing EUR 2.4B AUM. He also spent 4 years as COO of a fintech start-up operating in Europe and Israel.

Thomas Clamagirand
Portfolio & Investment Director

Thomas is our Portfolio & Investment Manager at Antler France. He is a former founder, having built the very successful consumer app Baby Sittor. Since then, he's been involved in the tech ecosystem through the French public investment arm BPI France, and as an Operating Partner & Product Manager.

Maren Janas
Program Manager

Maren manages the program and coaches the cohorts at Antler France. Previously she build corporate ventures and accelerators at Deloitte in Germany. She holds a Master's Degree in CEMS/International Management attending WU Vienna & HEC Paris.

Euryale Chatelard
Program & Investment Director

Euryale is our Program & Investment Director at Antler France. She has a long entrepreneurial track record. After an early career in finance, she founded THEM in China, acquired by Altima where she stayed on post acquisition to build Altima Russia up until exiting the business to Accenture Interactive. She then created Trianon Startups, and organization that fostered tech & startup collaboration between France & Russia. She holds a MSc in economics from Dauphine University in Paris.

Antler France
Antoine Poirson
Partner

Antoine is a partner at Antler France. He was previously a partner at Antler's London office. Antoine was also the cofounder, chairman and COO of StanPlus Tech, a VC backed startup leading the change in the Indian medical transportation market. Before his MBA at INSEAD, Antoine spent 8 years at Areva, the World Nuclear Energy leader and a growing OEM in Renewable Energy.

We’re hiring!

We are expanding our team of passionate people backing the most driven founders in France. Check out our open positions at Antler in France.

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FAQs

Is Antler an accelerator or incubator?

We are neither an accelerator nor an incubator, we’re a day-zero investor. We help founders brainstorm, develop and validate ideas and start scaling their start-ups with us. Additionally, we continue to support our founders throughout their whole start-up journey.

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. 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.

What companies does Antler back?

We are industry agnostic. We invest in exceptional people building scalable companies. However, we do not invest in alcohol, tobacco or gambling.

Does Antler provide a business idea?

Our industry partners may provide problem statements they would like to solve, and the Antler team and mentors will help find the right area and business model to work in, but we don’t believe in providing ready-made ideas for you to work on. Ultimately this will be up to you and your co-founder(s)!

Is this a full time commitment?

Yes. Please consider your current notice period, plus the personal and financial investment starting a business requires.

Is the program on-site?

Yes. We fully believe in meeting each other in person to develop meaningful relationships. You can incorporate your company anywhere.

Do I need an idea to join Antler?

No, you don't. Some founders have a clear idea of what they want to build, however, most join us with areas of interest and expertise they then start to explore.

Can I negotiate Terms & Conditions?

Our terms are non-negotiable. Any further investment would be distinct from Antler’s investment and subject to new terms.

Do I need to be at the location in person and for how long?

Depending on the kind of residency you are opting for, we have different requirements. During the main 7/11-week program, we require your physical presence in our Amsterdam, Berlin, or Munich offices.

Do participants receive a grant during the residency?

Every cohort member in Berlin and Munich receives a EUR 1,000 grant.

Can I form a team with people from other locations?

Yes, we even encourage this. However, we require you to work from the same location for a significant amount of time.

How do I meet people from the other locations?

We will facilitate virtual meet-ups with additional optional meetings in person. You will also work in the same virtual workspaces and be in one community Slack channel.

What does a day in the cohort look like?

Besides working alongside like-minded founders, you’ll spend your time developing and iterating on your ideas, conducting customer discovery and research, beta testing as quickly as possible, and building your product roadmap and go-to-market strategy The Antler team will provide guidance and sparring sessions, organize challenges, social sessions, and speaker series with industry experts, coaches, and successful founders. At the end of the program, teams present to our Investment Committee.

How big are the teams?

Most Antler teams consist of two to three co-founders.

How many companies have Antler have in its portfolio?

Antler has more than 1,000+ companies in its portfolio.

What makes us different from other VCs?

Antler specialises in bringing the most exceptional people together and enabling them to build a great startup. Our cohort members are often pre-team, pre-idea and pre-funding. Furthermore, we promote diversity at every level: background, career stage and skills.

Can I apply to one than more locations?

Yes, but only one location at a time will consider your application.

What are Antler’s investment terms?

As of fall 2024, Antler is introducing new investment terms in Europe. Antler now commits €300K into startups at Day Zero. The first €100K is in return for 10% of the business. The other €200K is a binding commitment (signed at Day Zero) to the startup’s pre-seed funding round within the following months at the round’s terms.

The binding commitment of €200K is referred to as ARC (Agreement for Rolling Capital). To avoid excess dilution in small funding rounds, Antler will match every Euro raised from professional investors with 50 Cents, up until a total investment of €200K.

This means that we will invest €100K at Day Zero for 10% (subject to dilution in next round) and €200K committed at Day Zero as part of your following round within the coming 9 months at the round’s valuation, e.g. at €10 mn post money valuation.

Further, Antler has the capital to continue backing its portfolio companies from day zero through to Series C.

How many founders get into the residency?

We select between 50 to 70 exceptional founders from over 4,000 candidates on average per residency. We select the top 2% of applicants, which allows us to maintain a high-standard residency with outstanding individuals.

Contact Antler in France

Get in touch with our team!

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