Antler – A growth platform for Nordic startups

Why?

Antler was founded to solve a critical challenge faced by early-stage startups: how to find and validate the right business idea, co-founder, and team. Many aspiring founders have the drive to build a company, but validating an idea and assembling the right people can take years. Antler’s core mission is to identify and develop investable startups. Through its exclusive residency program, aspiring entrepreneurs can find the right team, validate their business ideas, and shape their companies into attractive investment opportunities. This investor-driven approach makes Antler a unique player in the venture capital market.

What and how?

At the heart of Antler’s model is a 12-week residency program, which recruits founders and early-stage teams. During the program, participants search for co-founders, build teams, and refine their ideas with support from Antler’s expert network. At the end of the program, the most promising teams receive investment and the opportunity to launch their businesses. Antler can also make follow-on investments in these startups through its Elevate fund.

Antler’s competitive advantage lies in its globally unique scale and efficient process. One-third of residency participants receive an investment, ensuring high-quality startups with strong potential. In the Nordics, Antler also offers founders the opportunity to find co-founders from other Nordic countries, increasing the international reach, diversity, and expertise of startup teams.

Growth and internationalisation

Founded in Singapore in 2017, Antler has grown into a global network spanning Asia, Europe, the Americas, and Africa. It now runs residency programs in 28 cities worldwide. The first Nordic fund was established in Stockholm in 2019, and in 2023, Antler launched its second Nordic fund, which also invests in Finnish startups. Globally, Antler operates 15 funds, most of which focus on early-stage investments in local markets. To date, Antler has invested in over 1,400 startups across various industries, with a total portfolio valuation of approximately EUR 4.5 billion.

Tesi's role

Tesi joined Antler’s second Nordic fund in 2024 as part of its strategy to strengthen the Finnish venture capital market. Tesi’s investment was crucial, as it enabled the fund to expand into Finland at its current scale.

Tesi fosters the Finnish venture capital ecosystem by investing in funds both domestically and internationally. It prioritizes funds that also invest in Finnish startups and growth companies, helping to build a strong co-investor network and connect Finnish VC funds with international institutional investors.

Antler in Finland

Antler raised EUR 97 million for its second Nordic venture capital fund, which also invests in Finland. At the same time, the company opened an office in Helsinki. In 2024, Antler hosted two residency programs in Finland, receiving 2,100 applications and making 13 investments. Additionally, Antler made one investment in a Finnish company outside of the residency program.

Antler aims to significantly expand its investment portfolio in the coming years. The company will continue hosting residency programs in Finland twice a year, in spring and autumn, in sync with other Nordic countries.