About this programme
Antler is a global early-stage venture capital firm that runs an in-person "residency" model: it backs founders from day zero, before there is a company, a co-founder, or sometimes even a chosen idea. In the US, the residency runs in three cities — San Francisco, New York City, and Austin — where founders build full-time in person alongside a cohort, with the goal of reaching a pitch-ready company and a pre-seed investment decision by the end of the programme.
Antler's US locations take applications on a rolling basis with monthly cohort starts, rather than one or two fixed intake dates a year. Applications are submitted at antler.co/apply. There is no fee to join the residency.
Antler positions itself as the first investor in most of the companies it backs. Founders who complete the residency get the opportunity to pitch Antler's US Investment Committee for pre-seed funding; the exact investment terms are set out in the term sheet Antler shares directly with founders it decides to back, so amounts described publicly should be read as indicative rather than guaranteed for every applicant.
Antler publishes two different sets of figures for its US backing on its own domain. Its US location page describes overall backing of $500K–$1M per company plus $650K in partner/perk credits. A separate Antler blog post describing a 2023 "revamped" US term sheet instead details an initial $250K investment via SAFE at a $2.75M post-money valuation (9.09% equity), plus a $2,500 founder grant. Both are official Antler pages; treat the numbers as what Antler has publicly stated at different points rather than a single reconciled figure, and confirm current terms directly with Antler before relying on either.
How it works
The residency is structured around four phases: Ideate (office hours, expert sessions, and "idea-killing" critique to pressure-test hypotheses), Validate (customer-validation frameworks and access to Antler's network, with a dedicated coach for weekly 1:1s), Attract (co-founder matching for solo founders from the vetted cohort, or strengthening an existing founding team), and Build (rapid MVP iteration with accountability on execution pace).
Programming includes workshops, speakers, and social events alongside weekly standups, office hours, town halls, and community dinners — but most programming is optional, and founders are expected to self-direct toward whatever their company needs most (e.g. talking to customers instead of attending a workshop if the product has already shipped).
At the end of the residency, all founders have the opportunity to pitch Antler's US Investment Committee for pre-seed investment. Antler also reserves follow-on capital that can become available as a portfolio company reaches later milestones (e.g. its seed round), separate from the initial residency check.
Who can apply
Antler's US location page states that at least one founder needs to be full-time in the residency — solo founders are welcome to apply and can look for a co-founder from the cohort during the programme itself.
At least one co-founder needs to already have work authorization that allows them to build a startup in the US independently — as a US citizen, permanent resident, or holder of a status that provides independent, indefinite, and unrestricted work authorization. Antler explicitly states it does not provide visa sponsorship.
There is no fee to join the residency.
How to apply
- Go to antler.co/apply and choose the "Idea to Pre-Seed" track (as opposed to the separate Antler Elevate track for Series A–C companies).
- Submit the initial application: name, email, LinkedIn profile, funding stage, and the region/city (San Francisco, New York City, or Austin for the US).
- Optionally complete the expanded application: a short company description, company website, and a pitch deck (maximum 10MB upload).
- Applications to the US locations are reviewed on a rolling basis, with new cohorts starting monthly rather than on one or two fixed dates a year.
- If selected, attend the residency in person, full-time, in the chosen US city, working through the programme toward a pitch to Antler’s US Investment Committee.
Documents you’ll typically need
- LinkedIn profile (required at initial application)
- Pitch deck, max 10MB (for the expanded application)
- Company website, if one exists (optional, expanded application)
Frequently asked
Is there a fee to join the Antler US residency?
No. Antler’s US location page states there is no fee to join the residency.
Do I need a co-founder before I apply?
No — solo founders are welcome to apply and can look for a co-founder from the cohort during the residency. Antler states at least one founder needs to be full-time in residency once it is underway.
Will Antler sponsor a work visa?
No. Antler states at least one co-founder must already have work authorization allowing them to build a startup independently in the US — as a citizen, permanent resident, or holder of unrestricted work authorization — and that visa sponsorship is not provided.
When does the US residency start?
Antler’s US locations (San Francisco, New York City, Austin) take applications on a rolling basis with monthly cohort starts, rather than one or two fixed intake dates a year.
How much does Antler invest, and on what terms?
Antler’s US pages state two different figures: its location page cites overall backing of $500K–$1M per company plus $650K in partner credits, while a separate Antler blog post on its 2023 term-sheet revamp describes an initial $250K SAFE investment at a $2.75M post-money valuation (9.09% equity) plus a $2,500 founder grant. Antler shares the specific term sheet directly with founders it decides to back, so confirm current figures with Antler rather than relying on either public number alone.
What rights come with the SAFE investment?
Per Antler’s 2023 US term-sheet post, the SAFE carries pro-rata rights and information rights only.
Does Antler invest further after the residency?
Antler states it reserves follow-on capital that can become available for a portfolio company’s later round (such as its seed round), separate from the initial residency-stage investment.
Reviewed 2026-08-16. Programmes change — confirm current eligibility, amounts and deadlines on the official page before you apply. CapEasy is a private consultancy and is not affiliated with any government authority.