Startup Co-Founder - Residency Program

Note: This ad is not for a job, but rather for the opportunity to build your own VC-backed startup!

Are you ready to take the leap into entrepreneurship and lead your own tech venture? Antler is looking for individuals with a drive to innovate, a commitment to resilience, and a passion for building a tech startup from the ground up in East Africa. Whether your expertise lies in engineering, finance, marketing, or any other field, if you have the determination to create and grow a business, we want you to join us.

? About Antler

We are a global early-stage venture capital firm that invests in the defining companies of tomorrow to fundamentally improve the world with groundbreaking technology. Our three-month program brings together experienced and driven professionals from diverse backgrounds to build strong teams and launch their own companies. We are present in 20+ locations worldwide, have supported 3000+ founders through our platforms, invested in 750+ startups, and received over 80,000+ applications.

? About you

For our dynamic program starting in March 2025 in Nairobi, we invite aspiring entrepreneurs from all professional backgrounds to join our next cohort in Nairobi.

This is an opportunity to meet a like-minded co-founder and develop a business from its inception, fully supported by Antler. While specific industry experience is not a prerequisite, we seek individuals with the following traits:

• A strong commitment to pursuing an entrepreneurial journey, with a willingness to learn and adapt.
• Demonstrated resilience and perseverance in the face of challenges.
• A history of professional or personal achievements that reflect determination and a hands-on approach.
• Problem-solving mindset, with a creative and innovative approach to overcoming obstacles.
• Strong interpersonal skills, capable of inspiring and working collaboratively with diverse teams.
• Ability to think strategically, with a vision for identifying opportunities and building viable business models.
• Experience in any professional field is welcome; what matters is your drive to succeed as an entrepreneur.
• Self-motivated and capable of working independently, making crucial decisions, and leading a venture to success.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to engage and connect with a broad range of stakeholders.

? Program details

• Start date: March 2025
• Duration: 12 weeks
• Location: Nairobi
• Full time, full commitment

Structure

• You will find your co-founder(s) and a fantastic start-up idea to work on.
• You will receive dedicated and personalized coaching and mentoring from our Nairobi team and access our global network of over 400 advisors.
• You will enjoy inspirational talks and learn about extraordinary business success stories from driven entrepreneurs and renowned investors.
• Access to $400k+ in top-tier tech-platform credits
• Workspace for founders and teams
• You will build your Minimum Viable Product (MVP) with your co-founder(s) and Antler’s support.
• You and your business partner will acquire your first customers
• You will pitch to our internal Investment Committee to raise:
• $100k for 10% when passing the Antler Investment Committee
• To support in a tough funding environment, we make available an additional $100k to match your next investor ticket and terms
• If all goes well, your company will begin generating actual revenues

What you get

• Pool of potential co-founders
• Personalized coaching sessions with business experts
• Access to a global network of startup advisors and experts in their fields
• Antler provides founders with a USD 2,500 stipend during the Program.

?Antler Highlights

Here you can find some examples of successful companies that were built during the Antler Program, received pre-seed investment from Antler, and have gone on to raise substantial investment afterwards:

• AIfluence - Africa's 1st AI-Driven Influencer Marketing Platform
• COGNICEPT - Cognicept steps in when robots get confused. http://cognicept.systems/
• XAILIENT - World's fastest, smallest Computer Vision https://www.xailient.com/
• SKYQRAFT - Affordable and safe powerline inspections using drones and data - https://www.skyqraft.com/
• AIROLO - the world’s first eSIM store - https://www.airalo.com/

Apply now to stop dreaming and start building!