⚠ Summarised by AI based on an external source. Last updated: 1 May 2026. Starthubs is not liable for any inaccuracies. Always consult the official challenge information.
Antler runs one of Europe's most selective day-zero residencies, and the next Continental Europe cohort kicks off on 14 September 2026 in Amsterdam, Berlin and Munich. Successful applicants join roughly 100 hand-picked founders selected from over 10,000 candidates for a 6 to 10 week intensive residency, with up to €500K in pre-seed investment, more than €4M in cloud and AI credits, and a long-term capital pathway of up to €30M per company. Solo founders are welcome — co-founder matching happens on-site during the residency.
What is Antler looking for?
Antler backs outlier founders building massively scalable, category-defining tech companies. Selection focuses on four traits: drive, grit, spike (an exceptional skill or insight that makes the founder dangerous in their domain), and full commitment with no side projects, jobs or studies. Founder–idea fit and trajectory matter more than current stage — some join with revenue and a complete team, others arrive solo and pre-idea. Antler is genuinely sector-agnostic, backing everything from satellite emissions monitoring to consumer apps, with a focus on companies that can credibly reach billion-euro outcomes. The investment decision is made at the end of the residency, based on day-to-day observation rather than a single pitch. More detail on application criteria and residency structure is available on the official Antler site.
Who is this for?
The residency is open to founders worldwide who can secure the relevant Schengen visa for Amsterdam, Berlin or Munich. Solo founders refining an idea, complete teams already gaining traction, and second- or third-time founders are all welcome. Acceptance is highly selective — fewer than 0.2% of applicants are invited.
- Full-time commitment required: no other employment, studies or freelance work alongside the residency
- Visa eligibility for the Continental Europe hub of choice (Antler does not provide visa support beyond an offer letter)
- Drive, grit and clear founder–idea fit, or openness to finding a co-founder during the residency
- Vision and trajectory pointing toward a category-defining, scalable company
What's in it for you?
Successful applicants secure up to €500K in pre-seed capital and join Antler's global portfolio. The funding is structured to protect founder ownership while front-loading meaningful capital:
- €100K immediate investment converting into 8.5% equity at the next priced round
- €100K uncapped convertible note with Most Favoured Nation terms, converting at the next round's terms
- Up to €300K follow-on commitment via Antler's Agreement for Rolling Capital, on the same terms as external investors
- Up to €30M long-term follow-on capital per company through Series C
- Over €4M in cloud, AI and software perks (AWS, Google Cloud, OpenAI, NVIDIA, Notion, legal advice and more)
- Free office space in Amsterdam, Berlin or Munich for 3–9 months post-investment
- Direct access to Antler's 1,500+ portfolio founder community and global VC network, including warm intros to Sequoia, a16z, Accel and HV Capital