Antler, the global early-stage VC, has announced its launch in Copenhagen with an aim to attract and support between 70-100 specialised founders on a yearly basis. The firm wants to help build and invest in sustainable tech companies.
This development comes following an investment of DKK 50M (approx €6.7M) into Antler’s Nordic Fund from the Danish state’s investment fund, Vækstfonden.
Vækstfonden’s investment is being made from Denmark’s Green Future Fund.
What to expect from this launch?
With this launch in Copenhagen, Antler will work with early-stage founders to help them build the ‘green’ companies of the future, and invest in the most promising companies. Antler’s aim is to help establish between 10-20 sustainable tech companies every year, which would then automatically increase the number of “green” VC-backed companies in Denmark.
Through its platform, Antler claims it will bring together a number of experienced operators, technologists and business builders to execute on business ideas in sustainable tech. After the first 10 weeks of ideation, validation and development, Antler will invest in the most promising teams that move on to establish, build and launch new startups.
Already from mid-February, Antler will support around 15 entrepreneurs in Denmark to develop impactful and scalable solutions in sustainability, climate-tech and green transformation. The objective is that these companies will grow into global export companies, and ultimately attract more green capital and experience to Denmark.
Magnus Grimeland, founder and CEO of Antler says, “The Danish ecosystem is thriving, and provides a unique opportunity for entrepreneurs. In the field of sustainability, Denmark is home to an array of world-leading researchers and partner organisations. At Antler, we are excited to see the solutions that will be developed when we welcome experienced founders, business leaders, technologists, researchers and industry experts to work with us in Copenhagen. Entrepreneurs, working within Denmark’s phenomenal ecosystem, can play a huge role in driving sustainable technologies”
Everything about Antler
Founded in Singapore in 2017, Antler is a global early-stage venture capital firm that builds and invests in the defining technology companies of tomorrow. The firm has offices globally across most major entrepreneurial hubs, including in hubs such as London, Berlin, Bangalore, Stockholm, Oslo, New York, Singapore and Sydney.
To date, Antler has invested in and helped build over 250 companies; over 40 per cent of Antler’s portfolio has at least one female co-founder and their founders represent over 70 nationalities. With this, the firm will now use this expertise and experience to advance Denmark’s green agenda.
The firm has also backed sustainability-cetric startups across the Nordics including companies such as Skyqraft, a Swedish company using AI and drones for electricity solutions that recently announced a $2.2M in its Seed round; Ocean Oasis, a Norwegian startup developing a wave powered desalination solution to deliver fresh water to shore with zero emissions; and GlintSolar, an analysis tool for floating solar sites working to accelerate the growth of solar energy by using satellite data.
Human Capital
Antler has also recently added to its senior leadership team, by hiring Karl-Christian Agerup, who joined the firm as Chief of Investment Operations and Strategy. Karl-Christian is a serial entrepreneur, and the cofounder and former General Partner of Northzone Ventures.
The company’s investors include Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin, and the asset manager Schroders. Its global advisory Board includes profiles such as the former US Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers and former CEO of Goldman Sachs Asia Pacific, Ken Hitchner.