The tech startup scene in Europe has seen the emergence of an array of new investors in the past few years, many of whom are coming to support early-stage funding. However, due to the COVID-19 crisis and the lockdowns that have followed, venture capital investment is down across Europe.
Plan, partners, and more
In Germany, the investment is down 19% compared to the same period in 2019, but the pace is picking up, says the report. In a major push for both the German and the wider Central European startup ecosystem, Antler, an early-stage capital firm, has opened a new office in Berlin.
“Antler is a much-needed addition to the German ecosystem,” says Christian Miele, president of the German Startup Association, Partner at eVentures, and Advisor to Antler. “Antler will enable some of Germany’s most talented and experienced entrepreneurs to start new businesses and bring the necessary innovation to Germany.
According to Antler, the plan is to invest in more than 160 startups over the next four years across Central Europe. Notably, Antler Germany is now accepting applications for its inaugural cohort that’s starting from April 2021.
Last month, Antler invested in 7 startups during its second UK cohort, taking its global investment total to over $30M (approx €25.5M).
Strengthening team across Europe
Partners of the fund covering Germany and Central Europe are Alan Poensgen, former cofounder and managing director at the home & living e-commerce company Westwing, and Dr. Christoph Klink, a former partner at the management consultancy McKinsey & Company. On top of that, Ronald Jan Schuurs has joined the team covering The Netherlands, also as a Partner.
Prominent investors in Antler funds include Eduardo Saverin (cofounder of Facebook), global investment management company – Schroders, Johan H. Andresen’s Ferd, and the FinTech collective.
About Antler
Founded in Singapore in 2017 by Magnus Grimeland and a team of experienced entrepreneurs, investors, and company builders, Antler operates across six continents. It has invested in more than 200 startups, making it one of the world’s largest early-stage investment platforms.
As per the company claims, over 40 % of Antler’s portfolio has at least one female cofounder and founders represent over 70 nationalities. Antler’s team consists of personalities from reputed companies like Spotify, Alibaba, Westwing, McKinsey, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, Fidelity as well as internationally renowned universities such as Harvard, Stanford, and TU Munich.
Tie-ups with over 400 advisors
Also, Antler works closely with over 400 advisors with entrepreneurial, financial, political, or technological backgrounds. Among them are world-renowned experts such as Larry Summers, former US Secretary of the Treasury and Harvard President, Klaus Kleinfeld, former CEO of Siemens, Peter Harrison, CEO of Schroders Asset Management and Christian Miele, Partner at e.Ventures and President of the German Start-up Association.
According to Antler, several factors like investment stages, internationality and unprecedented scale, investment decisions, support for the founders, technology focus, and local ecosystem make them stand apart from other early-stage investors.
The VC firm helps startups build a co-founding team, validate business models, build early traction, and meet investors during ‘Demo Day’. The firm has offices across six continents and most major entrepreneurial hubs, including cities such as London, New York, Singapore, and Sydney
Image Credits: Antler
