Antler invests in seven tech startups revealed at London Demo Day

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Antler invests in seven tech startups revealed at London Demo Day

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Despite the on-going impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, global early-stage venture capital firm, Antler invested in seven startups during its second UK cohort, taking its global investment total to over $30m.

Antler - which launched in 2017 in Singapore, with a goal to fundamentally improve the world by enabling and investing in the world's most exceptional people, and building the defining companies of tomorrow - revealed that 2,600 individuals from 31 different nationalities applied for its second London-based cohort, a fifty percent rise from the previous year.

After conducting 440 face-to-face interviews, 71 founders were selected for the program, half of whom had previously launched a startup. In keeping with Antler’s focus on supporting companies with diverse leadership, over half of the companies that raised money (four out of seven) had at least one woman founder, significantly above the London average of 21%.

Antler London helped them find co-founders and build strong teams, validate their business ideas and gain early traction. Each startup has worked closely with Antler’s London team, and with their strong network of local and international advisors. This process has prepared the ground for Antler to invest in this year’s cohort of seven companies.

A key part of the process is Antler’s ‘Demo Day’, when the founders pitch to local and international investors as a way to help them raise their next round of funding. This year, the Demo Day will be hosted remotely.

Antler is constantly looking for the next generation of entrepreneurs who have the vision and ability to build ground-breaking tech companies that will make a real impact - regardless of their background. Antler then provides pre-seed and later-stage capital to the successful companies, through local funds in each geography.

Founded by Magnus Grimeland (Co-founder of Zalora, which sold to Global Fashion Group), Antler is rapidly expanding. It is currently present in six continents worldwide, including major entrepreneurial hubs: New York, London, and Singapore.

Magnus Grimeland, Antler’s Founder and CEO said: “COVID-19 has both exposed the vulnerabilities of several sectors, while highlighting the opportunities for start-ups to make an impact during these unprecedented times.

"I also feel that over the last six months, we’ve woken up to how precarious the world is. The key challenges we’ve been speaking about for decades - climate change, pandemics, healthcare, shifting demographics, or the lack of diversity - are now being taken more seriously. The next generation of startups can have a great impact in these areas. We’re particularly excited about this group of companies from London and they've already shown great progress."

Antoine Poirson, Partner of Antler London said: “I am delighted with the progress that our second London cohort has made, especially in an unprecedented global environment. All of the founding teams have adapted to working remotely with speed. They have built phenomenal teams, developed new technology solutions, and impressive business plans. We are very pleased that Antler has helped this brilliant group turn their ideas into real, exciting companies that will make waves in industries as diverse as healthtech, beauty and fintech.”

The London portfolio companies are:

GLAIZE

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