Antler Reviews & Ratings

4.6/5

“Found a CoFounder—and Even Got Funded”

I switched from trying founder matchmaking on my own to doing Antler’s Residency. Within a few weeks, I found a technical co-founder I click with—and later got investment. The community and Slack network opened doors. Fair warning: most people don’t make it past the Selection phase.

Pros : Excellent co-founder matching during Residency, strong alumni network

Cons : Very selective—only ~15% make it to Demo Day

Switched from : Simplified

Reason to switch : Needed structured founder matching and investor connections early on.

4.5/5

“Terms Improved but Historically Tough”

I looked back at early Antler deals and they weren’t ideal—high dilution, small check. They claim to have improved terms to stay competitive—but still, terms vary by region, so read the fine print carefully.

Pros : Antler says they've revised investment terms to be more founder-friendly

Cons : Early batches reported unfriendly terms and high dilution

Switched from : Taja

Reason to switch : Wanted a quick check—but equity terms aren’t always optimal.

4.5/5

“Rules, Criteria & Identity Bias Exist”

I switched from general accelerators to Antler for clarity. They’re big on founder-market fit, B2B SaaS, and diversity metrics. But if you don’t fit the mold, or if you bring your own startup idea, you might get dropped—even midstream.

Pros : Clear criteria used; focus on B2B, exceptional founder fit

Cons : Preexisting ideas or demographic bias can get filtered harshly

Switched from : Planly

Reason to switch : Wanted structure—but their fit criteria can feel rigid.

4.5/5

“Fastlane to Networks—VC Intros Included”

I moved from coldmailing VCs to being introduced by Antler. The warm intros were a game changer—they helped me get meetings quickly. But mentors are busy; if you're passive, you get little guidance. You have to actively engage in Slack, calls, events.

Pros : Warm intros to VCs, access to partner alumni network

Cons : Advice can feel transactional; founders need to push for support

Switched from : SO9

Reason to switch : Wanted structured access to VCs and warm intros from an accelerator.

4.5/5

“Stipend Helps, But It’s Not a Salary”

I moved from trying sidehustles to joining Antler full time. They give a small stipend, but it's nowhere close to a living wage—especially in cities like London or Singapore. You basically sign up to work unpaid and hope for a raise—or investment.

Pros : Offers a small stipend (e.g. €2.5K) during the residency

Cons : Not enough to replace income for full-time commitment

Switched from : Tweetdeck

Reason to switch : Wanted focused time to build, but financial risk remains.

4.5/5

“Cohort Vibes Are Energizing”

Compared to setting up in isolation, Antler’s cohort had founders from all backgrounds working together 912h days. It felt like an intense, productive hacker house. But some people find the pace exhausting.

Pros : Energetic founder cohort, diverse perspectives

Cons : Pressure-cooker environment—not for everyone

Switched from : BioGPT IO

Reason to switch : Needed immersion in founder culture and shared work environment.

4.5/5

“Networking vs. Genuine Guidance”

I joined Antler thinking I’d get hands-on coaching. I got the connections easily—it’s great for chatting with founders worldwide. But sometimes feedback felt shallow—it was up to me to chase deeper help.

Pros : Access to mentors, peers, global cohort

Cons : Feedback can feel superficial or generic

Switched from : Wconnect

Reason to switch : Wanted community access—but guidance quality varies by team.

4.3/5

“Investment Offer May Not Match Expectations”

I previously pursued bootstrapped funding. With Antler I got invited to pitch, and they offered £120K for ~10%. But after deducting service fees, it felt smaller. Also, many didn’t get funded after all. If you expect guaranteed funding, think twice.

Pros : You get an offer if you’re selected—typically £120K–250K in exchange for ~9–10% equity

Cons : Not guaranteed; and service fees can eat into the offer

Switched from : Vista Social

Reason to switch : Wanted a seed round via accelerator—but risk remains on equity terms.

4.3/5

“Useful if You’re Very Early—but Not for Later-Stage Teams”

I switched from building an MVP-only startup alone to joining Antler. It felt like they built for early-stage founders. If you’ve already generated revenue or have built a team, you might hit diminishing returns—they focus on idea-formation and matchmaking more than scaling advice.

Pros : Ideal for first-time or idea-stage founders

Cons : Less helpful if you're revenue-generating, pre-Series A

Switched from : Wconnect

Reason to switch : Wanted early-stage structure—but not ideal if you’re already scaling.

4.3/5

“Brutal Bootcamp—But Brutally Clarifying”

I switched from casually ideating at weekends to Antler’s bootcamp. It forced me to pitch daily, pick founders, validate ideas fast. It was nonstop stress—but helped me quickly recognize viable ideas vs. noise.

Pros : Intensive ideation, Bootcamp focus helps rapid clarity

Cons : It’s emotionally draining and competitive

Switched from : SocialChamp

Reason to switch : Needed structure and rapid validation for foundermarket fit.