Antler's Kenyan venture-building program, investing $100K per startup across roughly 16 startups a year.
- The offer:
- $100k per company
- Location:
- Nairobi, Kenya
- Duration:
- 10 weeks
What you need to qualify
- Open to individuals with a startup idea and to teams with an MVP or early validation.
- 5-15 years of prior work experience is preferred but not required.
- You do not need an incorporated company, a co-founder or a finished product.
- Full-time commitment for the duration of the residency, in Nairobi.
- Open to founders relocating to Nairobi from across Africa and beyond.
Eligibility
- Eligible stages
- All stages
- Countries
- Global, subject to the provider’s eligibility and approval
How to apply
- 1
Submit the application
Apply at antler.co/apply with your LinkedIn URL, CV or pitch deck, selecting Middle East & Africa and then Nairobi.
- 2
First interview
A 30-minute conversation assessing your drive and motivations.
- 3
Partner interview
An in-depth discussion with a partner, ideally in person at ABC Place in Nairobi.
- 4
Coffee chat
A casual conversation covering ambition and leadership.
- 5
Join the ten-week residency in Nairobi
Ten weeks of building with the East Africa cohort, with free office space at ABC Place.
Frequently asked
Up to $250,000: $100k for 10% equity, plus $150k of additional pre-committed capital to match future VC rounds.
Ten weeks in Nairobi, with free office space at ABC Place. Founders relocate to Nairobi from across Africa and beyond.
Antler’s own pages disagree. The East Africa residency page lists a start date of October 12, 2026, while the central cohort start dates table lists Kenya as October 5, 2026. Neither is an application deadline: Antler states the published dates are start dates and advises applying early. Confirm the date with the Nairobi team before planning around it.
Antler states that fewer than 1% of applicants are accepted.
Over $850k in tech credits, free office space at ABC Place, and access to Antler’s global mentor network.
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