Global early-stage venture capital firm, Antler, officially unveiled the first three companies from its inaugural Lagos cohort, LOS1, last week, marking a significant milestone in its commitment to building and investing in exceptional founders across Africa.
At a recent media roundtable in Lagos, the firm presented Cubbes, Raba, and Forti Foods as examples of the transformative solutions being built on the continent, tackling fundamental challenges across education, finance and food security.
Speaking at the unveiling, Partner at Antler, Lola Masha, emphasized that the event was a celebration of innovation, resilience, and the exceptional founders who are turning bold ideas into investable and scalable ventures. The firm positions itself as an inception-stage VC, a distinction that sets it apart from traditional venture capital.
“What we are looking for are people with deep domain expertise, high-performing individuals who can come to us even at an inception stage. Unlike VCs that require traction, proven metrics, or Minimum Viable Products (MVPs), Antler’s unique selling proposition (USP) is its willingness to back founders with an idea, even if the business is not yet formally incorporated,” Masha explained.
Antler provides this support through a structured, two-month cohort framework, a sandbox where founders are given everything they require to test and refine their ideas, which is how the firm makes its investment decisions.
This model is critical to Antler’s mission to change the entrepreneurial paradigm in Africa. Masha highlighted that traditional education often teaches the mindset of an employee, not an employer.
“Part of what we do at Antler is to change that paradigm by providing a structured framework through which extremely smart, competent, ambitious people with domain expertise can leverage that knowledge to build long-standing enterprises,” she added.
Antler’s global commitment is evident in its footprint across 28 cities globally, including its African operations, which began nearly seven years ago. For the Lagos one cohort, the firm received a staggering 7,800 applications and selected just 17 ideas to work with, illustrating its highly selective process.
The firm’s standardized investment offer is structured to provide significant early-stage support, beginning with an investment of $100,000 for 10% equity at a $1 million valuation for inception-based companies. Beyond capital, they offer access to a range of other resources, including an extensive global network, a local community, and specific functional support in areas like legal, finance and marketing.
Founders also receive up to $4 million worth of tech tools and credits from partners such as OpenAI, Google, and AWS. Finally, the firm provides essential infrastructure, including dedicated office space and support from legal and accounting firms, to help portfolio companies establish their businesses.
