Has your curiosity been piqued by the Antler founder experience? As the founding team behind Cooper Pet Care, we are here to share our story and walk you through the exciting journey we went through.
Our roller-coaster ride started with the third Antler residency in Amsterdam. We ventured through the program's twists and turns—eventually striking gold by securing an investment and landing a spot at the coveted demo day.
Disclaimer: The Antler team is constantly iterating and updating their residency programs to ensure that they can provide the best experience possible for founders. It’s possible that things have changed since we went through the residency, but regardless, we wanted to give you a behind-the-scenes perspective of our experience.
With that out of the way, read on.
A Closer Look at Antler: Its Mission and Audience
Standing tall as a vanguard in early-stage venture capital, Antler is devoted to powering the ambitions of extraordinary visionaries and crafting the future with unique startups.
Put simply: Antler is a melting pot of intellect—merging individuals from sundry business and tech landscapes. Antler encourages collaboration, breathes life into state-of-the-art business ideas, and extends financial backing to the brightest teams and their groundbreaking brainchildren.
Cracking the Code: The Antler Application Process (From Our Perspective)
You can kickstart your journey online: it's as simple as filling out a form on Antler's website. Share interesting information about yourself, your past experiences, and introduce your idea (if you've got one).
Next up was our one-on-one chat with Antler’s Scouting Manager, where we would have the opportunity to showcase our professional journey while learning more about Antler. While it may appear that candidates with entrepreneurial flair or previous startup experience have a head-start to the interview process, Antler looks to cater to a demographic group making the shift to the startup landscape.
Then comes a tactical conversation with a partner or someone at a director-level position. Interviews at the partner level don’t focus on grappling with a specific business challenge, but rather reviewing the candidates’ experiences to date and how they look to implement those learnings in a potential venture.
We found the interviews to be laid-back and refreshingly stress-free as they are designed to be a conversation and open forum to highlight your best qualities.
Antler operates at a brisk pace. Our experience was a whirlwind, with the entire interview process wrapping up in about a week. Within the following week, we received an invitation to join the residency.
Understanding the Framework: The Residency Structure
The program we went through unfolded in multiple stages:
- Pre-residency: This stage grants you access to the Antler Founder Hub, which provides you access to view other founder profiles joining the residency.
- Phase One (nine weeks): A two-week networking period with other founders which paves the way for a seven-week sprint of ideation and validation, culminating in an Investment Committee evaluation.
- Phase Two (three months): This phase is all about building your product.
Phase One Unveiled: Building a Strong Foundation
What we experienced in phase one was a nine-week marathon—crafted to assist you in forging a team and equipping you with the necessary tools to establish a trailblazing startup. It starts with a two-week immersive series, focusing on team assembly, product ideation, and business model creation.
During this phase, it's crucial to network with all 50-70 founders to truly assimilate their values and ideas.
The early days of building with the Cooper Pet Care team and other founders
From Week 3 onwards, we experienced how your engagement with Antler evolves into more personal 1:1 or 2:1 interactions, complemented by group sessions and seminars. In the third week, what we experienced is that your engagement with Antler becomes more personal, revolving around 1:1 or 2:1 interactions, interspersed with group sessions and seminars. The aim here is to assist you in building your startup in preparation for the Investment Committee meeting. Throughout this journey, you will be partnering with different individuals, conducting market research, validating ideas, and (hopefully) building prototypes and acquiring your first customers. You'll be partnering with different individuals, conducting market research, validating ideas, and possibly building prototypes and acquiring your first customers.
We went through two pre-Investment Committee sessions, where you will need to have a team and an idea vetted together with Antler. Ideally, you should bring more to the table—demonstrating market demand, presenting a prototype, etc only sets you up for more success. Only those who fulfill these criteria will have a chance to present to the Investment Committee. In our residency, 15 individuals (forming seven teams) were given the green light to present at the Investment Committee.
The Investment Committee: Your Gate to Success
The Investment Committee (IC) is the big league. If you're deemed ready for it, here's what it looked like for us:
- We were given a total of 20 minutes divided between us presenting our ideas and answering the queries of the IC committee
- The committee consists of Antler partners (local and global), and external experts (generally from other VC firms). Additional stakeholders might also be present during the session.
- It's crucial to secure at least four "yes" votes out of six to advance. We proudly garnered a unanimous six out of six.
From the original cohort, only five teams were extended an investment offer.
Successful pitches to the Investment Committee results in a €100,000 investment from Antler.
The Residency: Phase Two—Building and Launching Your Venture
Phase two of the residency zeroes in on building and launching your venture. You're at liberty to sculpt your MVP as you deem fit, backed by the solid support from the Antler global advisory network.
You continue your weekly check-ins with a dedicated Antler coach to discuss progress; however, the reins are primarily in your hands, as you team up with your co-founder(s) to determine what's best for your enterprise.
This phase typically concludes within six to twelve months following Antler's investment, once seed funding is procured from an additional investor.
Post-Residency Support: Continuing the Journey
Antler's support doesn't end there. They continue to bolster your fundraising efforts and utilize their extensive network of VC connections.
This includes weekly guidance from a dedicated coach, joining the global Antler Slack group—composed of over a thousand founders and mentors, and access to a wide array of perks and discounts on a variety of products, services, and co-working spaces worldwide.
Our Verdict
We at Cooper Pet Care heartily endorse Antler for those who:
- Are on the hunt for a co-founder
- Lack a clear idea or need swift idea validation
- Have launched an MVP but are pre-revenue and receptive to advice
- Crave a community of like-minded individuals
- Seek a pre-seed round of funding
For the above scenarios, Antler could be an exemplary match. Overall, it's an enriching ride that fuses learning, fun, and the creation of lasting friendships.
However, if you're significantly advanced in your startup journey, already have a founding team, and are reaping revenue from your product, you should message Antler for direct investment opportunities.
[Some reflections about Cooper’s own journey?]
Redefining Pet Healthcare: Cooper Pet Care's Holistic Vision
Our journey at Cooper Pet Care is testament to the potential of combining technology with a deep understanding of pet parent needs. Since our inception in the Netherlands and experiences in the Antler Amsterdam residency, we've been dedicated to simplifying and enhancing the pet care experience. Our platform offers on-demand veterinary consultations, reducing the traditional hassles of clinic visits. But our vision goes beyond just telemedicine. We're in the process of introducing an integrated online pharmacy and developing a thoughtful pet insurance product, ensuring a comprehensive approach to pet health and wellness. Through all our endeavors, we aim to make pet healthcare more efficient and accessible for every pet parent.
About Cooper Pet Care
At Cooper Pet Care, we've transformed the landscape of veterinary care with our innovative online platform. We bridge the gap between pet parents and qualified veterinarians, addressing common challenges head-on. Through our platform, pet parents have the power to seek expert advice and medical care for their furry family members right from the comfort of their own homes.
Our mission is rooted in offering pets the necessary care they deserve, in the most seamless and affordable way possible. Cooper Pet Care pushes the boundaries by eradicating the need for long waits, complex scheduling, and travel hassles that accompany traditional vet visits. We harness the power of technology to connect pet parents to licensed veterinarians swiftly and efficiently.
By doing so, we equip pet parents with the power to make informed decisions about their pets' health, providing them with peace of mind knowing professional help is always at their fingertips. Through our customer-first approach and commitment to enhancing the pet care journey, Cooper Pet Care is carving out a significant, positive change in the veterinary industry.
