The fastest way to launch your startup in Tokyo

Antler backs the world’s most driven founders, from day zero to greatness. As the world’s most active early-stage investor, we support exceptional people from the very beginning with Co-Founder matching, thorough business validation, and funding. Join us as we bring together top talents from around the world in Tokyo's vibrant tech hub to build tomorrow’s most impactful companies.

* For the September residency, French founders will need to relocate to Amsterdam, Berlin, or Munich.

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  • Funding for your startup in just 5 weeks
  • Get your first cheque from a global VC

Who should apply to the Antler Residency in Japan ?

We’re looking for Founders with a strong track record of execution—whether in academia or across diverse professional fields—who are driven, uncomfortably ambitious, and ready to change the world. 

Join us in Tokyo for our 10-week Residency, working in one of the world’s most influential and vibrant tech ecosystems. Tokyo isn’t just a hub of innovation; it’s a city of unmatched energy, global connections, and rich culture, offering startups a unique soft power that fuels creativity and growth.

Our focus is all about going from 0 to 1: those earliest stages of building a team and launching a business. You can come to us with just an idea and if you’re ready to sprint forward and build, Antler Residency in Tokyo is the perfect place to start.

Individuals

Looking for a Co-Founder?

Are you an individual ready to start something new, and looking for the right Co-Founder? Antler brings together an exclusive group of ambitious people to explore ideas together. Meet, learn, and co-create with exceptional builders. Join us to turn your vision into reality. Individuals and teams will join the same Residency kicking off next Spring.

Teams

Already have the dream team?

Do you already have a team and are ready to start building ? Joining Antler gives you the opportunity to build alongside like-minded, ambitious Founders. Build long-lasting relationships, gain access to coaching, network resources, investor introductions, and valuable support—regardless of your idea’s stage. Individuals and teams will join the same Residency kicking off next Spring.

What to expect from Antler in Japan ?

The Antler program in Japan begins with an in-person, pre-investment Founder Residency that runs for 10 weeks. Founders have the opportunity to pitch our Investment Committee at week 10. Those who receive funding from our Investment Committee move into weekly coaching with our Antler team with a focus on rapid growth and rigorous fundraising preparation.

*Info Pack(EN):https://antler.docsend.com/view/v7ik4kebinm27du3

*Info Pack(JP):https://antler.docsend.com/view/y8sacimz8ir3dn4k

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Phase 1: Residency

Join the Antler Residency in Japan to find your Co-Founder, validate your ideas, and launch your business. For each batch we hand select 60~ 70 Founders from more than 1,000 applications. The 10 weeks of the Residency is in-person and designed to give everything you need to build at lightning speed: a community of diverse Founders so that you can connect with other great talents as potential Co-Founders, get coaching from our team of proven Founders and advisors, and validate your business ideas.You can apply for a grant of 200,000 Yen, paid in two installments under certain conditions.

Pitch to Antler's Investment Committee

After building with us in Residency, you may have the opportunity to pitch our Investment Committee for pre-seed funding to launch your startup at week 10. One pitch, one committee: it's a simple, straightforward process. If you receive funding, we will write you a check for 28M Yen for a 12% equity stake of your new company. If your pitch is unsuccessful, we will offer detailed feedback so you can learn and improve.

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Scaling and fundraising

At Antler, we are dedicated to helping you succeed from day zero to greatness. You will identify the ideal product-market fit, assemble your dream team, and secure pre-seed funding. After being backed by Antler, Founders are provided with regular check-ins to support progress in team development, product growth, customer engagement, and investor introductions. In addition, Founders will have access to a global community that helps you.

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Application Process

Our upcoming Residency kicks off next Spring !
Once you submit your application, our scouting team will review it. Candidates who meet our criteria will move forward in our process.

1st-round interview

Your first interview will be with a member of our scouting team where we get to know you, get a better understanding of your background, and figure out if our program would be an ideal fit for you, together.

2nd-round interview

Your second interview will be with a Senior Director who sits in the location you've applied to in order to further evaluate your entrepreneurial aspirations and learn more about our Residency.

Offer to join Antler

Successful applicants will receive an offer to join Antler in Japan

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Application Process

Our upcoming Residency kicks off next Spring !
Once you submit your application, our scouting team will review it. Candidates who meet our criteria will move forward in our process.

1st-round interview

Your first interview will be with a member of our scouting team where we get to know you, get a better understanding of your background, and figure out if our program would be an ideal fit for you, together.

2nd-round interview

Your second interview will be with a Senior Director who sits in the location you've applied to in order to further evaluate your entrepreneurial aspirations and learn more about our Residency.

Offer to join Antler

Successful applicants will receive an offer to join Antler in Japan

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Application Process

Our upcoming Residency kicks off next Spring !
Once you submit your application, our scouting team will review it. Candidates who meet our criteria will move forward in our process.

1st-round interview

Your first interview will be with a member of our scouting team where we get to know you, get a better understanding of your background, and figure out if our program would be an ideal fit for you, together.

2nd-round interview

Your second interview will be with a Senior Director who sits in the location you've applied to in order to further evaluate your entrepreneurial aspirations and learn more about our Residency.

Offer to join Antler

Successful applicants will receive an offer to join Antler in Japan

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Building a startup is your best opportunity to positively impact the world

Antler Founders are using their skills and experience to build startups that will have a positive impact on the world. They're solving the most pressing problems, creating jobs, and amplifying their personal trajectory. Stop dreaming, start building your new startup now.

Entrepass Partner

Our Team

Jussi Salovaara
Co-founder and Managing Partner

As Co-founder and Managing Partner Asia, Jussi works with a global team dedicated to building the most defining technology companies of tomorrow. Jussi leads Antler’s investments in the APAC region and supports founders in building and scaling their businesses, especially with growth and fundraising. He has over a decade of experience across different industries at Nokia, McKinsey, Deloitte and Morgan Stanley.

Jordan Fisher
Venture Partner

Jordan Fisher is Venture Partner at Antler Japan, supporting ambitious founders to build the future. He is also Co-Founder and Chairman of Zehitomo, Japan’s marketplace for local services. 
From home renovations to karaoke coaches, Zehitomo provides a platform to match with 600+ types of service professionals. Prior to founding Zehitomo, Jordan was Vice President at J.P.Morgan in Tokyo, working in Fixed Income Technology and Equities Sales Trading.

Born and raised in New York, Jordan holds a B.S. Computer Science from the University of Southern California.
Outside of Zehitomo, Jordan is an active mentor to several startups. He is also a loving husband, and a father to two young daughters.

Florian Geier
Senior Director

Florian Geier is a Senior Director at Antler Japan, where he works closely with founders to build and scale innovative startups beginning their journey to global greatness in Japan. He brings extensive experience from his roles at the US-Japan Unicorn Playco, where he led Partnerships and Operations, and at Fujifilm’s Innovation and Strategy Planning division, where he led global collaborations with startups and VCs. His strategic investments have led to significant value add for both corporates and startups, including one early-stage startup achieving an IPO with a valuation over $1 billion due to its collaboration with Fujifilm. Florian originally came to Japan as a physics PhD student and has since developed a deep, multi-faceted understanding of both the startup and corporate ecosystem, which he now applies to support new entrepreneurs in Japan and globally.

Yumiko Oka
Program Manager

Yumiko is the Program Manager for Antler’s Japan Office. Prior to joining Antler, she worked in marketing at L’Oreal and Estee Lauder Companies, where she led successful projects in brand marketing and CRM. She was also engaged in multiple marketing projects and campaigns at Rakuten, helping it grow its ecosystem through a diverse portfolio of services. Born in Thailand, Yumiko grew up in Japan, Switzerland and UK and she is now based in Japan since she studied economics at University of Tsukuba.

Tomoko Takasaki
Scout / Marketing & PR Manager

Tomoko is the Scout, Marketing & PR Manager of Antler Japan. With nearly 20 years of experience in the entertainment industry, she have contributed to the creation of a wide range of hit content. Prior to joining Antler, she have handled numerous projects and event productions as a PR Manager in collaboration with media partners at Creator's Lab called agehasprings. In recent years, she have led the PR activities for a startup developing a compositional AI service. During her career start at talent agency called Horipro, she laid the foundation for talent management while honing her skills in networking, media relations, and storytelling.

Mamiko Funato
Scout Manager

Mamiko started her career in HR and general affairs at AXELMARK INC., an advertisement and web services provider. In 2015, she joined DeNA Travel (now Airtrip Corp., an OTA company) as an HR specialist, and in 2018 she joined BEENOS Inc., a provider of cross-border e-commerce business. After gaining experience in a wide range of HR-related business domains, from planning to operations with a focus on recruitment, she has joined Antler Japan. At Antler, she is in charge of scouting motivated founders and supporting participants during the Cohort Program.

Yuri Nakayama
Director

Yuri is the Portfolio Director at Antler Japan. Yuri has been a venture capitalist for 4 years at STRIVE and Rakuten CVC. She was in charge of sourcing, DD and monitoring of portfolio startups. Prior to this, she has worked for Boston Consulting Group as a consultant. Her first career was a founding member of Japanese IT startup.

Tomohito Kinose
Venture Partner

Tomohito Kinose is a serial entrepreneur. As a technologist he co-founded Niwango (ex-Board of Director), provider of largest video sharing service in Japan. He started his research in AI and cyber security at the Faculty of Policy Studies, Keio University, where he was exposed to a variety of emerging technogogies. In 2005, he founded Niwango Inc. with Mr. Nobuo Kawakami, the Chairman of Dwango, and Hiroyuki Nishimura, the administrator of 2channel. He served as a director with his engineering skills, and was engaged in the planning and development of peripheral services for Nico Nico Douga. He has contributed to many companies as a serial entrepreneur and a person who views the entire process from management to development. As a partner of Antler, he is responsible for the promotion of science and technology in Japan, including the commercialization of Japanese technology seeds and the promotion of the activities of engineers. Awards:Winner of the 29th Japan Glaucoma Society Academic Exhibition Award, the Excellence Award in the Healthcare Business Contest of 2019 - the Idea Category at the Ministry of Economy Trade and Industry of Japan (\"METI\"), and the \"Honorary Mention\" at the Ars Electronica.

Ryo Umezawa
Venture Partner

Ryo Umezawa is a Venture Partner who led Antler’s expansion into Japan. Prior to Antler, Ryo was a Principal at East Ventures, Japan, an early stage venture capital firm. As a serial entrepreneur, Ryo founded two companies, including AllCoupon Japan (acquired), and was Japan’s country manager for companies such as Tinder, Homeaway (Expedia Group) and Hailo.  Ryo spent 10 years in the Philippines prior to studying International Business and Economics at Sophia University in Tokyo.  Ryo has been selected as a Leader of Tomorrow at the 40th + 44th St. Gallen Symposium, as well as one of the first members of World Economic Forum, Global Shapers Community (GSC) in its Tokyo hub.

Some of our Past Speakers

Throughout our residencies, successful entrepreneurs have shared their insights and experiences with our founders, offering valuable mentorship !

Clare Jones

CEO of Polarsteps

Daniel Krauss

Co-founder of Flix

Marc-Alexander Christ

Co-founder of SumUp

Francesco Wiedemann

Co-founder of Kyte

Frank Freund

Co-founder and CFO of Raisin

Robert Kraal

Co-founder of Silverflow

Clare Jones

CEO of Polarstep

Daniel Krauss

Co-founder of Flix

Marc-Alexander Christ

Co-founder of SumUp

Francesco Wiedemann

Co-founder of Kyte

Frank Freund

Co-founder and CFO of Raisin

Robert Kraal

Co-founder of Silverflow

Connect on LinkedIn

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FAQs

What language will the program be conducted in?

The program will primarily be conducted in English, but we warmly welcome both English-speaking and Japanese-speaking Founders.

Is this a full time commitment?

Yes. Please consider your current notice period, plus the personal and financial investment starting a business requires.

Is the program on-site?

Yes. The more time you spend at the office, the more opportunities you’ll have to receive feedback and build your network, giving you significant advantages in rapidly testing and refining your hypotheses.

Do you offer visa support?

Antler does not sponsor visas, but we can introduce you to the third-party agency that provides visa application support (paid service).

Do I need an idea to join Antler?

No, you don't. Some founders have a clear idea of what they want to build, however, most join us with areas of interest and expertise they then start to explore.

What are Antler’s investment terms?

Antler offers an investment of 28 million Japanese yen in exchange for a 12% equity stake in the company, calculated based on the total number of issued shares post-investment. The shares issued are common shares with conversion rights into preferred shares, also referred to as "deemed preferred shares."

Contact Antler in Japan

Japan