Antler Kenya, a leading startup accelerator and venture builder, is making waves in the Kenyan startup ecosystem with its impressive accomplishments in the third quarter of 2023.
With a mission to nurture and empower the next generation of entrepreneurs, Antler Nairobi is on track to end the year on a high note. The highlight of the quarter was the commencement of NAI 9, the second and final venture-building cohort of 2023.
“NAI 9 represents a diverse and highly talented group of founders, with 81% of them having prior experience in startups and 44% having already founded their ventures. The founders come from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences, enhancing idea-sharing and cross-cultural collaboration,” Antler Nairobi noted.
What’s particularly impressive is the geographic diversity within the cohort, with 75% of the founders originating from various African countries, including Kenya, South Africa, Somalia, and Tanzania, and the remaining from countries like Greece, Bulgaria, and Colombia.
“This global perspective promises to enrich the cohort’s innovative solutions and industry-disrupting potential.”
Antler Nairobi is enthusiastic about the prospects of this talented group of founders and believes in their capacity to make significant impacts with the support and resources provided by the accelerator.
The accelerator encourages the public to stay connected and follow the progress of the NAI 9 cohort as they embark on their entrepreneurial journey.
In addition to the cohort announcement, Antler Nairobi also shared updates on recent investments. Two standout startups in their portfolio include:
- Jahazii: Jahazii offers a digital lending platform that simplifies loan sourcing and due diligence for institutional lenders. By consolidating and enriching business data, they expedite lending decisions, connecting lenders to creditworthy Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) across Africa.
- Noma: Noma provides a tech-enhanced transportation solution for schools using buses, aiming to improve student commute times, safety, school responsiveness, and management efficiency.
Antler Nairobi is gearing up for its 10th cohort, set to launch in early 2024.
The accelerator offers a substantial $100,000 investment along with $350,000 in perks, personalized coaching, and mentorship from a vast network of over 400 advisors in exchange for 10% equity.
They are also actively seeking pre-seed startups to invest in with ticket sizes ranging from $100,000 to $400,000, in collaboration with other venture capitalists.
For those aspiring entrepreneurs and startup founders who are ready to make their mark in the tech industry, Antler Nairobi is currently accepting applications.
If you know someone who fits the bill or has a startup idea worth pursuing, you can refer them to the application process.
Antler Nairobi’s portfolio also boasts exciting updates, with “Uncover,” a skincare brand targeting affluent African consumers, launching a new product aimed at younger consumers.
“The brand has built a digital community of over 160,000 women and ranks among the top three best-selling skincare brands in Nairobi’s beauty stores.”
Another notable portfolio company, “Aicare,” a telematics solution for insurance companies, successfully soft-launched their mileage-based insurance product with Takaful and is gearing up to launch with Britham in Kenya and Vanguard Insurance in Ghana.
“Antler Nairobi continues to be a driving force in the Kenyan startup ecosystem, providing invaluable support and resources to emerging entrepreneurs and fostering innovation that promises to shape the future of African tech entrepreneurship.”
The quarter also witnessed Antler Nairobi’s active involvement in hosting events to foster knowledge sharing and networking within the startup community.
They recently organized the “Antler’s June Happy Hour” with a panel discussion on “Navigating the Future of Cross-Border Payments in Africa.”
The panel featured distinguished speakers from Safaricom, Diaspora Bridges Advisory and HoneyCoin, providing valuable insights into the dynamic landscape of cross-border payments.
Looking ahead, Antler Nairobi has exciting events in store for the entrepreneurial community. They are hosting a “Startup & Investor Happy Hour” on September 28th, 2023, providing an opportunity for startups and investors to connect and collaborate.
Additionally, the accelerator is launching a “Masterclass Series” covering various essential topics for entrepreneurs, starting with “Market Sizing 101” on October 3rd, 2023.