- Antler’s CEO believes Asia has biggest growth opportunity for startups.
- VC firm expects 60x value creation in Southeast Asia this decade.
- Antler to invest $1-10M in Series A+ rounds, eyeing AI potential.
Despite the recent funding winter, Magnus Grimeland, founder and CEO of venture capital firm Antler, firmly believes in Asia’s potential for innovation. “One thing that has been common across Asia is all the ecosystems have been growing very rapidly.
We’ve seen the fastest growth in tech innovation that the world has ever seen in Asia,” Grimeland remarked.
The numbers don’t lie
According to Grimeland, Antler expects the Asian startup ecosystem to grow significantly over the next few years. “It’s probably the biggest opportunity in the world right now in terms of growth,” he said.
Backing his claim, Grimeland pointed out that Southeast Asia witnessed an astounding 60-fold increase in value creation during the last decade.
Antler focuses on ecosystems where it can make a significant impact and startups are growing rapidly.
Indonesia offers a vast market for building successful global companies, Vietnam boasts highly skilled professionals and an established gaming industry, while Malaysia serves as an excellent hub with ample funding in later stages.
The AI opportunity knocks
Grimeland views the advent of AI as one of the biggest opportunities for startups at the moment.
“This is probably the biggest opportunity the world has ever seen for startups. So it’s important to be thoughtful about the way you invest and deploy capital,” he said, highlighting three main areas with potential: infrastructure, applications, and enablers.
With its newly launched $285 million Antler Elevate Fund, the VC firm aims to invest between $1 million and $10 million in Series A rounds and beyond, globally.
As Asia’s tech landscape continues to evolve, Antler’s bullish stance on the region’s potential could prove to be a game-changer.
