Antler launches in Copenhagen to increase investment in sustainable tech companies across Denmark
Antler, the global early-stage VC, has today announced it will launch in Copenhagen. The goal is to attract and support 70-100 highly specialised founders on an annual basis.
Following an investment of DKK 50 million into Antler’s Nordic Fund from the Danish state’s investment fund Vækstfonden, Antler will help build and invest in sustainable tech companies. Vækstfonden’s investment is being made from Denmark’s Green Future Fund.
Antler will work with early-stage founders to help them build the ‘green’ companies of the future and invest in the most promising companies. Antler’s aim is to help establish between 10-20 sustainable tech companies every year, which would significantly increase the number of “green” VC-backed companies in Denmark.
Antler’s launch in Denmark follows already proven successes for sustainability-tech innovation across the Nordics including companies such as Skyqraft, a Swedish company using AI and drones for electricity solutions, who recently announced a $2.2m seed round; Ocean Oasis, a Norwegian startup developing a wave-powered desalination solution to deliver fresh water to shore with zero emissions; and GlintSolar, an analysis tool for floating solar sites working to accelerate the growth of solar energy by using satellite data.
Antler has also recently added to its senior leadership team, by hiring Karl-Christian Agerup, who joined the firm as Chief of Investment Operations and Strategy. Karl-Christian is a serial entrepreneur, and the co-founder and former General Partner of Northzone Ventures.
Antler’s global mission is to enable and invest in the world’s most exceptional people who are building the defining companies of tomorrow. With offices around the world in major startup hubs, such as London, Berlin, Bangalore, Stockholm, Oslo, New York, Singapore and Sydney, Antler’s platform includes investors such as Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin and the asset manager Schroders, while the Global Advisory Board include profiles such as the former US Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers and former CEO of Goldman Sachs Asia Pacific, Ken Hitchner.
Through its platform in Denmark, Antler will bring together a number of experienced operators, technologists and business builders to execute on business ideas in sustainable tech. After the first ten weeks of ideation, validation and development, Antler invests in the most promising teams that move on to establish, build and launch new startups. Currently, Antler has invested in and helped build over 250 companies globally, and will now use this expertise and experience to advance Denmark’s green agenda.
Livia Moore, Associate Partner, Marketing of Antler says:
“Denmark has a strong foundation where research, venture capital and an attractive entrepreneur pool provide an exceptional breeding ground for green solutions. Danish companies have global potential and that is one of the reasons why it makes good sense for us to establish Antler in Copenhagen to attract international founders in sustainability, climate-tech and green transformation.”
Magnus Grimeland, Founder and CEO of Antler says:
“The Danish ecosystem is thriving and provides a unique opportunity for entrepreneurs. In the field of sustainability, Denmark is home to an array of world-leading researchers and partner organisations. At Antler, we are excited to see the solutions that will be developed when we welcome experienced founders, business leaders, technologists, researchers and industry experts to work with us in Copenhagen. Entrepreneurs, working within Denmark’s phenomenal ecosystem, can play a huge role in driving sustainable technologies.”
Rolf Kjærgaard, CEO of Vaekstfonden:
The fact that an international fund such as Antler now chooses to base itself in Copenhagen is very much in line with our strategy in Vaekstfonden. We invest in and with international funds with the purpose of attracting investors, capital and competencies to Denmark. Antler is contributing very strongly to this. They will bring strong competencies from all over the world to Copenhagen and from there build some of the sustainable companies of the future. Therefore we are pleased to see Antler in Copenhagen.”
