Antler India launches 3rd cohort of US market entry programme for startups
For the first time, the programme is also open to startups that do not belong to the VC firm's portfolio.
Antler India, an early-stage venture capital firm, has launched Embark 3, the third edition of its flagship US market entry programme aimed at Indian founders building AI-first companies for global markets. For the first time, the programme is open beyond Antler’s portfolio, widening access to early-stage startups across India.
Embark 3 will see Antler lead pre-seed funding rounds of $600,000 to $800,000, with a $450,000 cheque for selected teams. Applications close on March 28. Investment decisions are expected by April 15, while the programme begins in San Francisco in May 2026.
“Embark is designed by a team that understands what it takes to win in the US,” said Nitin Sharma, Partner at Antler India. He added that the programme leverages insights from top founders and operators to help startups build globally competitive companies.
Across its first two cohorts, Embark supported 23 AI startups from India, Southeast Asia, and Australia. More than 60% achieved meaningful US traction, while over half raised follow-on funding from leading US investors within 12 weeks.
According to Antler, the primary challenge for Indian founders entering the US is not capital but achieving product-market fit. Participants gain access to Silicon Valley operators, immigrant founders, and leading venture capitalists, along with support on critical operational aspects such as visas, banking, compliance, and company setup.
Embark 3 will select just 4–5 teams, maintaining a highly curated format. In addition to capital, founders will receive over $1 million in AI-related perks from partners such as OpenAI, Anthropic, Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services, and ElevenLabs.
Globally, Antler operates across 27 markets and has backed over 1,800 startups, including unicorns Airalo and Lovable. In India, it has invested in more than 85 companies and continues to deepen its focus on AI-native and deeptech ventures, with plans to deploy $25 million across 50 startups over 2025–26.
Edited by Swetha Kannan