The artificial intelligence (AI) startup landscape is evolving at an unprecedented pace. Founders must contend with the challenge of securing essential resources—such as GPUs and cloud infrastructure—while simultaneously navigating complex funding cycles. In response, Antler has launched AI Disrupt, a programme designed to provide startups with capital, resources, and mentorship in a fast-moving AI market.

“The difference between being first and being late isn’t measured in years—it’s months, sometimes even weeks,” said Ryan Thoo, Vice President of Marketing (SEA) at Antler, in an email interview with e27. “Traditional venture funding cycles don’t move fast enough for AI startups that need to ship, scale, and secure capital in parallel.”

AI Disrupt is structured as a four-week sprint that aims to remove barriers for AI founders. Startups receive US$400,000 in pre-seed funding, along with AI perks valued at over US$650,000 from OpenAI, Nvidia, Nebius, and others. The programme also includes deep technical and commercial mentorship, enabling founders to accelerate development and gain a competitive edge.

Startups accepted into AI Disrupt gain access to a suite of AI resources, including GPU, compute, and cloud credits. Partners such as Nvidia, OpenAI, Google’s Gemini, AWS, and GitHub provide infrastructure support to help founders train models, optimise performance, and deploy AI-driven solutions at scale.

“These perks ensure that founders can move faster, iterate efficiently, and focus on achieving product-market fit,” Thoo explained.

Impact in four weeks

Despite its short duration, AI Disrupt is structured to deliver a substantial impact. “It’s a high-intensity, execution-focused sprint,” said Thoo. The programme integrates hands-on mentorship with AI pioneers, strategic investor access, and tactical execution sessions.

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Founders receive real-time feedback on their product and business model, ensuring they can iterate rapidly. Moreover, peer collaboration within a highly selective cohort fosters innovation and problem-solving. Even after the programme ends, Antler supports invested teams with mentoring, fundraising guidance, and access to its global network.

While AI experience is beneficial, it is not a strict requirement for AI Disrupt applicants. “What matters most is deep technical capability, sharp commercial instincts, and an obsession with solving hard problems using AI,” Thoo noted.

Antler evaluates applicants based on four key qualities:
– Market insight and problem-solving approach
– Technical product execution ability
– Speed and relentless execution
– Ambition and industry-reshaping potential

To qualify, startups must have a working minimum viable product (MVP) and user validation.

Staying ahead in a fast-changing industry

Given AI’s rapid evolution, staying ahead of trends and regulations is crucial. AI Disrupt connects founders with industry experts to provide real-time insights into model optimisation, compute efficiency, and AI commercialisation.

The programme also embeds founders within a network of investors, enterprise partners, and policymakers who offer guidance on compliance, data privacy, and governance frameworks. “The AI regulatory landscape is still evolving, and startups that fail to anticipate changes risk being blocked from major markets,” said Thoo.

Among its portfolio companies, Lovable stands out as an AI-powered full-stack engineer who achieved US$4 million in annual recurring revenue within four weeks of launch.

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FileAI, another Antler-backed startup, specialises in AI-driven financial data automation. The company leverages AI to streamline financial data processing for businesses across Southeast Asia. Meanwhile, Xailient has developed ultra-efficient AI vision models for real-time edge computing, enabling low-latency, privacy-first applications across industries such as security and retail.

Antler’s portfolio also includes Trust AI, JigsawStack, Persona Studios, Clout Kitchen, and Bootloader.

“While we anticipate supporting a decent number of exceptional founders, our focus is on providing tailored mentorship, substantial funding, and access to a robust AI ecosystem,” Thoo said.

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Image Credit: Antler

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