Entrepreneur First

Entrepreneur First pioneered the "talent investing" model that Antler later adopted. The thesis is simple but powerful: the biggest bottleneck in startup creation is not ideas or capital but the formation of exceptional founding teams. Most great companies are started by co-founders who met through serendipity, but serendipity is inefficient. EF systematically creates the conditions for great co-founder matches by bringing together highly talented individuals and giving them the time, space, and support to find each other.

EF selects individuals based on what they call "edge": a unique advantage that makes someone exceptionally suited to build a specific type of company. This could be deep technical expertise in a niche area, unusual industry knowledge, or a track record of exceptional execution. The selection process is rigorous, and EF is transparent about looking for people who could succeed at top tech companies or research institutions but choose the entrepreneurial path instead.

The firm has built particularly strong networks in deep-tech. Many EF companies are built on novel research in AI, robotics, quantum computing, synthetic biology, and other frontier technologies. This is partly because EF recruits heavily from universities and research labs, and partly because deep-tech founders often struggle to find co-founders through traditional channels. EF solves the co-founder problem for people whose network is primarily academics rather than business operators.

The EF program runs for approximately 6 months in three phases. "Form" (8 weeks) is the team formation phase where individuals explore ideas, run experiments, and form co-founding teams. "Build" (8 weeks) follows after teams pass an investment committee review and receive funding. During Build, teams develop their product and find initial customers. "Launch" prepares teams for Demo Day and external fundraising.

EF provides a stipend during the Form phase so individuals can participate without financial pressure. The investment committee sits at the end of Form, and only teams that pass receive the full investment. This structure creates healthy pressure to form strong teams quickly.

Duration: ~6 months (8 weeks form + 8 weeks build + launch phase) Batch size: 50-100 individuals per cohort (not all receive funding)

Approximately $80K-$125K investment for 10% equity. EF also provides a stipend during the Form phase (before teams are funded). Terms vary slightly by geography. EF has a follow-on fund for top companies.

• Tractable
• Magic Pony Technology (acquired by Twitter)
• Cleo
• Permutive
• Onfido
• Aztec Protocol
• Omnipresent
• Faculty AI

1. Articulate your "edge" clearly. What unique technical skill, domain knowledge, or unusual insight do you bring that others do not have?
2. You do not need an idea, but you should have a general direction or problem space you are passionate about.
3. EF recruits heavily from top universities and research labs. If you have deep technical expertise, lean into it.
4. Be genuinely open to working with different co-founders. The team formation phase requires flexibility and interpersonal skill.
5. Apply to the location that matches your preferred ecosystem. London is the largest program; Singapore and Bangalore are strong for Asia.