How was Antler Program in Toronto, Canada?

My Detailed Experience at the Antler 0 to 1 Program

The Antler 0 to 1 Program is designed to help founders find co-founders, ideate on potential ventures, and develop early-stage startups into scalable businesses. It offers funding of up to CAD150,000 in exchange for 7-10% equity. This program is intense, structured, and deeply focused on turning ideas into reality. Let’s dive into the details of how the program unfolds.

Month One: Ideation (Micro-Level Breakdown)

Week 1: Onboarding and Initial Ideation

• Founder Presentations & Pitches:
• The week began with each founder introducing themselves and presenting initial ideas. This exercise was designed to establish the groundwork for co-founder matching.
• Founders had to deliver a 2-minute pitch of their idea, focusing on clear articulation, market problem, and potential solution. The emphasis was on answering three questions:
1. What is the market problem?
2. How does the solution address this problem?
3. Why is this problem worth solving?
• Design Sprint Sessions:
• We engaged in the first design sprint, a structured 5-phase process that helps validate ideas quickly. The phases included:
1. Understand: We mapped the problem based on market research.
2. Sketch: We sketched potential solutions using low-fidelity mockups.
3. Decide: We chose the best ideas collectively.
4. Prototype: We created a simple, interactive prototype.
5. Test: We tested the prototype with peers for initial feedback.
• These sessions were vital in helping founders refine ideas rapidly and identify viable paths forward.

Week 2: Planning and Customer Discovery

• Business Model Canvas Workshop:
• Led by Alan Smith, we dived deep into the Business Model Canvas (BMC). This tool helped us map out core components like value proposition, customer segments, and revenue streams.
• We focused on defining:
• Value Proposition: Clear articulation of the unique benefit the product offers.
• Customer Segments: Identifying target users and understanding their pain points.
• Revenue Streams: How the business would generate income.
• We used real-time whiteboarding to build our BMCs, iterating based on feedback from Alan and peers.
• Customer Interview Techniques:
• We were introduced to The Mom Test, a framework by Rob Fitzpatrick that teaches how to conduct effective customer interviews. It emphasizes asking non-leading questions to avoid biased feedback.
• We conducted mock interviews in small groups, practicing how to ask open-ended questions that reveal true customer needs.
• A key technique was the 5 Whys Method, where you ask “why” five times to get to the root of a customer’s problem. This helped in understanding deeper pain points rather than surface-level issues.

Week 3: Co-Founder Matching and Collaboration

• Collaboration Dynamics:
• This week focused on working with potential co-founders through short-term projects. We formed teams to test collaboration chemistry, communication, and problem-solving abilities.
• We used Lean Canvas as an extension of the Business Model Canvas, emphasizing rapid hypothesis testing and pivots based on early feedback.
• Testing for Compatibility:
• Daily feedback loops were established, where teams evaluated each other based on collaboration effectiveness, decision-making styles, and commitment levels.
• We employed tools like Figma to co-design prototypes, simulating real startup dynamics.
• The focus was on quickly iterating ideas, testing compatibility, and building a foundation for longer-term partnerships.

Week 4: Refining Strategy and Go-to-Market (GTM)

• Go-to-Market (GTM) Strategy Workshops:
• We learned about GTM strategies, which involve defining market entry points, acquisition channels, and customer journeys. The workshop introduced frameworks like:
• AARRR Metrics (Acquisition, Activation, Retention, Referral, Revenue) to measure user behavior and engagement.
• RICE Scoring to prioritize features based on Reach, Impact, Confidence, and Effort.
• Rapid Prototyping with Figma:
• We engaged in detailed prototyping sessions, using Figma to create interactive mockups that could be tested with early adopters.
• The goal was to validate core features, user interface (UI) flows, and user experience (UX) before investing heavily in development.

Month Two: Validation (Micro-Level Breakdown)

Week 5: Resilience Building and Pitching

• Resilience Workshops:
• Led by Brice Scheschuk, we explored building mental and emotional resilience as founders. Techniques included:
• Mindfulness exercises to manage stress.
• Time-blocking to increase productivity.
• Journaling to reflect on daily wins and challenges.
• Pitch Deck Refinement:
• This week, we worked on developing concise pitch decks, focusing on:
• Problem-Solution Fit: Clearly demonstrating how the solution addresses the identified problem.
• Market Opportunity: Showing potential market size and demand.
• Financial Projections: Using simple models to showcase growth potential.

Week 6: Venture Capital Focus and Investor Engagement

• Investor Meetings & Feedback:
• We engaged in one-on-one meetings with VCs, pitching our refined ideas. Feedback was specific, focusing on clarity, scalability, and feasibility.
• We learned techniques for engaging VCs, such as the 20-Second Elevator Pitch, which emphasizes a sharp hook and immediate relevance.
• Emphasis was placed on relationship-building, as VCs prefer warm introductions over cold outreach.
• Developing MVPs for Validation:
• This week, we created Minimum Viable Products (MVPs) using iterative techniques:
• Build-Measure-Learn: Rapidly building, gathering metrics, and adjusting based on real user data.
• Using tools like Notion and Typeform to create no-code MVPs and collect user feedback.

Week 7: Pre-IC Preparation and Final Refinement

• Investment Committee (IC) Preparation:
• We prepared for the Investment Committee presentation, refining every aspect of the pitch, from storytelling to metrics.
• This week focused heavily on Unit Economics, which involves breaking down costs and revenues to understand profitability potential.
• We learned about traction metrics, such as CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost) and LTV (Lifetime Value), to demonstrate sustainable growth.

What I Would Have Done Differently (With More Details)

1. Increased Focus on Market Research: I would have appreciated more structured presentations with statistics, industry trends, and Canadian-specific market data to better inform our ideation.
2. More Consistent Design Sprints: Weekly design sprints could have provided consistent validation, strengthening team dynamics and idea development.
3. Niche-specific Mentorship: Having industry-specific mentors would have accelerated the learning curve, allowing us to get direct feedback from experts in our respective fields.

Key Takeaways

The Antler 0 to 1 Program was not just about ideation; it was a comprehensive journey through design sprints, customer discovery, co-founder matching, and pitching. The program's focus on methodologies like the Lean Startup, Business Model Canvas, and rapid prototyping made it a valuable experience for developing both startup ideas and entrepreneurial skills.

Overall, it was a challenging but rewarding experience that taught me to think critically, adapt rapidly, and prioritize effectively—key traits for any founder aiming to build a scalable startup.

Books Antler’s read

Thanks a lot for all the Partners and team of Antler in Canada.