- What
- $180,000 via SAFE for 11% equity, plus up to $320,000 uncapped follow-on.
- Who
- Residency from the idea stage; established Seed–Series A teams pitch on a rolling basis.
- From abroad
- Open to companies from abroad — Full-time, in-person residency in Dubai (Spring) or Riyadh (Fall); Founders arrange their own visas All programmes open to founders from abroad →
- Backed by
- Saudi Venture Capital (SVC)
- Timeline
- Residency runs twice a year: Dubai in spring, Riyadh in fall; 10 weeks ↗As published by the programme itself
Checked · October 2026 · antler.co/location/middle-east · How we check ↗
In detail
Antler MENAP is a founder residency + pre-seed VC in Saudi Arabia. Antler MENAP — 10-week full-time, in-person residency building companies from day zero (Riyadh in fall, Dubai in spring). Initial investment $180,000 via SAFE for 11%, with up to $320,000 in uncapped follow-on. MENAP relevance required; existing outside investors can reduce eligibility.
- Amount
- $180,000 via SAFE for 11% equity + up to $320,000 uncapped follow-on
- Terms
- ~11% equity
- Eligibility
- Residency: founders from inception, typically at the ideation stage, ready to build in MENAP · more established Seed to Series A teams: investment proposals reviewed on a rolling basis throughout the year
- Sectors
- All tech sectors — sector agnostic
- Benefits
- Co-founder matching
- Global Antler network
- Follow-on funding access
- Status
- Open — applications on Antler’s site; 10-week residencies twice a year, in person in Dubai (spring) and Riyadh (fall); next start date not published (checked October 2026)
Is this for you?
Where is your company?
Are you open to giving equity?
We match them against what Antler MENAP publishes.
A guide to the published criteria, not a decision — the programme selects.
What the source says
“Founders are responsible for arranging and coordinating their own visas. Both Saudi Arabia and the UAE offer convenient tourist visa options for most nationalities - please check what the specific requirements are for your nationality.”
“We offer successful teams an initial investment of $180,000 via a SAFE agreement for 11% equity in your new company.”
“Founders then have the potential to unlock an additional $320,000 in uncapped follow-on funding.”
“Launch your startup and unlock funding in 10 weeks with Antler in MENAP”
“The Antler Residency is a full-time, in-person program.”
“Held in-person in Dubai (Spring) and Riyadh (Fall), the residency is designed for entrepreneurs who are already full-time or ready to transition.”
Closing soon on the map
No published deadline in the next 30 days · All published deadlines →
Compare accelerators & incubators in Saudi Arabia
| Cost | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Antler MENAP$180,000 via SAFE for 11% equity, plus up to $320,000 uncapped follow-on. | up to $320,000 | Equity | Open |
| 500 Global SaudiPossible $100,000+ equity investment; $35,000 Phase 1 fee; 12-week Riyadh programme. | $100,000+ | Equity | Closed |
| CODE — Center of Digital EntrepreneurshipCoworking spaces, business services, incubation and acceleration programmes. | not published | Not published | Active |
| Falak Flagship ProgramDirect funding of up to SAR 375,000 plus soft landing and technical enablement. | up to SAR 375,000 | Equity | Dormant |
| FinspireUp to SAR 100,000 development funding, earmarked rather than paid as cash. | up to SAR 100,000 | Equity via SAFE, capped at 5% | Closed |
| Flat6Labs RiyadhSAR 500K in cash seed funding plus SAR 2.4M in follow-on funding. | SAR 2.4M | Equity | Closed |
| inspireU by stcGeneral track (3 months, grants) or Advanced track (6 months, invitation-only, funding). | not published | Not published | Active |
| NEOM Level Up (Gaming Accelerator)Funding for gaming studios. | not published | Not published | Closed |
| Newlab Riyadh — Mining Innovation StudioTargeted investment. | not published | Targeted investments | Active |
| Orbit Ventures (formerly Orbit Startups)$80,000–$100,000 invested in every startup over a 4-month batch. | not published | Equity | Closed |
| Princess Nourah University – University Startup AcceleratorUniversity accelerator with financial and in-kind grants; PNU invests in top startups. | not published | Not published | Active |
| TAQADAMUp to $140K: $40K base grant plus up to $100K follow-on for top teams. | up to $140K | No equity | Closed |
| The GarageIncubator, accelerator and Bridge programmes with free workspace; no funding figure published. | not published | Not published | Active |
| VMSSeed funding and grants plus investor access. | not published | Not published | Active |
| EWAx Sedrah — Environment AcceleratorSupport programme for environment-sector startups. | not published | Not published | Closed |
| GEA Entertainment Accelerator3-month accelerator with workshops, mentors, co-working and investor access; no direct funding. | not published | Free to participate; no direct funding | Closed |
| impactU by stcImpact incubation programme. | not published | No equity | Dormant |
| KAUST ScaleXLab access, faculty consultation and market-entry support in Saudi Arabia; no direct funding. | not published | Free to apply; no direct funding | Closed |
| KSU Aspiring Entrepreneurs Program (Riyadh Valley Company)KSU founder programme: top 3 projects compete for SAR 500,000 initial funding. | SAR 500,000 | Not published | Active |
| SDAIA GAIA ProgramA 10-week generative-AI accelerator with SAR 150,000 in grants from NTDP. | SAR 150,000 | Not published | Dormant |
No programmes match these filters.
Highest amount in each programme’s own “What” line. Other currencies converted for sorting only (Gulf pegs; KWD, EUR, GBP approximate).
All accelerators & incubators in Saudi Arabia → · Across the Gulf →
Questions founders ask
What does Antler MENAP offer?
$180,000 via SAFE for 11% equity, plus up to $320,000 uncapped follow-on.
Does Antler MENAP take equity?
Equity — about 11% via SAFE.
Can founders from abroad apply?
Open to companies from abroad — Full-time, in-person residency in Dubai (Spring) or Riyadh (Fall); Founders arrange their own visas.
Is there a deadline?
No closing date is published; applications are open.
How do I apply?
Through its own application form — the Apply button on this page goes straight there.
Sources
Primary source · antler.co/location/middle-east · LinkedIn · linkedin.com/company/antlerglobal · Checked October 2026