Singapore-based global early-stage venture capital firm Antler has announced the appointment of Agung Bezharie Hadinegoro as its Partner.

Antler said in a statement on Thursday that Agung is to spearhead the company’s investment strategy and operations in Indonesia.

This senior-level appointment is in line with Antler’s commitment to supporting founders and early-stage startups by providing crucial backing from day zero, as well as, its ambitious goal to invest in over 30 Indonesian companies in 2023.

At present, the firm has invested in over 792 companies across 25 cities worldwide and has an accumulated portfolio value of $3.7 billion.

According to the statement, Agung brings over a decade of entrepreneurial and venture capital experience.

Before joining Antler, he was the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Warung Pintar, a digital platform that connects micro retailers (warungs) with suppliers (manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers) to address the fragmented supply chain of traditional retailers in Indonesia.

Warung Pintar was acquired by SIRCLO Group in 2022, the largest e-commerce enabler in Indonesia, after raising funding from reputable investors such as East Ventures, SMDV, Vertex Ventures, OVO, and more.

Prior to his involvement with Warung Pintar, Agung dedicated his time to contributing to organizations such as East Ventures and Global Entrepreneurship Program Indonesia, where he played an active role in empowering aspiring entrepreneurs by providing them with the necessary resources, funding, access to mentorship, and networking opportunities to flourish in the competitive business landscape.

“Having experienced the exhilarating journey of building and scaling Warung Pintar, I am now fueled with a fervent desire to support and invest in other visionary entrepreneurs,” said Agung.

“Armed with first-hand experience as a founder, I am wholeheartedly committed to working with the next wave of exceptional founders of these emerging startups, empowering them to harness the full potential of technology and make an indelible impact on the Indonesian economy and society as a whole,

“I’m particularly excited about the ‘Day Zero’ investing approach that Antler embodies. This forward-thinking approach resonates with my commitment to nurturing and empowering entrepreneurs, and I look forward to leveraging this approach combined with my past entrepreneurial experience to drive exceptional growth and success for the startups I support in Indonesia,” he added.

Jussi Salovaara, Co-Founder and Managing Partner Asia, Antler said Agung joining resonates strongly with the core ethos at Antler, which is to put founders first and obsess over their success.

“Agung’s journey as a founder is a testament to his ability to navigate the entrepreneurial landscape with drive and grit,

“His deep-rooted understanding of the startup ecosystem, combined with his passion for tech-driven solutions, align perfectly with our mission,” he said.

As the firm sets out to back over 30 exceptional startups in Indonesia this year, he is confident that Agung’s insights and leadership will be instrumental in helping these founders realize their vision.​”

Founded in Singapore in 2018, Antler aims to enable and invest in exceptional people building the defining companies.

Founders can scale their companies faster with the Antler residency program, through which they can build a team, join a global community of founders, and access capital to accelerate growth.

The next residency program in Indonesia will kick off in October 2023, during which it will run over a six-month period in two phases.

The first phase is about building the right team, with co-founders who have complementary skills.

During this period, Antler will provide the necessary resources and expertise from across the world to enable founders to validate their business ideas and prove product-market fit.

After the first phase of ten weeks, the strongest teams will be selected to get funded from pre-seed to beyond, as well as expand across Indonesia and Southeast Asia.

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