Antler has unveiled 28 startups from Korea, Japan, and Southeast Asia in its Asia Regional Portfolio Showcase, highlighting a shift towards autonomous systems capable of executing complex tasks independently. More than half of these startups are developing AI agents and AI-native businesses across sectors such as enterprise software, robotics, healthcare, and logistics.
The showcase, Antler’s largest in Asia, demonstrates the rapid pace of AI-driven company building, with startups reaching commercial traction in a median of just 10 months. This acceleration is attributed to AI advancements enabling smaller teams to achieve significant milestones with fewer resources. “Every industry is about to get a new workforce,” said Jussi Salovaara, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Asia at Antler. He emphasised the transformative potential of AI in both digital and physical realms.
The startups span various categories, including Agentic Enterprise AI, AI Infrastructure, and Healthcare AI. Notable companies include CONPA, which develops AI-powered construction cost estimating agents, and IndustrialMind, which creates AI manufacturing engineers. These innovations reflect a broader trend of moving beyond AI tools to systems capable of autonomous decision-making.
Antler’s strategy unifies Korea, Japan, and Southeast Asia into a single platform, fostering collaboration among founders, investors, and customers. This approach aims to build foundational infrastructure for the next decade, positioning Asia at the forefront of AI innovation. As Salovaara noted, “They are building for what comes after the current wave of AI hype settles.”
