Aspire, a leading finance platform for modern businesses, has announced a strategic partnership with Antler to enhance the financial infrastructure for early-stage founders. This collaboration comes as Aspire experiences a 46% year-on-year growth from startups, with plans to increase its startup customer base by 2.3 times in 2026. Andrea Baronchelli, CEO and co-founder of Aspire, highlighted the importance of integrated financial tools, stating, “Partnering with Antler lets us reach founders at the exact moment they’re making critical infrastructure decisions.”
The partnership will connect Aspire with founders at the inception stage, providing immediate access to integrated financial infrastructure as companies begin operations. Hiro Kiga, Partner at Antler Southeast Asia and Japan, emphasised the need for integrated systems to support cross-border operations, saying, “This partnership strengthens the support system around how founders work today.”
Aspire’s momentum is further evidenced by the increased commercial activity among its startup base. AI startups now represent approximately 30% of new additions, and startup customers are processing 50% more in annual payments than two years ago. Additionally, new startup customers are executing 30% more foreign exchange transactions in their first 30 days compared to previous cohorts.
Aspire, headquartered in Singapore, offers a borderless Financial Operating System that combines banking, payments, accounting, and financial operations into a single solution. The company continues to expand across Asia-Pacific, Europe, and the United States, supported by new regulatory licences and strategic partnerships. Asad Kalimi, VP and Global Head of Partnerships and Sales, noted, “Higher payment volumes, increased FX activity and the rise of AI-led startups all point to a more commercially active startup base.”
