Aspire partners with Antler as it targets doubling startup-led growth in 2026

The move comes as Aspire demonstrates strong momentum among early stage startups, recording 46% year-on-year growth globally and targeting a further 2.3x increase in startup customers in 2026.

"Partnering with Antler lets us reach founders at the exact moment they're making critical infrastructure decisions," said Andrea Baronchelli, CEO and co-founder of Aspire. "We're seeing exceptional momentum — because founders increasingly understand that fragmented financial tools slow you down. When you're moving money in multiple currencies and hiring across continents, you need one platform that just works.”

The Antler partnership connects Aspire with founders at inception stage providing immediate access to integrated financial infrastructure as companies begin operations and prepare for growth.

“At Antler, we are the first institutional investor for hundreds of startups across Southeast Asia and Japan each year, many of which are global from day one,” said Hiro Kiga, Partner at Antler Southeast Asia and Japan. “As these teams build and operate across multiple markets early on, the need for integrated systems that can support cross-border operations becomes clear very quickly. This partnership strengthens the support system around how founders work today, and our commitment to ensuring they have the right foundations in place as they scale internationally.”

Early-stage activity signals stronger commercial momentum

Beyond customer acquisition numbers, Aspire is observing clear indicators of increased operating intensity across its startup base:

• AI startups represented approximately 30% of new startup additions, reflecting broader market trends that saw AI account for close to half of global venture funding in 2025.
  
• Startup customers are now processing 50% more in annual payments than two years ago, signalling heightened commercial activity despite a tighter funding environment
  
• New startup customers are executing 30% more FX transactions in their first 30 days compared to previous cohorts, reflecting more frequent cross-border payments as teams hire internationally and expand into new markets earlier in their lifecycle
  

“Early-stage founders are operating with far greater intensity from the outset,” said Asad Kalimi, VP and Global Head of Partnerships and Sales. “Higher payment volumes, increased FX activity and the rise of AI-led startups all point to a more commercially active startup base.”

Built for borderless operations

Born out of Singapore — one of the world's leading financial hubs — Aspire provides a borderless Financial Operating System that allows founders to manage global cash flows, cross-border payments and financial workflows in one place. The platform combines banking, payments, accounting and financial operations into a single solution designed specifically for global-first businesses.

Aspire’s startup momentum builds on its broader expansion across Asia-Pacific, Europe and the United States, supported by new regulatory licences, market launches and strategic partnerships.

About AspireAspire is the all-in-one finance platform for modern businesses globally, which has helped over 50,000 companies save time and money with international payments, treasury, expense, payable, and receivable management solutions - accessible via a single, user-friendly account. Headquartered in Singapore, Aspire has 500+ employees across nine countries, clients in 30+ markets and is backed by global top tier VCs, including Sequoia, Lightspeed, Y-Combinator and Paypal.

About Antler

Antler is where founders come to go further, faster.

Antler is the world’s most active early-stage investor, backing exceptional people at the very start of their journey and supporting them from inception to scale. Across 27 locations worldwide, including New York, San Francisco, London, Berlin, Bangalore, Singapore, Seoul, and Sydney, the firm helps founders remove the barriers to building by connecting them with world-class peers, validating business models, and providing initial capital. For founders who go on to build breakout companies, Antler Elevate—the $285M emerging growth fund—invests beyond the early stages, managed through offices in London, Singapore, and New York.

To date, Antler has backed more than 1,600 startups globally across a wide range of industries and technologies with the goal of backing more than 6,400 by 2030.