What is DearAimii?
Q: Can you provide some background on DearAimii?
A: Yeah, sure. My name is Vuong, and I’m one of the founders of DearAimii, which is an AI-powered relationship wellness platform. The concept for DearAimii was born out of a collaboration between three founders who met during the Antler startup accelerator. We each brought different but complementary skill sets to the table. For instance, one of our co-founders has significant experience with dating apps and mental health platforms. While working at Tinder and consulting for mental health applications, she recognized an underserved area in the market. We saw this as an opportunity to create something that addresses a real need — offering guidance and support in relationship wellness through technology.
Choosing Antler for the Startup Journey
Q: What motivated you to apply to Antler?
A: The reason I applied to Antler was pretty serendipitous. I saw an ad on LinkedIn, which normally wouldn’t catch my attention since I come from a marketing background and am well aware of how targeted advertising works. However, this ad was different; it piqued my interest because it was a call for co-founders. Having come from the marketing agency world and not the startup environment, this was a novel concept to me. I had never seen an approach like that before, where you’re invited to join a cohort with the sole purpose of finding a co-founder, forming a team, and then developing a product together. It was intriguing and, frankly, quite exciting. The proposition of being in a room full of potential co-founders was something I couldn’t pass up. It promised a new experience and a step into the unknown, which was a huge draw for me. So, I took a chance and applied, went through the interview process, and was selected. Looking back, I’m very glad I made that decision. It was the beginning of an exciting new chapter for me.
Q: Did you already have co-founders when you joined the program?
A: No, I met my co-founders during the program. Before Antler, my understanding of startups was pretty minimal. My expertise was in marketing agencies, where my role involved helping clients grow their businesses, but it didn’t really extend to the startup realm. Joining Antler was a leap for me into startup culture, which I was eager to understand and become a part of. It was through this accelerator that I connected with my fellow co-founders and where the seeds for DearAimii were sown.
How a Founder Gets Accepted
Q: Can you walk us through the Antler application process?
A: Sure, the application to Antler starts online with a form that’s fairly comprehensive. They ask about your background, whether you have a co-founder, your experience with startups, and so on. After submitting this form, the process includes three rounds of interviews. It begins with a preliminary chat with an intern. This is just a basic conversation to get a sense of who you are. If that goes well, the next step is to talk with a manager. The final round is with the ‘final boss,’ so to speak. After these three interviews, they’ll make a decision about your acceptance.
Q: Were there any particularly challenging parts of the application process?
A: Not really, the key is to be yourself and be honest. There’s no need to oversell your ideas or yourself. They’re essentially trying to gauge if you have the potential to be in a cohort with around 80 other potential founders. If they see that potential in you, you’ll be selected. It’s more about fit and potential than trying to pitch a polished idea right away.
After Getting In
Q: Once accepted into Antler, what is the structure and curriculum of the program like?
A: After getting accepted, the curriculum at Antler starts with identifying a problem to solve. They guide you through the process of problem validation, idea formation, and then onto creating a full pitch deck. There are master classes offered by a network of experts in finance, as well as talks from other startup founders who are part of Antler’s community. This exposure is incredibly inspiring and very beneficial.
In the initial week, there’s a strong emphasis on finding a co-founder. The program organizes activities that resemble speed dating to foster interactions among participants. They place you in groups—though it’s unclear if the grouping is random—and you’re tasked with working on an assignment together. In the first week, you also present an idea with people you’ve just met, which is challenging as you have to collaborate and prepare in just a few days.
Throughout the ten-week program, Antler provides intensive support. They help you refine your pitch deck, advise on the best content and storytelling techniques for your presentation, and offer guidance on market validation strategies. Their support is in-depth and continuous, covering all the necessary steps from the initial concept, labeled as “zero,” all the way up to the final pitch, the “ten.”
Finding a Co-founder
Q: What was your experience with finding a co-founder during the program?
A: The process of finding a co-founder in Antler’s program was dynamic and engaging. As part of the curriculum, they had us participate in various games, including speed dating sessions, to interact with many different people quickly. But getting to know potential co-founders wasn’t limited to these structured activities; it required initiative outside the scheduled sessions as well.
You had to engage in conversations with people continuously, beyond just relying on the games and classes provided. Every Friday, participants would present as part of a team, but teams were not set in stone at this point. These presentations were a chance to see how well you worked with others under pressure and to observe who you might align with in terms of working style and vision.
So, it wasn’t just about those arranged interactions; it was a continuous process of meeting and understanding the strengths and work ethics of potential co-founders. Through this weekly rhythm of activity and presentations, you could gradually identify who you clicked with and decide who you could potentially see as a co-founder.
Accessing Expertise and Networks at Antler
Q: Beyond master classes, does Antler offer other resources or platforms for networking and mentorship?
A: Antler boasts a global network of professionals from a wide array of fields, including established startup founders and experts from major companies like Microsoft and Spotify. They facilitate connections with these professionals by coordinating meetings upon request. This setup is especially beneficial after you receive investment, as you become part of an elite global community comprising all Antler-founders. It’s an enriching environment where you can network with a diverse group of entrepreneurs.
Moreover, Antler provides what they call ‘office hours’ on a weekly basis. During these sessions, experts from various prominent companies are available for you to book a call with. This direct access to seasoned professionals is a significant advantage, as it allows for tailored guidance and personalized advice on navigating the challenges of building a startup. These resources are integral to the program and reflect Antler’s commitment to supporting its startups comprehensively.
Funding and Coaching Support
Q: Did DearAimii receive funding from Antler, and what kind of support came with it?
A: Yes, we did receive funding from Antler. They’re selective with their investments, and we were fortunate to be one of the eight or nine companies in our cohort that they chose to invest in. This support started right from the earliest stage—what we refer to as ‘day zero’—when us co-founders were just getting to know each other. Antler witnessed our growth from the beginning and provided us with valuable advice.
Each team in the program gets assigned a one-on-one coach, and ours was exceptionally knowledgeable about the startup scene and also an investor. His advice was instrumental in our early development.
Q: Can you tell us more about the coaching arrangement during the Antler program?
A: During the course of the program, we had a dedicated coach provided by Antler. This coach worked closely with us, helping to steer our company in the right direction with their expertise and insights.
Q: What was the amount of funding DearAimii received from Antler?
A: The investment we secured was $110,000. The terms of the investment regarding valuation are confidential, but the funds have been crucial for our development and scaling efforts.
The Most Valuable Aspects of the Antler Program
Q: What were the biggest benefits you gained from Antler, aside from funding?
A: The most significant benefit from Antler, by far, has been the network. The global connections we’ve gained access to through the program are invaluable. We’re able to easily contact other successful startup founders who have been backed by Antler and seek their advice and support.
During the program, the sense of community is palpable—everyone is eager to help out. It’s not just the dedicated coaching; it’s the broader Antler network that’s there for you. This includes founders across different countries who have also received Antler’s support. The willingness within the community to assist each other is one of the standout features of the Antler experience and something that I really appreciate. The network has been an instrumental force in driving our growth and providing support when we’ve needed it most.
Q: Can you share a personal revelation you had during the program that really inspired you?
A: Absolutely. Our app, DearAimii, focuses on relationship wellness, and we are committed to helping people recover from breakups. The moment that really hit home for me was when I was discussing our app with a friend over coffee in Vietnam. She resonated deeply with a chatbot scenario in our app, which touched on issues with a boyfriend’s disapproving mother—a situation she was personally dealing with at the time.
She confided that despite being well-educated, fluent in English, and professionally successful, she felt isolated with her struggles and couldn’t speak to anyone about them without fear of judgment or repercussions. This realization that relationship issues transcend education and social status, and the fact that our app could offer support where traditional avenues might not, was a profound insight for me.
It solidified our purpose in addressing the universal challenges of love and relationships. This moment was pivotal; it validated the need for our platform and the impact it could have on improving mental health through supportive guidance in times of emotional distress.
The Journey of DearAimii in a Tough Economy
Q: Can you update me on the current status of DearAimii?
A: We’re in the midst of raising a pre-seed round. It’s a tough economic climate, and while we have enough funds to last until early next year, without securing additional commitments, we’re facing a challenging path ahead.
Q: Have you started generating revenue yet?
A: No, we’re quite new to the market, having launched just this year in February. Our focus right now is on securing funding to extend our runway and evolve our business before we hit revenue milestones.
Q: What strategies are you employing for growth and user acquisition?
A: We initially aimed for organic growth through community building, but the investor focus on user numbers has shifted our approach. Leveraging my expertise in performance marketing, we’re aggressively using Facebook and Google Ads to increase our user base rapidly. Even though we’re not monetizing users at this stage, the growth in user numbers should appeal to investors.
Q: Do you have any community-based initiatives?
A: While building a community around the concept of love was the original plan, it’s proven to be a challenging route. Given the slow nature of organic growth, we decided it’s more strategic to use paid ads for now. This will accelerate user acquisition and enable us to meet investor expectations more efficiently.
Final Tips
Q: Can you offer any advice to potential applicants of Antler?
A: Absolutely. One crucial piece of advice is to approach the program with an open mind and without ego. You’ll encounter many highly intelligent and accomplished individuals, and it can be humbling. For example, despite my extensive marketing experience, I was in awe of my peers’ ambitions and knowledge, including a nuclear scientist who wanted to generate electricity from sand. This stark contrast in mission scope can be intimidating, but it’s important to see it as an opportunity to learn and expand your horizons. It’s not about the complexity of the idea but the problem you’re passionate about solving. Keep an open mind and be ready to absorb as much knowledge as possible.