Introducing Focia and Mika

Q: Can you tell us a bit about what Focia does?

A: Focia is all about helping people in the content creation space. What we do is pretty straightforward: we predict how well your content is going to engage with your audience before you even post it online. It takes the guesswork out of content marketing, helping creators and marketers make more informed decisions.

Q: How did you come up with the idea?

A: The idea for Focia was already in the works before we applied to Antler. My high school friend and I were tackling this problem together. We even had a little Minimum Viable Product (MVP) up and running. We were in the beta testing phase, with about 20-30 users actively engaging with our basic product. So we had a starting point and some traction, which I believe gave our application to Antler a boost.

Why Antler?

Q: What made you decide to join the Antler accelerator?

A: The biggest draw for me was Antler’s co-founder matching and the level of coaching and experience they offer. They showed interest in us from the get-go. While I already had a co-founder, we were open to the idea of bringing in a third co-founder, and Antler seemed like the perfect place to explore that option.

The Antler Application Process

Q: What was the application process like for Antler?

A: The process kicked off with an initial screening interview. After passing that, we moved on to a second interview. Once we cleared that, we were part of a 10-week cohort. The first five weeks were about meeting other teams and iterating on our idea. From weeks 5 to 10, we moved into what they call “track out.” That’s where you dig deep to further develop your idea and get it pitch-ready for the investment committee.

Inside Antler’s Program

Q: What did the Antler program look like for you after you got accepted?

A: We were in a unique situation where both my co-founder and I joined the Sydney cohort remotely—I was in New Zealand, and he was in Melbourne. Given the 10-week duration, building deep relationships was a challenge when you were not physically present.

The program had a mix of group mentoring sessions and one-on-one sessions. You could book time with any specific coach you wanted, which was super useful. From weeks five to ten, we were assigned a dedicated coach, someone who fit our needs and goals, to guide us weekly. Even after the program, we still have monthly catch-ups with our coach.

It’s not just a one-off thing; you have ongoing support. You can also network with folks from past and current cohorts, which is pretty great for broadening your perspective and learning from others. Overall, despite the remote challenges, the program offered ample opportunities for guidance and growth.

Q: Did Antler provide you with any funding?

A: Yes, we did secure funding after our pitch to the investment committee. They agreed to fund our pre-seed round with 190,000 Australian dollars. The deal was finalized around December last year, so it’s been about nine or ten months since then. This funding was a major milestone for us, giving us the financial runway to scale our operations and take Focia to the next level.

The Best Benefits of the Program

Q: Apart from the funding, what was the biggest benefit of being in the Antler program?

A: The ongoing support has been invaluable. Antler maintains a Slack group for its family of founders. About once a month, they drop links where you can book one-on-one meetings with industry experts—imagine having a chat with the head of marketing at TikTok! I’ve taken advantage of these opportunities, and they’ve been super enlightening.

The second big win has been the coaching. When you’re grinding it out as a founder, hitting roadblocks is inevitable. Having a coach to guide you when you’re stuck is like having a GPS for your startup journey. These additional benefits have made our experience with Antler incredibly rewarding, beyond just the financial backing.

Q: Did you have any “aha moments” during your time at Antler?

A: It happened during the track-out phase. We were stuck in a loop, not sure whether to target businesses or individual users. Our coach stepped in and gave us some invaluable advice. We took it to heart and started posting organically online to attract new users. After that, we roped in over 100 new users within just the first week! That momentum was a real confidence booster and played a key role in our pitch to the investment committee. It was a game-changing week for us.

Focia’s Current Status and Future Plans

Q: How is the company doing now?

A: We’re in the prep stage for raising our seed round soon. Billing is on the agenda to be activated, and we’re seeing exciting traction mainly through referrals. About 54% of our new users come from word-of-mouth, which is pretty cool. We’ve also been featured on some AI blogs that have helped to get the word out.

We’re putting a strong focus on organic marketing via our social channels. So far, we haven’t invested in paid ads but have released some organic content, and we’re planning to ramp that up. We’ve been live for about two or three months and already have over 2,000 registered users, which is super encouraging.

In a nutshell, we’re growing steadily and have some solid plans to take things to the next level. It’s a thrilling time for us.