In this episode of our mini series #MeritInMotion, we’re joined by Rosalind Bazany, Head of ESG and Impact at Antler, one of the world’s most active and selective early-stage VCs. As a pledge partner of Beyond The Billion, Antler has helped deploy capital into nearly 3,000 women through its founder residencies—without any diversity quotas.

From her childhood to managing hedge funds through the global financial crisis, Ros brings systems-level thinking to investing in outliers. We explore how Antler is rewriting the rules of venture by backing overlooked markets and underestimated founders across 27 offices and six continents—with a third of its capital going to women-led startups.

Timestamps / Key Takeaways

0:00 - Intro

02:11 - Ros’ global roots that shaped her adaptability & curiosity; joining Antler

06:21 - Inside Antler’s highly selective global model: 160,000+ applications annually, 27 offices on 6 continents, 1500+ investments made

08:03 - Antler VS Y Combinator; backing PEOPLE before ideas: commercial viability and adaptability as key early traits

12:55 - Female founders with real returns under Antler’s portfolio; driving returns with intentionality, not hard quotas nor mandates

24:22 - Impact ≠ Concessionary Returns

27:46 - Exits and long-term view with liquidity on horizon

30:19 - Sustainability as strategy: backing the outliers; leveraging Antler’s global programs to source the best of the best

39:35 - Looking ahead for Antler

42:26 - Gender lens is not a filter but a strategic aperture

46:07 - Billion Dollar Questions

Read Beyond The Billion's Our Next Billion Momentum Report 2025 here.

About Rosalind Bazany

Ros Bazany is Head of ESG and impact at Antler and currently based in Singapore. Ros is responsible for leading the overall strategy design and implementation of Antler’s ESG and impact proposition to deliver long-term value for Antler’s stakeholders. This includes oversight of firm level practices, founder engagement and investment decision making processes.

Prior to this, she worked at the global asset manager Schroders for over 10 years, working with institutional and retail clients, including on a number of strategic ESG initiatives, across Europe and Asia. She started her career at the hedge fund BlueCrest and holds an MSc in Chemistry.