Expanding to the US? What European founders should prepare first (Sponsored)
The question of expanding to the US often comes up early, while the team is still raising seed capital and still arguing about product-market fit at home. What makes it expensive is rarely the answer. It is the order. Customers, founder presence, immigration, fundraising, structure, banking and the evidence file all wait on each other. […] The post Expanding to the US? What European founders…
Expanding to the US requires careful planning and execution by European founders. The timing of expansion is crucial, with 64% of companies now opting for pre-seed or seed stage expansion, similar to the frequency in 2008-2014. However, preparation should not equate to committing early, as this approach can burn runway and distract founders.
Instead, the focus should be on repeatability - demonstrating demand through multiple buyers with similar needs and willingness to pay. A full quarter of pilot data is essential before hiring a sales leader to differentiate true buying intent from initial enthusiasm.
Founder presence plays a significant role in US expansion, as enterprise buyers seek the individual who can influence the product roadmap. Investors also value the founder's perspective over the pitch deck. Founders must determine which activities require a physical presence, frequency, and duration, creating a 90-day founder calendar to align with immigration requirements.
Immigration should be treated as a business dependency rather than an end-stage task, with a clear understanding of the visa options available. For O-1A visas, founders must provide evidence of extraordinary ability through internationally recognised acclaim or multiple criteria such as awards, published material, high remuneration, and original contributions.
USCIS policy guidance confirms that an O-1 beneficiary cannot file the petition individually, but a separate legal entity owned by the beneficiary can do so on their behalf.
Written by urgent.news from EU-Startups's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
