This week, all eyes are on San Francisco as SF Tech Week brings together entrepreneurs, investors, and innovators from around the world, followed by the TechCrunch Disrupt conference at the end of October.

At USA Launching Pad, we kicked off our inaugural cohort in partnership with Tenity—designed to help early-stage founders validate their U.S. business potential and make a splash at TechCrunch Disrupt. See below for first profiles of the companies selected by Tenity and us.

Over the summer, we kicked off new projects with Thymia. And we overhauled our internal tech stack and expanded our own mass outreach system to the next level, incorporating AI for the personalization, customization, and validation that our clients expect.

Whether you’re actively entering the U.S. or exploring what it takes to succeed here, we hope this update gives you practical insights and a few reasons to get in touch.

If you’re building across borders, or helping others do so, read on.

What We’ve Been Up To

Tenity x TechCrunch Cohort Kicked Off

We’re excited to partner with Tenity, the global venture investor and incubator for Fintech, Insurtech, and Regtech, to launch a cohort of international startups entering the U.S. market. Their journey will culminate at TechCrunch Disrupt in San Francisco this October.

The cohort brings together ambitious founders from around the globe. Here’s a first look at three of the companies joining us:

🌎 Lerian (Brazil): Lerian Studio is transforming the Fintech industry with an open-source core ledger and plugins to reduce development time and enable new services.

🌎 Manukai (Switzerland): Manukai accelerates the industrial machining process with an AI that learns and dramatically reduces setup time.

🌎 Credituz (Brazil): Credituz is a single-source software and financial solution for the real estate industry. From planning to construction to managing to financing.

New Solutions Offering

Expanding into the U.S. isn’t a one-size-fits-all journey. Every company starts from a different point. That’s why we’ve built four tailored solutions to meet founders exactly where they are. Whether you’re just exploring the U.S. market, validating the potential, activating your first sales, or scaling repeatable growth, USA Launching Pad has a pathway designed for you.

• Market Access 
  A high-impact immersion into U.S. innovation hubs. In just 3–14 days, companies gain exposure to key ecosystems, meet potential customers and investors, and validate early strategy. Perfect for founders and programs seeking to “test the waters” and understand the ecosystem of their U.S. market.

• Market Discovery
  An 8-week validation sprint designed to evaluate the business opportunity prior to  U.S. entry decisions. Through curated buyer interviews, pricing validation, and competitor insights, companies leave with a data-driven Market Discovery Brief and a go/no-go roadmap for U.S. expansion.

• Market Activation 
  A 12-week program to fast-track traction for companies with product-market fit. Focused on structured customer outreach, messaging refinement, and scaling of demand generation, Activation prepares startups to adapt their go-to-market, create their U.S. outreach engine, and build a sales pipeline with thousands of qualified contacts.

• Market Penetration 

  A 12-week, hands-on sales enablement program for scaleup teams. Through guided outreach, live A/B testing, and iterative playbook development, companies build repeatable U.S. sales motions and internal capability to sustainably grow U.S. sales operations.

Interested in finding out which track is right for your company? Get in touch with our team, we’d love to explore how we can help you succeed in the U.S. market.

TOPS & FLOPS: What Worked, What Didn’t?

Flop → Tariff Fears, Deconstructed

1. Tariffs Grab the Headlines. But Most Founders Aren’t Affected
   The new U.S. tariffs focus mainly on physical goods, especially hardware . If you're delivering value via software, cloud services, or SaaS, you're likely exempt. Many high-tech industries are specifically excluded from tarriffs. Check with the trade commissioners at your U.S. embassy or consulates for details. .

   Learn more here.

2. Beware Hidden Costs, Not Gatekeepers
   Where tariffs do hit, it's often via increased customs duties that include royalty or licensing fees. This can impact hardware-heavy or tightly bundled solutions. 

   If you’re in hardware or hybrid offerings, it’s worth digging deeper, here’s a resource.

3. Stay Focused on What Matters
   The U.S. tech market is still growing at nearly twice the rate of Europe. Instead of letting headlines distract you, focus on product-market fit and go-to-market momentum. Stay calm and carry on with confidence.

Top → San Francisco’s AI-Fueled Comeback

1. AI Office Leasing Surges
   In early 2025, San Francisco's AI companies leased nearly 1 million sq ft of office space, and projections estimate total AI office occupancy may reach 12–16 million sq ft by 2030, solidifying the new tech-driven boom.

   → It signals long-term confidence in SF as the world’s AI hub.

   Read more about it here.

2. Massive Inflow of Venture Capital
   In the first half of 2025, venture capital investments in AI startups in San Francisco topped $29 billion, more than double compared to the same period in 2022—and nearly half of all U.S. AI funding.

   → AI knowhow and investment is concentrating in SF, giving founders here an unmatched advantage in access to investors and funding density.

   Read more about it here.

3. A Metrocultural Revitalization
   AI isn’t just transforming tech, it’s transforming the city. Downtown activity, housing demand, and office leasing are rebounding, powering a broader revival for San Francisco.

   → A vibrant city ecosystem makes SF not just a workplace for AI founders, but a place to live, recruit, and grow.

   Check out this dashboard!

Stay Connected!

Know a startup or scale-up entering the U.S. market? We’d love to help.
Reply to this email or reach out to us directly.

Follow us on LinkedIn for founder wins, market insights, and upcoming program launches—on Instagram and YouTube for a behind-the-scenes look at what it really takes to break into the U.S. market.

Thank you, and see you next time.

Gert, Matt, and the entire USA Launching Pad team 🚀