Hello from San Francisco

A personal note from Gert and Matt

Hello from San Francisco!

Welcome to the first edition of the USA Launching Pad quarterly newsletter. If you’re receiving this email, it means you are a friend, and we spoke about expanding to the USA at some point.

We plan to send this newsletter every 3 months or so. You can expect learnings from our clients, resources to help you with US expansions, updates from our end, and our view of current trends in America.

Thank you for your interest and your support. We would love your feedback and to hear what topics you want us to discuss.

Best regards,

Gert Christen and Matt DiMarsico
Founders of USA Launching Pad

USA Launching Pad Updates

Pearl Technology's Path to Systematic Sales in the US

We are thrilled to share another success story, this time from a med-tech champion seeking growth in the USA. Switzerland’s radiology accessory maker Pearl Technology joined forces with USA Launching Pad to transform their opportunistic sales approach in the USA into a systematic, growth-oriented strategy. Through structured discovery interviews and data-driven insights, we identified key marketing messages, effective communication channels, and stakeholder preferences that are pivotal for their expansion into the US healthcare market. 

Discover how Pearl Technology validated essential product features, tailored their sales packages, and established a robust go-to-market strategy by leveraging USA Launching Pad's proven methodology. 

Check out the full case study below to learn more about their journey and transformative results.

Read More

Introducing the RECH Index Survey: Assess Your Readiness for US Expansion

Introducing the RECH Index survey, a new tool designed by USA Launching Pad to help foreign businesses evaluate their readiness for expanding into the USA. This benchmark survey is tailored specifically to identify the key hurdles that companies face, from go-to-market choices to cultural adjustments. Additionally, it will assess how well your business is prepared compared with other businesses, and you will receive valuable tips for your next steps, depending on your situation.

How it works:

• Fill out the survey

• Get your score along with personalized advice

• Identify bottlenecks and discover effective tactics

Try it out for yourself today! It takes just 3 minutes, no email is required, and your answers are stored securely and anonymously.

RECH Index Survey

USA Launching Pad Visits Spain to Foster International Growth

Last month, our founder, Gert Christen, and Business Development Manager, Mar Navarro Montes, traveled to Valencia and Alicante to strengthen ties and support Spanish startups in their expansion to the US market. 

Their itinerary included visits to the excellent local universities, including the Science Park of the Universities of Valencia and of Alicante, the Las Naves Innovation Center and the Polytechnical University in Valencia, and the Universidad Europea de Valencia.

The duo also engaged in productive meetings with startups, innovation hubs, and investors, learning about the ecosystem that fosters growth and innovation in the Spanish tech sector. They discussed strategies and shared insights on how Spanish companies can successfully navigate the US market.

Mar, the main link between the Spanish and US markets for USA Launching Pad, expressed her excitement about potential collaborations and her role in helping Spanish companies succeed in the American market.

Key Highlights:

• An informative session at the Alicante Science Park on accessing and expanding in the American market.

• Engaging with several startups and innovation leaders, including Javier Muñoz de Prat, Rosa Sanchidrián Pardo, and Jesús Ferrer Llanes, who provided invaluable insights.

• Understanding what drives Spanish entrepreneurs and what are their incentives and challenges for geographic expansion.

We are thrilled about the potential for future partnerships and look forward to helping Spanish companies achieve their expansion goals in the USA.

Coaching French High-Tech Startups

We are proud to highlight the work of our founder, Gert Christen, who recently had the privilege of coaching French high-tech startups as part of the French NETVA / SYNAPSE program.

La Synapse, the transatlantic Deeptech accelerator organized by the Office for Science and Technology (OST) of the Embassy of France in the United States, created the NETVA program in 2010 to address the internationalization needs of French deeptech startups. NETVA supports early-stage startups developing innovative, high-value-added products. The program was started in Boston and has since expanded to other major North American tech hubs, including San Francisco, Washington DC, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, and Atlanta.

During the NETVA 2024 San Francisco Immersion Week, Gert shared his insights and expertise with startups such as MovaLife microrobotics, Deepmath, and Pulse Audition. The week was filled with over 25 appointments for the French startups with academics, startup experts, and industry professionals. Reflecting on the experience, Gert’s parting advice was to "test methodically before you expand to the USA," emphasizing the importance of careful planning for these innovative startups.

Gert and USA Launching Pad’s involvement highlights our dedication to education about US expansion and supporting the growth of emerging technologies. We thank the La Synapse program and the Consulate General of France in San Francisco for this opportunity. 

Gert Christen's Masterclass With Trust Valley

USA Launching Pad founder Gert Christen also recently taught a masterclass for Swiss startups attending the IT security RSA Conference in San Francisco this May. This event was made possible through collaboration with Trust Valley, Geneva.

Trust Valley is a joint initiative by the Swiss states of Vaud and Geneva dedicated to promoting digital trust and cybersecurity. Its mission is to position the Lake Geneva region as a leader in digital transformation by fostering resilience and innovation and involving international organizations in the Geneva area.

Gert's masterclass focused on "Evaluating the US Market," providing startups with invaluable insights into entering and thriving in the American market. The feedback from Trust Valley was overwhelmingly positive, highlighting the depth and practical relevance of the insights shared.

We appreciate Trust Valley hosting Gert and their ongoing efforts to support digital innovation and security for safe(r) digital growth. This collaboration emphasizes our commitment to helping startups succeed on a global scale.

Closing remarks from Gert Christen

Thank you for reading this far! We hope you enjoyed the news and free resources.

We also hope that you learned something that can help you with your own US expansion.

If you have feedback on this newsletter or would like to reach out for any reason, feel free to reply to this email. Your reply will make it to my personal inbox.

Thank you from the whole USA Launching Pad team, and we’ll see you next time 🚀

Gert Christen