What are the critical steps a European startup founder must make when plotting expansion to the United States? On that topic Seedcamp partner Carlos Espinal is joined by Dan Glazer, Partner at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati (WSGR) – the US law firm which has represented the likes of tech titans Apple and Netscape over the course of its illustrious history.
Dan recently co-led the WSGR team supporting UK-based technology company Improbable in its $502 million Series B round of venture financing led by SoftBank Group Corp – the largest-ever Series B investment in Europe and also the biggest venture financing round by a private British company in history. He leads the New York office’s technology transactions practice, and is also a member of the firm’s US expansion practice, with a focus on advising UK and other non-US technology and growth companies on US expansion, fundraising, and strategic partnership transactions.
Discussing the ‘different risk environment’ for startups and established businesses in the US, Dan cautions that founders afford themselves ‘3 to 6 months preparation in advance’ of setting up shop in America, ‘because you don’t want to find you’ve pushed the button go on your entire US business but you can’t staff it appropriately’. He walks through the 10 key areas founders should focus on – from legal incorporation and immigration to HR, admin and government support.
Learn more about how American cultural differences can affect hiring, why Delaware is the ‘Esperanto’ of legal jurisdictions and the the difference in US and European legal environments for startups.
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