Expanding to the US is a major step for any Kiwi startup. Many of our portfolio companies have taken the leap—some have succeeded, and all have learned valuable (and sometimes expensive) lessons.

To help the next generation of founders navigate this journey, I set out to interview six of our portfolio companies about their experiences expanding into the US. While there are common themes, each story offers its own unique insights.

Over the coming weeks, I’ll be publishing anonymised stories from these companies, sharing real-world lessons on strategy, hiring, market validation, and execution. At the end of the series, I’ll post a summary capturing the most common learnings and pitfalls founders should be aware of when entering the US market.

So we’re all on the same page—company values are the fundamental beliefs and core principles that shape a company’s actions, decision-making, company culture, and brand identity.

Despite some of the doomsday commentary about both the NZ economy and VC investing habits in 2024 compared to 2021, there is plenty of capital looking for high-quality investment opportunities.

It’s said that more companies die of indigestion than starvation—meaning they get distracted by shiny new opportunities, spreading focus too thin to be effective.

The Startup Blueprint series shares insights from the founders and operators building companies & ideas defining what the world could become. Hear about their journeys, learn from their insights, and maybe leave with a dose of inspiration. 

A sit down with Hanie Yee, CCO and Chief of Staff at Alimetry. With 23 years in HealthTech across biotech, pharma, and medical devices, Hanie joined Alimetry to lead commercialisation efforts for their AI-powered gut health wearable. In this interview, she discusses the shift from corporate to startup, building a go-to-market strategy, and the potential global impact of Kiwi-led healthcare innovation.

The Startup Blueprint series shares insights from the founders and operators building companies & ideas defining what the world could become. Hear about their journeys, learn from their insights, and maybe leave with a dose of inspiration. 

Hear from Levi Fawcett, Co-Founder and CEO of Partly. Levi shares the 'aha' moment that sparked Partly's creation, how his past experiences shaped the company's DNA, and offers advice to entrepreneurs on capital raising following Partly's record-breaking New Zealand Series A round.

The Startup Blueprint series shares insights from the founders and operators building companies & ideas defining what the world could become. Hear about their journeys, learn from their insights, and maybe leave with a dose of inspiration. 

Hear from co-founders of Ideally, James Donald, Brendan Cervin, and Joshua Nu'u-Steele. They share how a distinctive brand and clearly defined value prop set them up for early growth, the lessons they've learned from their collective wealth of experience in tech, and their philosophy on attracting exceptional talent whilst scaling rapidly. 

The Startup Blueprint series shares insights from the founders and operators building companies & ideas defining what the world could become. Hear about their journeys, learn from their insights, and maybe leave with a dose of inspiration. 

Hear from CEO and Co-Founder of Easy Crypto, Janine Grainger. Janine shares actionable tips on how to build a remote-first, high-performing team, how they are educating their audience in an asset class known for high risk and volatility, co-founder relationships, and her advice for minorities breaking into tech.

The Startup Blueprint series shares insights from the founders and operators building companies & ideas defining what the world could become. Hear about their journeys, learn from their insights, and maybe leave with a dose of inspiration. 

Hear from finance leader and CFO of Trade Me, Scott Maud. He shares his perspectives on the evolving role of finance in different stages of business growth, the importance of crafting an equity story, and the critical role finance plays in translating business strategy into actionable initiatives. He also offers valuable insight on on decision-making, capital allocation, and prioritising key business initiatives.

The Startup Blueprint series shares insights from the founders and operators building companies & ideas defining what the world could become. Hear about their journeys, learn from their insights, and maybe leave with a dose of inspiration. 

We sat down with one of our own, Barnaby Marshall, Partner at Icehouse Ventures.