Scaling Stateside

USXP
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  • Entrepreneurship

Scaling Stateside is a podcast dedicated to helping UK and European venture-backed tech founders successfully navigate US market expansion. Hosted by David Rose and Matt Oxley from USXP (US Expansion Partners), the show addresses the critical knowledge gaps that exist for founders entering the US market for the first time.

  1. Georgina Nelson: From Leveraged Finance Lawyer to a Billion-Rating Founder

    1 day ago

    Georgina Nelson: From Leveraged Finance Lawyer to a Billion-Rating Founder

    From psychology to leveraged finance law to scaling a billion-rating startup across continents – Georgina Nelson holds nothing back. Georgina is the founder of TruRating, the real-time consumer transaction data company behind 1 billion+ verified ratings, built with ~$40M raised through a deliberately unconventional path. In this episode, David Rose and Matt Oxley sit down with Georgina to unpack the unfiltered reality of taking a UK company into the US: why she chose Atlanta over New York and Silicon Valley, the "euphoria-then-ghosting" cycle that catches every founder off guard, the at-will employment shock, and how she keeps one culture alive across multiple continents. Plus the origin story you won't forget – including buying the trurating.com domain hours after her C-section. In this episode: Why she left "the safety" to build TruRatingUsing Australia as a "Petri dish" before the USRaising ~$40M through angels and family offices – not the traditional VC routeThe neurochemistry of founders and "delusional optimism"Why Atlanta: payments, talent, and costLoneliness, culture, and finding your "American character"Being a British female founder in the USThe euphoria → ghosting go-to-market trapAt-will employment and the pace of US hiringThe hardest lesson no playbook teaches🔗 CONNECT WITH Georgina Nelson LinkedIn ⮕ https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgina-nelson-11ab0631 TruRating ⮕ https://trurating.com 🔗 CONNECT WITH David Rose LinkedIn ⮕ https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidbrose 🔗 CONNECT WITH Matt Oxley LinkedIn ⮕ https://www.linkedin.com/in/mdoxley 🏢 POWERED BY WILSON SONSINI This episode is powered by Wilson Sonsini, the leading law firm for technology and growth companies. Wilson Sonsini helps European founders navigate US expansion, from entity formation and regulatory compliance to VC fundraising and M&A. Their deep cross-border expertise ensures you structure it right from day one. US Expansion Partners ⮕ https://www.usxp.co Scaling Stateside ⮕ https://www.scaling-stateside.com 🔔 Subscribe for more conversations on scaling to the US the right way. #ScalingStateside #DeepTech #VentureCapital #EuropeanFounders #USExpansion #PreSeed #FlyVentures #StartupPodcast

    39 min
  2. Why European Founders Are Afraid to Sell the Future (And How to Fix It) | Deep Tech Investor Matt Wichrowski | Fly Ventures Partner

    9 Apr

    Why European Founders Are Afraid to Sell the Future (And How to Fix It) | Deep Tech Investor Matt Wichrowski | Fly Ventures Partner

    In this episode of the Scaling Stateside podcast, David Rose and Matt Oxley sit down with Matt Wichrowski, Partner at Fly Ventures — a first-check VC built for technical founders that other funds are afraid to back. Matt splits his time between California and London and has spent over a decade at the heart of European deep tech, from Entrepreneur First to co-leading the pre-seed round of WAVE, one of the UK's most ambitious autonomous vehicle companies.This one is packed with insight for any technical founder thinking about raising or expanding to the US. What we cover:- The "animal founder" — what VCs are really looking for and why there are no metrics for it- Why European founders go to the US too late — and why the staggered approach no longer works- How Fly Ventures does technical due diligence when there's no product, no revenue and no comps- Pre-seed valuation explained simply: why it's more like valuing art than running a DCF- The cultural gap between US and European founders — and why Americans learn to sell in kindergarten- Why the founder must be first on the ground in the US, every time- What to prioritise if you're 12 months away from making the move- Matt's advice for deep tech founders just getting started 👇 Don't forget to subscribe for more insights on scaling your startup in the US! 📍 KEY TOPICS & TIMESTAMPS00:00 Introduction01:16 Meet Matt Wichrowski & Fly Ventures02:00 First paying job03:21 From Chicago to London: the transatlantic journey06:55 Why European capital holds founders back09:24 The animal founder — what great looks like14:00 Fly Ventures' investment thesis explained17:15 Deep tech timelines and what you tell LPs19:29 How to do technical due diligence at pre-seed21:34 Best sources of deal flow25:15 What to do 12 months before moving to the US31:04 US vs European founders: the biggest differences33:59 Coaching reserved technical founders to sell36:40 How VCs think about pre-seed valuation40:40 Advice for deep tech founders just starting out44:05 Events, sourcing and how to get on Matt's radar ABOUT OUR GUEST: MATT WICHROWSKIMatt Wichrowski is a Partner at Fly Ventures, a first-check pre-seed VC built for technical founders that other funds are afraid to back. Originally from Chicago, Matt has been embedded in the European startup ecosystem since 2015 — starting at Entrepreneur First, and now splitting his time between California and London as part of Fly's transatlantic investment approach.At Fly, Matt focuses primarily on deep tech and frontier technology — backing founders building at the cutting edge of what's possible, from autonomous vehicles to robotics to biotech. He co-led the pre-seed round of WAVE, one of the UK's most ambitious autonomous vehicle companies, and has spent years cultivating one of the strongest deep tech networks across the US and Europe.Outside of investing, Matt writes the Reshare newsletter, where he shares what he's reading and thinking about across frontier technology. 🔗 CONNECT WITH Matt WichrowskiLinkedIn ⮕ https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattwichrowskiSite ⮕ https://www.mattwichrowski.com Fly Ventures ⮕ https://www.linkedin.com/company/fly-venture 🔗 CONNECT WITH David RoseLinkedIn ⮕ https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidbrose/ 🔗 CONNECT WITH Matt OxleyLinkedIn ⮕ https://www.linkedin.com/in/mdoxley/ 🏢 POWERED BY WILSON SONSINIThis episode is powered by Wilson Sonsini, the leading law firm for technology and growth companies. Wilson Sonsini helps European founders navigate US expansion — from entity formation and regulatory compliance to VC fundraising and M&A. Their deep cross-border expertise ensures you structure it right from day one. US Expansion Partners ⮕ https://www.usxp.coScaling Stateside ⮕ https://www.scaling-stateside.com  🔔 Subscribe for more conversations on scaling to the US the right way. #ScalingStateside #DeepTech #VentureCapital #EuropeanFounders #USExpansion #PreSeed #FlyVentures #StartupPodcast

    45 min
  3. Scaling Stateside — 10 Episodes In: What We've Learned & Where We Go Next

    31 Mar

    Scaling Stateside — 10 Episodes In: What We've Learned & Where We Go Next

    David and Matt sit down to reflect on Season 1 of Scaling Stateside — 10 episodes of real conversations with founders who've expanded to the US and VCs who are funding that journey. In this episode, they talk about what they've learned, what surprised them, and the patterns they keep seeing across every conversation. They also share some big news: Scaling Stateside is evolving from a podcast into a full platform — with live events, workshops, a US Readiness Assessment tool, and partners including Wilson Sonsini, HSBC Innovation Banking, and Frazier Deeter. If you're a European founder thinking about US expansion or raising from US VCs, this is the episode that lays out where we've been and where we're going. 🗓 First live event: US VC Fundraising Workshop — April 21st, London 🔗 Register at scaling-stateside.com 🔗 CONNECT WITH David Rose LinkedIn ⮕ https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidbrose/ 🔗 CONNECT WITH Matt Oxley LinkedIn ⮕ https://www.linkedin.com/in/mdoxley/ 🏢 POWERED BY WILSON SONSINI This episode is powered by Wilson Sonsini, the leading law firm for technology and growth companies. Wilson Sonsini helps European founders navigate US expansion—from entity formation and regulatory compliance to VC fundraising and M&A. Their deep cross-border expertise ensures you structure it right from day one. US Expansion Partners ⮕ https://www.usxp.co/ 🔔 Subscribe for more conversations on scaling to the US the right way. #VentureCapital #StartupFunding #SeriesA #SiliconValley #TechFounders #ScalingStateSide #DelawareFlip

    16 min
  4. Raising a Series A in 2026: What US Investors Actually Want | Daniel Glazer | Wilson Sonsini

    23 Mar

    Raising a Series A in 2026: What US Investors Actually Want | Daniel Glazer | Wilson Sonsini

    Are you a UK or EU founder trying to raise venture capital in the US? You might be pitching the wrong numbers. In this episode of Scaling State Side, David Rose and Matt Oxley sit down with Daniel Glazer, Head of the London Office and US Expansion Team at Wilson Sonsini. Dan breaks down the exact math Silicon Valley VCs use to evaluate startups, the critical differences between US and European term sheets, and whether or not you *actually* need to do a Delaware Flip to secure funding in 2026. If you are planning to cross the pond to raise your Series A, this episode is your ultimate playbook for navigating American VC culture, dilution norms, and founder revesting clauses. ABOUT OUR GUEST: DANIEL GLAZERDaniel Glazer is the Founding Partner of Wilson Sonsini’s London office and Head of the firm's U.S. Expansion Group. As a leading American technology lawyer, Dan specializes in helping high-growth UK and European startups successfully navigate their U.S. life cycle, from initial expansion and securing Silicon Valley venture capital, to navigating U.S. exits (M&A/IPO). With decades of experience, he is the ultimate bridge for international founders looking to decode American VC norms and scale stateside. 🔗 CONNECT WITH Daniel GlazerLinkedIn ⮕ https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielcglazer/Wilson Sonsini ⮕ https://www.wsgr.com/en/ 🔗 CONNECT WITH David RoseLinkedIn ⮕ https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidbrose/ 🔗 CONNECT WITH Matt OxleyLinkedIn ⮕ https://www.linkedin.com/in/mdoxley/  🏢 POWERED BY WILSON SONSINIThis episode is powered by Wilson Sonsini, the leading law firm for technology and growth companies. Wilson Sonsini helps European founders navigate US expansion — from entity formation and regulatory compliance to VC fundraising and M&A. Their deep cross-border expertise ensures you structure it right from day one. US Expansion Partners ⮕ https://www.usxp.co/  🔔 Subscribe for more conversations on scaling to the US the right way. #VentureCapital #StartupFunding #SeriesA #SiliconValley #TechFounders #ScalingStateSide #DelawareFlip

    40 min
  5. How a UK Founder Got A16Z to Fly to London (And Invest) | Riya Grover | Sequence

    27 Feb

    How a UK Founder Got A16Z to Fly to London (And Invest) | Riya Grover | Sequence

    In this episode of Scaling Stateside, David Rose and Matt Oxley sit down with Riya Grover, the serial entrepreneur behind the food-tech startup Feeder (successfully exited) and the current Co-Founder and CEO of Sequence. Riya breaks down the raw reality of building a US category leader from London, the intentional shift away from "dead" cold outbound sales motions, and the distinct mindset required to pitch—and win—tier-1 Silicon Valley venture capital like Andreessen Horowitz (a16z). If you’ve ever wondered how to crack the hyper-competitive US market, or whether to make that crucial jump across the pond to build a local cultural hub, this conversation is for you. 📍 KEY TOPICS & TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Intro & Riya’s early "hustle years" 04:29 From Oxford and Investment Banking to Tech 07:31 The accidental genius: How internal software led to her first exit 11:17 The founding of Sequence and solving the B2B billing nightmare 17:44 Why you can’t win the US from Europe (and opening a NY HQ) 25:09 "Cold outbound is dead": Modern B2B GTM strategies 34:08 How a UK startup got A16Z on their cap table 36:08 The biggest differences between pitching US vs. UK VCs 39:30 Riya's top advice for founders raising US capital ABOUT RIYA GROVER Riya Grover is the Co-Founder and CEO of Sequence, a B2B finance automation platform that helps teams streamline their order-to-cash and accounts receivable processes using flexible, AI-native software. A serial entrepreneur, Riya previously founded and successfully exited Feeder, a B2B food marketplace, where an internal software tool ultimately drove the company's acquisition value. Known for her highly intentional go-to-market strategies and strong leadership, Riya successfully transitioned from a traditional investment banking career (post-Oxford and Harvard Business School) into building venture-backed tech companies. Today, she leads Sequence across dual headquarters in London and New York, building a global category leader backed by top-tier investors like Andreessen Horowitz. 🔗 CONNECT WITH Riya GroverLinkedIn ⮕ https://www.linkedin.com/in/riya-grover-a22a4822/ Sequence ⮕ https://www.sequencehq.com/ 🔗 CONNECT WITH David Rose LinkedIn ⮕ https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidbrose/ 🔗 CONNECT WITH Matt Oxley LinkedIn ⮕ https://www.linkedin.com/in/mdoxley/ 🏢 POWERED BY WILSON SONSINI This episode is powered by Wilson Sonsini, the leading law firm for technology and growth companies. Wilson Sonsini helps European founders navigate US expansion — from entity formation and regulatory compliance to VC fundraising and M&A. Their deep cross-border expertise ensures you structure it right from day one. US Expansion Partners ⮕ https://www.usxp.co/ 🔔 Subscribe for more conversations on scaling to the US the right way.

    41 min
  6. The Founder Multiverse: 60 VC Rejections, An Adobe Exit, and the Appetite to Dominate | Alex Packham

    28 Jan

    The Founder Multiverse: 60 VC Rejections, An Adobe Exit, and the Appetite to Dominate | Alex Packham

    In this episode of Scaling Stateside, David Rose and Matt Oxley sit down with Alex Packham, the mastermind behind ContentCal (acquired by Adobe) and the current CEO of JAAQ (Just Ask A Question). Alex breaks down the raw reality of the "Agency-to-SaaS" pivot, the grueling "David vs. Goliath" battle of selling to a Silicon Valley giant during a global lockdown, and why he believes the US market possesses an "appetite to dominate" that every European founder needs to experience. If you’ve ever felt like you’re living in a "multiverse", balancing the public face of growth with the private stress of cash flow, this conversation is for you. 📍 KEY TOPICS & TIMESTAMPS 02:58 Early Entrepreneurial Experiences 06:02 The Mindset of an Entrepreneur 08:47 Career Path and Agency Experience 12:09 Transitioning to ContentCal 14:47 Fundraising and Venture Capital Journey 17:59 Product-Led Growth and Market Expansion 29:59 Identifying the Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) 33:06 Navigating the U.S. Market During COVID-19 35:55 The Journey to Series A Funding 39:58 The Acquisition Process with Adobe 45:54 The Human Side of Entrepreneurship 50:51 Transitioning to Jack: A New Venture 57:44 Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs ABOUT ALEX PACKHAM Alex Packham is a serial entrepreneur, angel investor, and the former Founder & CEO of ContentCal, a social media planning tool he scaled to thousands of global customers before its high-profile acquisition by Adobe in 2021. Known for his "wise beyond his years" strategic thinking, Alex successfully navigated the complex transition from a profitable digital agency to a venture-backed SaaS powerhouse. Following his tenure as a Product Director at Adobe, he took the helm as CEO of JAAQ (Just Ask A Question), a mental health tech platform featuring world-leading doctors and celebrities. Alex is a frequent investor in early-stage startups and is passionate about helping founders navigate the mental and operational "multiverse" of scaling a business. 🔗 CONNECT WITH Alex Packham  LinkedIn ⮕ https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexpackham/ JAAQ ⮕ https://jaaq.app/home 🔗 CONNECT WITH David Rose LinkedIn ⮕ https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidbrose/ 🔗 CONNECT WITH Matt Oxley  LinkedIn ⮕ https://www.linkedin.com/in/mdoxley/ 🏢 POWERED BY WILSON SONSINI  This episode is powered by Wilson Sonsini, the leading law firm for technology and growth companies. Wilson Sonsini helps European founders navigate US expansion — from entity formation and regulatory compliance to VC fundraising and M&A. Their deep cross-border expertise ensures you structure it right from day one. US Expansion Partners ⮕ https://www.usxp.co/ 🔔 Subscribe for more conversations on scaling to the US the right way.

    1hr 1min
  7. How US VCs Actually Think (If You’re a European Founder)

    14 Jan

    How US VCs Actually Think (If You’re a European Founder)

    In this episode of Scaling Stateside, David Rose and Matt Oxley sit down with Luke Pappas, Partner at NEA, to unpack how US venture capital really thinks and what European founders often get wrong when expanding to the US. Luke shares his journey from California to London and breaks down the real frameworks US VCs use to evaluate founders, scale, and timing. From seed-stage investing to expansion strategy, this conversation offers a practical, insider view on what actually matters when building a global company from Europe. If you are a venture-backed founder, CEO, or part of a leadership team considering US expansion, this episode will help you avoid costly mistakes and think like a US VC before making the move. (00:00) - Introduction to the Scaling Stateside Podcast (03:11) - Luke Pappas: Journey from California to London (05:50) - Early Career and the Transition to Venture Capital (11:27) - Cultural Insights: US vs. European Entrepreneurial Mindsets (22:37) - The Evolving European Startup Landscape (25:59) - Cultural Differences in Business Practices (28:30) - Investment Thesis and Founder Profiles (32:04) - Sector Focus and Investment Strategy (34:18) - Sourcing Deals and Building Relationships (39:17) - Navigating the Transition from US to UK (46:30) - Advice for European Founders Entering the US Market ABOUT LUKE PAPPASLuke Pappas is a Partner at NEA, one of the world’s most established venture capital firms with nearly 50 years of investing history. He has invested across multiple generations of technology companies and played a key role in building NEA’s European presence.Before NEA, Luke founded a product used across Stanford University, studied computer science and management science, and worked in technology investment banking on landmark IPOs. 🔗 CONNECT WITH Luke PappasLinkedIn ⮕ https://www.linkedin.com/in/luke-pappas-78ba5699/NEA ⮕ https://www.linkedin.com/company/new-enterprise-associates/QueueStatus ⮕ http://queuestatus.com  🔗 CONNECT WITH David RoseLinkedIn ⮕ https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidbrose/ 🔗 CONNECT WITH Matt OxleyLinkedIn ⮕ https://www.linkedin.com/in/mdoxley/  🏢 POWERED BY WILSON SONSINIThis episode is powered by Wilson Sonsini, the leading law firm for technology and growth companies. Wilson Sonsini helps European founders navigate US expansion — from entity formation and regulatory compliance to VC fundraising and M&A. Their deep cross-border expertise ensures you structure it right from day one. US Expansion Partners ⮕ https://www.usxp.co/  🔔 Subscribe for more conversations on scaling to the US the right way.

    51 min
  8. SCALING STATESIDE - Episode #6 with Onfido Founder Husayn Kassai

    16/12/2025

    SCALING STATESIDE - Episode #6 with Onfido Founder Husayn Kassai

    From £12K seed round in the UK to 520-person company and successful US exit. Husayn Kassai, founder of Onfido, shares his complete journey of building an identity verification company, expanding to the US, and now building Quench AI. ✨ Powered by Wilson Sonsini 📍 KEY TOPICS & TIMESTAMPS 2:03 - The Origin Story: Why identity verification matters (personal experience moving from Iran to UK) 6:45 - The "Two Miracles" Problem: Raising early funding when investors didn't believe 8:18 - Building product-market fit in Europe before US expansion 10:15 - UK to US fundraising strategy (Series A → UK, Series C/D → US investors) 15:30 - Timing your US market entry: Three critical factors 20:45 - The Dual-HQ Model: Tech in Europe, Go-to-Market in US 25:20 - US hiring mistakes & lessons (title inflation, hiring operators vs managers) 28:40 - Navigating US regulatory complexity (state-by-state variation) 32:15 - UK vs US investor dynamics 35:20 - Managing culture across 520 people in multiple countries 38:45 - The exit journey 42:06 - Quench AI: Building privacy-first workplace search 47:03 - Advice for European founders expanding to US 👤 ABOUT HUSAYN KASSAI Founder of Onfido (2010-2024), scaled from £12K seed to successful exit. Built identity verification into industry standard with 520 employees across London and San Francisco. Raised from M12 (Microsoft), Salesforce Ventures, SoftBank, and others. Now founder of Quench AI, a privacy-first workplace search platform helping mid-market companies find information across tools and deploy AI agents. First job: Selling music on eBay at age 12 (learned about margin protection when competitors undercut him!) 🎯 KEY TAKEAWAYS ✓ Wait for product-market fit in your home market before US expansion  ✓ The dual-HQ model works: Tech in Europe, Go-to-Market in US East Coast  ✓ Structure legal, compliance, and operations BEFORE scaling  ✓ US title inflation is real—hire operators who execute, not just managers  ✓ Each US state has different regulations; get expert legal help early  ✓ UK investors for validation, US investors for scaling  ✓ Research thoroughly before committing to US expansion  ✓ Founder-problem fit matters more than market trends  🔗 CONNECT & RESOURCES Husayn Kassai: linkedin.com/in/husaynkassaiQuench AI: quench.ai Onfido: onfido.com 🏢 POWERED BY WILSON SONSINI This episode is powered by Wilson Sonsini, the leading law firm for technology and growth companies. Wilson Sonsini helps European founders navigate US expansion—from entity formation and regulatory compliance to VC fundraising and M&A. Their deep cross-border expertise ensures you structure it right from day one. 📢 ABOUT SCALING STATESIDE Helping European founders understand the US expansion journey. Hosted by David Rose and Matt Oxley of US Expansion Partners (USXP). Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube Follow: #ScalingStateside ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Episode length: 48 minutes Hosts: David Rose & Matt Oxley Guest: Husayn Kassai, Founder of Onfido & Quench AI

    49 min
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Trailer

About

Scaling Stateside is a podcast dedicated to helping UK and European venture-backed tech founders successfully navigate US market expansion. Hosted by David Rose and Matt Oxley from USXP (US Expansion Partners), the show addresses the critical knowledge gaps that exist for founders entering the US market for the first time.

Information

  • Creator
    USXP
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    14
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © US Expansion Partners, LLC
  • Show Website
    Scaling Stateside