The European Startup Embassy responds to the need for a systematic approach to the US market and aims to remove barriers that often complicate European startups’ expansion into the US “During our fundraising, we approached over 1,300 investors worldwide and determined that obtaining American investment without an established company and branch in the US is practically impossible. Very similar rules apply in enterprise sales. For any significant growth and expansion into Western markets, a physical presence in the United States is an absolute necessity,” says one of the founding partners, Tadeáš Marek from Boost.space.
“Therefore, we will offer startups from the Central and Eastern European region a stable base directly in the heart of the Bay Area in San Francisco, from where they can work, meet with mentors, gain contacts, and build strategic partnerships that will accelerate their growth,” explains Vladimíra Činčurová, CEO of European Startup Embassy.
According to Činčurová, the project also builds on the fact that the Bay Area is already home to a large diaspora from the Central and Eastern European region, though it does not yet function as a connected community. That is why local partners from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania, Ukraine, and Hungary have joined the project, and Poland and other European countries should soon follow. “Each country will thus have its representation. Together, we want to establish partnerships with large American funds and companies to make access to opportunities faster and easier,” says Činčurová.
The European Startup Embassy is designed as a two-way platform: it not only helps European startups open doors to the US but can also offer American investors and partners looking for new opportunities a window to Europe.
The first embassy facility has already been established in San Francisco, functioning as both a coworking space and a community center. Startups can use workspaces here, participate in thematic meet-ups, and connect with mentors and investors who have been active in Silicon Valley for longer. Gradually, an active community will be formed here with the aim of sharing experiences and opening the way for other companies from the Central and Eastern European region. The physical hub in San Francisco will be complemented in the future by an online platform, which will serve as a place where community members can follow current opportunities, arrange meetings, and share experiences, both locally and remotely.
Luca Stirbat, who has experience with accelerators in Romania and Poland, is responsible for the operation of this house and its community program. Vladimíra Činčurová will move to Silicon Valley during the year to represent the project on-site. The project partners will also use the spaces and participate in community development themselves.
The founding partners of the project will also play a key role in community development. These include technology companies Keboola, Apify, Valka.AI, Boost.space, Navigara, ReactorX and Oddin.gg, Czech VC funds Rockaway Ventures, United Founders, American VC fund Almaz Capital, Romanian fund Underline Ventures, Ukrainian-American fund SID Venture Partners, Hungarian VC fund Lead Ventures, German fund Picus Capital, Czech law firm specialized in startups Sparring, accelerators Future Unicorns and Moonshot, and the California-based consulting firm Telegraph Hill Advisors.
In addition to finances, these partners bring their experience, contacts, and time – they will participate in mentoring startups and consulting for them, as well as help with fundraising, international expansion, and team building. The project is still open to new partners who want to strengthen its impact.
Together, these parties will ensure financing and at the same time form the basis of a consulting and mentoring network, offering European companies in the US experienced leaders and investors they can rely on.
The European Startup Embassy is a CEE community initiative that connects European startups, investors, and the broader ecosystem with the US market to make entry easier and support the growth of globally scalable tech companies. The platform was founded by 15 partners, including European and US venture capital funds, American accelerators, and successful European startups with first-hand experience expanding into the United States. The community builds on the active involvement of the European tech diaspora in the US, particularly in the San Francisco Bay Area and Austin. The project addresses the key challenges European startups face when expanding to the US, such as the fragmentation of the European market, high costs, and the difficulty of establishing a stable local presence.
