Americas - Archive

Attracting Foreign Startups: Access To U.S. Could Get Easier

Written by Chris Cameron / December 31, 2009 3:07 PM /

This post is part of the ReadWriteStart channel, which is dedicated to profiling startups and entrepreneurs. The channel is sponsored by Microsoft BizSpark.

Jared PolisIt may soon be easier for foreign startup entrepreneurs to set up shop in the United States thanks to immigration reform which would create a specialized startup visa program.

The proposed program would make more visas available to entrepreneurs who have at least $250,000 in funding from a U.S.-based venture capital firm, or $100,000 in angel funding. The startup must also have plans to either create five new jobs every two years, raise at least $1 million every two years, or generate at least $1 million in revenue.

The current system grants 10,000 visas each year primarily to investors that have financed over $1 million with plans to create at least 10 full-time positions. It also allows lower benchmarks for investors in less wealthy countries.

European Entrepreneurship and Innovation Thought Leaders

Stanford Engineering’s European Entrepreneurship and Innovation Thought Leaders is a weekly speaker series that presents industry leaders from Europe’s hitech startup, venture finance, corporate and university research and technology commercialization communities to share their insights and experiences with aspiring and veteran entrepreneurs from Silicon Valley.

From Ireland to Russia, and from Scandinavia to the Mediterranean, Europe’s technology sector is today playing a growing role in bringing new energy, environmental, water, information, medical device and life sciences technologies to market thru small- and medium-sized enterprises.

Europe’s countries and regions, however, face substantial challenges in rapidly moving to the marketplace the technical innovations that are being developed in universities, national laboratories and corporations. Many of these regions are increasingly looking to Silicon Valley to accelerate this process and train a new generation of entrepreneurs and innovation professionals.

Beginning on January 4th, the series sees John McIntyre, Enterprise Ireland’s Silicon Valley man on the ground who is chartered with driving market momentum for Irish software, services, and technology companies in the North American marketplace.

John McIntyre, is joined by John Hartnett of the Irish Technology Leaders Group, an organization funded by the Irish government.

The event is free to attend. More Details here http://www.europeanentrepreneursatstanford.com/

Address: Skilling Auditorium, Stanford Engineering Campus, 496 Lomita Drive, Stanford, CA

Mondays from Jan 4^th to March 8^th 2010 to 4:15 – 5:30 pm (no class Jan 18^thor Feb 15^th)

Irish Technology Firms Raise Euro 220 m (year to September 2009)

Posted by Enterprise Ireland Admin on 4 December, 2009 in Archive | Economic | News Press - (Be the first to comment)

Dublin; Thursday, 3rd December, 2009:

Irish technology companies raised €109m in the 3rd quarter bringing to €220m the amount raised this year (to September 2009), according to the latest VenturePulse survey issued by the Irish Venture Capital Association (IVCA).

“Investment raised in the third quarter increased by 55% on last year with the number of companies involved increasing by 25%,” commented IVCA chairman, John Tracey. “This is against a background of a global credit crunch and significant falls in venture capital activity levels around the world.”

The figures were welcomed by Conor Lenihan TD, Minister for Science, Technology & Innovation. ”It is particularly significant that over 20% or €48.3m of funds raised this year were in the area of early stage or seed capital.”

He also welcomed the broad base of Irish technology firms raising funds, from pharma/biotechnology to environmental technology. “This is helping to establish the building blocks of a smart economy and is positive for the future development of an indigenous knowledge economy.” (more…)

Demystifying Silicon Valley for the Irish Entrepreneur

Posted by Admin on in Archive | Economic | EI Client News | Events - (Be the first to comment)

By Jack Kissane

On December 2nd, the legal firm Wilson Sonsini Goodrich and Rosati (WSGR) hosted over 20 Irish companies in their Palo Alto conference center in order to “demystify Silicon Valley for Irish entrepreneurs.” WSGR’s Steve Bernard began the presentation, introducing his colleagues Mark Rienstra and Selwyn Goldberg and the evening’s guest panelist, Trident Capital’s, Howard Zeprun.

The Irish companies came from two groups who were visiting Silicon Valley this week. 11 companies participated in the Enterprise Ireland “Microsoft Connections” program. The remaining companies attended the Stanford University/ Enterprise Ireland executive program “Leadership 4 Growth.” The WSGR panelists have worked with a number of Irish companies over the years and have helped to take these Irish companies through early funding rounds through exit strategies. Well versed in the issues that Irish companies have faced coming to the Valley, the panel spoke to the additional considerations and challenges that can affect many non-US companies. (more…)

Best Connections: Irish Software CEOs Converge at Microsoft’s Silicon Valley Campus

This week the CEOs of 11 Irish software companies are converging at Microsoft’s Silicon Valley campus. They’re here on an Enterprise Ireland-supported visit to learn how to broaden their business opportunities in the US by leveraging their relationship with Microsoft.

They represent the best of Irish software innovation, offering solutions for a range of applications that include telecommunications/mobile, social media/networking, e-learning/education, energy efficiency, financial services and information security.

Participant companies are already part of Microsoft’s BizSpark™ program or the Microsoft Partner Network and are interested in growing their business through export and expansion.

The pilot program is the second of its kind and an important initiative between Microsoft and Enterprise Ireland (EI) – part of EI’s overall strategy to grow the country’s software industry. A similar program aimed at the UK market generated some valuable connections and lucrative leads for participating companies.

This targeted approach, geared to accelerate the growth of high-potential software start-ups and early stage ISVs, aims to foster connections with potential partners, customers and investors. (more…)

Positive Economic Growth Projected for U.S.

Posted by Admin on 23 November, 2009 in Economic - (Be the first to comment)

In the latest survey by the National Association for Business Economics (NABE) in the U.S. economists polled predict 3 percent real GDP growth in the 2009 fourth quarter, and 3.2 percent growth for all of 2010.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120680389

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