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Scaling to the US market often seems like a monumental task for small and early-stage B2B startups. A large majority of B2B companies are keen to scale to the United States. However, legal complexities, recruitment roadblocks, and the challenge of financial and team management have made this a daunting prospect, even for the most motivated founders.

And yet, a large majority of Indian B2B companies are keen to make this transition. 

FalconX plans to bridge the gap and help introduce innovative Indian startups to the US market. The founders of this Silicon Valley-based accelerator and venture fund have made over 300 startup investments with 50+ exits, 14 unicorns, and 5 IPOs at a cumulative market cap of $75 Billion.

Facilitating the B2B startup ecosystem 

In April 2024, FalconX selected 15 startups as a part of its third accelerator cohort. Driven by its mission to cultivate innovation and nurture growth for startups and enterprises, the accelerator aims to support innovative B2B startups to land and expand in the US.

Additionally, Falconx leverages the expertise of its seasoned co-founders and a community of Silicon Valley investors, corporate executives, and advisors to shape the successes of these emerging B2B startups. Founders looking to build in India for the world can leverage this unique community that brings connections, expertise, guidance, and capital together. Startups can enrol in FalconX’s flagship accelerator initiative called Global Immersion Program, raise capital through their early stage venture fund and VC connections and get curated connections to potential customers.

“It’s the entrepreneurial drive, the ability to listen and to be coachable that we at FalconX look for in the founders. Be bold enough to make the connections that will help you in raising money, recruiting people, and winning customers and partners. These are important aspects of successful entrepreneurs and leaders. And this is what we enable for founders at FalconX,” said BV Jagadeesh, Co-founder and Mentor at FalconX, on creating the startups of tomorrow. 

The gateway to the Silicon Valley ecosystem

FalconX offers startups, particularly Indian B2B startups, the support and resources they need to grow and scale in the US. B2B startups with a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) or with early customer traction can apply to be a part of the Global Immersion Program which focuses on healthtech, energy and sustainability, and infrastructure like GenAI, Cybersecurity and SaaS as well as industry 5.0 (Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality and Computer Vision).

The cohort starts on a virtual journey, with the last leg in Silicon Valley, and culminates in Technology Day. The program includes masterclasses, expert guidance, thought leadership, mentorship, and a startup showcase. These masterclasses and mentorships help founders navigate the choppy waters of building their businesses in the US. They cover a range of topics,from creating a business narrative to finding product- market fit to building a go-to-market strategy, pitching, securing funding, and gaining financial discipline. 

Once the startups are onsite, experts guide them through specific problems or go deeper into their areas of interest. Startups also have a chance to practise their pitches, build connections with VCs, connect with corporate customers and gain personalised coaching. This leads to the highlight of the event, Technology Day, where startups have the opportunity to showcase their products to a curated audience of VCs, corporate leaders, CXOs, founders, and industry luminaries. 

A day to showcase startup success

The location for this years’ Technology Day was strategic. The Stanford Faculty Club, notable for its concentration of venture capital firms, bore witness to a highly successful event, featuring 250+ CXOs, VCs and startups.

The event started with a keynote speech by Jaya Kumar, Chief Digital Officer, BAYADA Home Health Care. BAYADA is an international nonprofit home health care provider with a wide presence in the US and one of the strategic corporate partners of FalconX.

The keynote was then followed by panel discussions on topics like ‘AI transformation in healthcare’ and ‘FalconX portfolio startups from Zero to Series B and Beyond’. The first panel featuring Anurag Mairal, PhD from Stanford University, Amit Garg from Tau Ventures, Sherri Douville from Medigram Inc. and Divya Yerraguntla Syneos Health examined the transformative force of AI algorithms in healthcare. The second panel featuring Ankur A. from Inhabitr, Rohit Chennamaneni from Darwinbox, Nischal Nadhamuni from Klarity, and BV Jagadeesh, Co-founder of FalconX Gateway discussed building successful startups from the ground up, and how the marriage of technology and human drive and resilience can generate exponential growth.

In the second half, startups from the third cohort, including Bytescare, BuildTeam, Devnagri, Doctorite inc, HerzensApp GmbH, JoopiterX, Nanospan, ParadigmIT Cybersecurity, PineGap.ai, Rifa AI, Sanela Health, iBoson Innovations, Skillful.ly, iSono Health, Interactly, GhangorCloud, Apty, Webee and Virtualness presented groundbreaking innovations to a curated audience.

“Technology Day 2024 saw some of the best entrepreneurs from India and across the globe. The cohort had an opportunity to pitch to top-tier Silicon Valley investors and expand their network, setting them up for success as they are looking to scale in the US market,” said Vivek Vipul, Managing Partner, FalconX Gateway.

The pillars of FalconX

As part of the Global Community, FalconX has built a network of over 1,000 B2B startups, bringing vibrancy to the ecosystem. FalconX has driven innovation through strategic partnerships with tech giants like Meta by mentoring Meta-sourced startups, making them customer-ready to drive the adoption of their business messaging apps. FalconX has also had a collaborative partnership with one of India’s leading renewable energy companies, Greenko, exposing them to Silicon Valley startups and innovation.

Finally, FalconX’s Venture Fund helps startups secure funding and fuel their growth. The $30 Million fund will be invested into early-stage B2B startups, Indian and international. 

Ankur Agrawal, Founder and CEO of Inhabitr described FalconX as a group of smart, humble and accomplished entrepreneurs, investors and corporate leaders who are very accessible. Inhabitr, a Series B platform-as-a-service furniture company, is a part of FalconX’s portfolio, with offices in San Francisco and Mumbai.

“When you join other accelerators like Y-Combinator or Techstars you’re a small fish in a big pond. Here if you do well, you become a big fish in a small pond as you get a lot more personalised attention, which is otherwise hard to get,” said Ankur.

If you’re a startup aiming to grow in the US market, reach out to the FalconX team at info@falconx.vc and follow on LinkedIn.