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Scaling Stateside

Scaling Stateside

Written by: USXP
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 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.US Expansion Partners, LLC Economics Leadership Management Management & Leadership
Episodes
  • How US VCs Actually Think (If You’re a European Founder)

    How US VCs Actually Think (If You’re a European Founder)
    Jan 14 2026

    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 PAPPAS
    Luke 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 Pappas
    LinkedIn ⮕ https://www.linkedin.com/in/luke-pappas-78ba5699/
    NEA ⮕ https://www.linkedin.com/company/new-enterprise-associates/
    QueueStatus ⮕ http://queuestatus.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.
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    51 mins
  • SCALING STATESIDE - Episode #6 with Onfido Founder Husayn Kassai

    SCALING STATESIDE - Episode #6 with Onfido Founder Husayn Kassai
    Dec 16 2025

    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/husaynkassai
    Quench 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

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    Episode length: 48 minutes Hosts: David Rose & Matt Oxley Guest: Husayn Kassai, Founder of Onfido & Quench AI
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    49 mins
  • Scaling Stateside Podcast - Episode 5 US Expansion from the Other Side with Daniel Glazer, Wilson Sonsini

    Scaling Stateside Podcast - Episode 5 US Expansion from the Other Side with Daniel Glazer, Wilson Sonsini
    Dec 5 2025
    Episode SummaryIn this episode, David and Matt sit down with Daniel Glazer, a New York lawyer who made the reverse transatlantic journey to help UK and European tech companies scale in the US. Dan heads up Wilson Sonsini's London office and leads their US expansion practice, bringing a unique perspective as an American expat building bridges between the European and American tech ecosystems.From processing record numbers of cars at Burger King to advising companies through their US expansion journey, Dan shares candid insights about building trust across cultures, the importance of in-person relationships in London, and why Americans are wired to "want to believe" in the better mousetrap. The conversation explores the challenges of commuting between continents, the pre-pandemic meeting culture that defined London business, and practical advice for founders looking to crack the US market.Key Themes & Topics:The Reverse Journey: An American in LondonDan's career path from 1990s dot-com era New York to opening Wilson Sonsini's London office in 2018The 2011 meeting with UK government at the Manhattan consulate that changed everythingYears of transatlantic commuting before establishing the full-time London presenceBuilding credibility and authenticity in both markets simultaneouslyWhy In-Person Matters (Especially in London)Pre-pandemic London's concentrated in-person meeting cultureThe unique geography of London tech: finance, government, and tech all "a tube ride away"How East London's tech ecosystem developed alongside the City's financial powerhouseBuilding the level of trust needed between company and counsel through face-to-face interactionCultural DNA: Why Americans Buy DifferentlyAmericans' willingness to be more aggressive in purchasing innovationThe "I want to believe" mentality: a market actively seeking the better mousetrapHistorical context: how America's immigrant roots created a culture of seeking incremental advantageUnderstanding buyer psychology when entering the US marketThe Wilson Sonsini ModelFounded in early 1960s as one of Silicon Valley's first law firms working with tech companiesThe "garage to IPO" approach: working with startups from inception through public marketsBlended team model in London: American expat and English solicitors working togetherSupporting UK and European companies through their full US lifecyclePractical Expansion WisdomThe importance of patience: "Rome wasn't built in a day"What you can't accomplish in the short term vs. what's possible over yearsManaging expectations from boards, investors, and familyThe value of steadily keeping at it without getting discouragedLearning to enjoy the journey and give yourself grace through the processNotable QuotesOn London's business culture: "One of the things that we found is that the level of trust that needed to be built up between company and counsel really needed to be built in person... everything is so concentrated. It's the seat of finance, the seat of government, the seat of entertainment."On American buyer mentality: "Americans on average are willing to be more aggressive in purchasing innovation or trying out innovation... they're willing to do more to gain some sort of incremental advantage than almost anywhere in the world."On the American mindset: "You are pitching to a market that wants to believe. They want to find the better mousetrap that you've built and get that edge."On patience and perseverance: "You'd be surprised at how little you can accomplish in a short period of time, but how much you can accomplish in a long period of time... If you're committed and you keep at it, you don't get discouraged, over time you really can accomplish a lot."On advice for his younger self: "Just be patient... it's all going to be okay."Fun FactsDan's first paid job was at age 14 as a cashier at a brand new Burger King, where he took the very first orderHe set the record for most cars processed through the drive-through (though he's unsure if it still stands)Three years later, he was "poached" by McDonald's across the street for 25 cents more per hourDan's backpacking trip through Europe in the mid-90s planted the seed for eventually living in LondonHe entered the legal profession during the late 1990s dot-com era, when it seemed normal for companies to go from incorporation to IPO in six monthsGuest BackgroundDaniel Glazer leads Wilson Sonsini's London office and US expansion team, working with UK and European tech companies through their US lifecycle - from launch to scale, fundraising, and exit. Originally from New York, Dan has been working with European startups on the transatlantic corridor for nearly 15 years. He moved to London full-time in 2018 to open Wilson Sonsini's office there, bringing together a blended team of American and English corporate tech lawyers.About Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & RosatiWilson Sonsini is a Silicon Valley-headquartered law firm that began working with tech companies in the early 1960s...
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    47 mins
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