Raising from US investors: what UK founders need to do differently
How US investors think differently, and what UK founders must change to successfully raise funds across the Atlantic.
Speaker: Michael Budnow (Standard Ledger)
The US is the world’s largest venture capital market.
But raising from US investors isn’t just about “raising more money.” It requires a different approach.
US VCs think differently about:
- Growth expectations
- Market size
- Risk tolerance
- Financial metrics
- Narrative positioning
- Speed of scaling
So what works in a UK seed round doesn’t always translate in San Francisco or New York.
Join us for a practical session on what UK founders need to adjust before approaching US investors.
What we’ll cover
- How US investor expectations differ from UK VCs
- The metrics US funds prioritise
- Why TAM matters more in US conversations
- Growth benchmarks US investors expect
- Structural considerations (Delaware flips, holding companies, tax implications)
- Common mistakes UK founders make when pitching US capital
- Real case studies of UK startups that raised from US investors – what worked, what had to change, and what caught them off guard
Who should attend?
UK startup founders at pre-seed, seed or Series A stage who are considering:
- Expanding into the US
- Raising from US investors
- Structuring their company for international capital
This session will include practical scenarios drawn from recent UK-to-US fundraising journeys – not just theory, but what actually happened in the room.
🎥 Can’t attend live? Register anyway and we’ll send you the recording afterwards.
