For two days, American Resource Center based in Ložionica became the starting point for the next wave of founders from our region with their sights set on the United States. Together with the Commercial Law Development Program (CLDP) of the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade, SEE UP hosted “Accelerate Your U.S. Expansion: Go-to-Market Strategies for Founders,” an intensive program designed to help startups prepare for one of the most demanding and rewarding markets in the world.
More than 15 companies took part, going through a full day of hands-on sessions followed by a day of personalized one-on-one meetings with international experts.
Day 1: From Market Readiness to a Concrete Action Plan
The program opened with welcome remarks from Laura Short of CLDP and Dušan Obradović, CEO of SEE UP, setting the tone for two days focused on practical, actionable knowledge.
Andreas Schemm, a three-time founder and startup coach who has worked with around 100 startups worldwide, kicked off the content with a session on U.S. market readiness. He challenged founders to ask whether the U.S. is truly the right first market for them, and walked through the most common false starts: chasing big logos before nailing the ideal customer, underestimating the cost of entry, and mistaking polite American enthusiasm for real buying intent.
Vladimir Baranov, executive coach and serial entrepreneur with three successful exits in fintech and spacetech, then led two sessions on finding and reaching U.S. clients. Founders worked on defining a narrow, focused Ideal Client Profile, built drafts of their ICP and Value Proposition Canvas, and translated them into concrete outreach plans, including crafting messages and scripts on the spot.
Afterwards the focus shifted to capital. Andreas Schemm mapped out the U.S. investor landscape, explaining the logic of de-risking, where to actually find investors, how to surface warm leads on LinkedIn, and how to think about raise amounts and valuation.
The afternoon brought everything together in a working session where each participant developed their own individual GTM action plan with direct guidance from Andreas and Vladimir. The day closed with Professor Charles Whitehead of Cornell Law School and Cornell Tech, who joined virtually to cover the legal side of expansion: U.S. incorporation, legal structures, and intellectual property protection.
Day 2: One-on-One Sessions
The second day was dedicated entirely to individual meetings, giving each company the opportunity to work through its specific challenges and questions with the experts in a focused, personal setting.
Just the Beginning
At SEE UP, we have always believed that our region’s founders belong on the global stage. Programs like this one turn that ambition into a clear, realistic path, and we are proud to have partners who share that vision.
Huge thanks to Laura Short and Levi Latoz from CLDP, the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Foreign Commercial Service, and the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade for making this program possible, and to Vladimir Baranov, Andreas Schemm, and Charles Whitehead for sharing their time and expertise so generously. We believe this is just the beginning of a very successful partnership.