In October and November 2024, the Austrian Trade Commissions in New York and San Francisco hosted the GoUSA Startup Landing Zone, a dynamic four-week program tailored to empower Austrian startups in their U.S. market entry journey.
GoUSA 2024: Boston Cohort
Health and Life Sciences Innovation at Its Best
Five startups from the health and life sciences sector immersed themselves in Boston’s thriving innovation ecosystem as part of the GoUSA program. Hosted at the prestigious Cambridge Innovation Center, participants engaged in a rich schedule of:
- Networking events and industry-specific meetups
- One-on-one mentoring sessions
- Tailored workshops and exclusive company visits
A special highlight of the Boston experience was the traditional New England lobster dinner, providing a taste of local culture alongside professional opportunities.
During the Austrian Community Night, startups presented their groundbreaking ideas to an audience of healthcare, pharmaceutical, and biotech professionals, fostering valuable connections and gaining critical feedback. The program's intensity gave way to further opportunities for growth, including meetings with industry giants like Google Health and Takeda.
GoUSA 2024: Silicon Valley Cohort
Taking Austrian Innovation to the Global Stage
Eight Austrian startups spanning sectors from AI to carbon capture and solar visualization took part in the Silicon Valley cohort. The program provided an unmatched platform to refine their strategies and explore their U.S. market potential.
Key program highlights included:
- Mentorship: Each startup paired with a seasoned industry expert.
- Workshops: Focused on U.S. market dynamics, competitive positioning, and investor readiness.
- Pitch training: Fine-tuning presentations to resonate with the U.S. audience.
The cohort also attended the TechCrunch Disrupt conference, connecting with global innovators and decision-makers. These experiences aimed to help startups evaluate their readiness for U.S. expansion.
GoUSA Demo Night
The program culminated in the highly anticipated Demo Night, where startups competed in a pitch competition before an audience of founders, investors, and VCs. Each startup delivered a three-minute pitch, showcasing their solutions and market potential.
Congratulations to Shadowmap, who won the pitch competition with its cutting-edge technology that digitizes and visualizes the sun’s pathway. Founder Georg Molzer was awarded a meeting with one of the Bay Area’s top investors.
