Global Innovation Program · Market Access Program

A Structured Path into
the US Market

Venture Dock is a 12-week virtual program for international founders preparing to enter the US market — covering customers, hiring, legal, and fundraising in a structured, peer-supported format.

6
Expert-Led Sessions
12
Weeks
90
Min / Session
1
Investor Demo Day
The Challenge

Why Most International Startups
Fail in the US

Entering the US market is a significant undertaking. These are six of the most common challenges international founders face — and what the program addresses directly.

🎯

Wrong ICP

Assuming your home-market customer profile translates directly into the US.

Underestimating Sales Cycles

US enterprise sales cycles run 2–4× longer than founders expect from their home markets.

💰

Pricing Off-Benchmark

Setting prices without anchoring to US competitive data — leaving money on the table or pricing yourself out.

⚖️

No Legal Entity

Skipping US incorporation before signing the first customer — a costly mistake that slows everything.

🗺

Treating the US as One Market

The US is 5+ distinct regional markets. Your GTM must reflect that.

🤝

Premature US Hiring

Hiring a VP Sales before achieving problem-solution fit burns cash and credibility fast.

"Most international founders don't fail in the US because they have a bad product. They fail because they have the wrong playbook."
— Venture Dock Program Team
Program Format

Program Format

Six 90-minute virtual sessions, held every two weeks over 12 weeks. Sessions are recorded and homework assignments are designed to be applied directly to your business.

6
Virtual Sessions
90
Minutes Each
2
Weeks Between
12
Total Weeks
1
Investor Demo Day
≤10
Founders per Program
Curriculum

Six Sessions. One Structured US Market Curriculum.

Each session combines frameworks, practitioner mentorship, peer discussion, and a concrete homework deliverable — so participants work on their actual business throughout the program.

01WEEK 2

US Market Reality Check

Diagnose your US readiness, map your startup stage (PSF → PMF → Scale), and identify the single biggest gap between where you are and where you need to be.

Foundations
02WEEK 4

ICP, Positioning & Messaging

Define a razor-sharp Ideal Customer Profile, craft a differentiated positioning statement, and build messaging that resonates with US buyers.

Customers
03WEEK 6

Go-To-Market Strategy

Select your primary US GTM channel, build your 90-day execution plan, and define the leading metrics that prove the engine is working before you scale spend.

Execution
04WEEK 8

Legal, Compliance & Team Building

Make the right entity and compliance decisions for your stage, identify your first 2 US hires, and learn what US employees expect that's different from your home market.

Infrastructure
05WEEK 10

Fundraising & Financial Discipline

Assess your VC fundability, know your key metrics cold (CAC, LTV, burn multiple), and build an investor outreach strategy with a target list of 20 qualified names.

Investors
06WEEK 12

Partnerships, Pilots & Demo Day Prep

Identify strategic partnerships that accelerate GTM without diluting focus, structure pilots that convert to contracts, and rehearse your 5-minute investor pitch.

Scale
🏆

Demo Day — Investor Showcase

Week 13–14 · Each founder pitches 5 minutes to a curated audience of US investors, angels, and ecosystem partners.

Expert Mentors

Practitioners with US Startup Experience

Each session features a practitioner mentor who has built, scaled, or invested in US startups — bringing direct experience and practical frameworks.

BV

BV / Ashish

Lead Program Mentor
Startup Operator & Advisor
Foundations · GTM · Execution
RK

Ram Kedlaya

Leadership & Culture Expert
Cross-Border Team Builder
Leadership · Team Building
MW

Mark Weiner

Marketing Strategy Leader
US Brand & Demand Gen
Marketing · Positioning
AM

Ashish Mehra

GTM & PLG Specialist
Product-Led Growth Expert
GTM · PLG Strategy
DS

Deep Sahni

Investor Pitch Coach
Fundraising Strategist
Pitch · Fundraising
PA

Praveen Akkiraju

Venture Investor
US Startup Ecosystem
Investors · Demo Day
Who It's For

Built for Founders at the Right Stage

Venture Dock is selective by design. We keep groups small (≤10 founders) so every session delivers real value to every person in the room.

✓ Great Fit

  • B2B SaaS or tech-enabled startup
  • $50K+ in revenue or 3+ paying customers
  • Targeting the US as a primary or expansion market
  • Founder or co-founder with decision-making authority
  • Committed to all 6 sessions and homework
  • Ready to share pipeline data and get real feedback

✗ Not Ready Yet

  • Pre-revenue or still validating the problem
  • B2C consumer products (not our focus)
  • Looking for passive learning, not accountability
  • US-based founders (program is for international entrants)
  • Attending as a delegate, not a decision-maker
12-Week Schedule

12-Week Schedule

Sessions are held every two weeks, giving participants time to apply frameworks and return with real-world results to discuss.

WEEK 1
Onboarding & Pre-Work
WEEK 2
Session 1 · US Market Reality
WEEK 4
Session 2 · ICP & Positioning
WEEK 6
Session 3 · Go-To-Market
WEEK 8
Session 4 · Legal & Team
WEEK 10
Session 5 · Fundraising
WEEK 12
Session 6 · Pilots & Demo Prep
WEEK 13–14
🏆 Demo Day
Investment

Program Pricing

The program fee covers all six sessions, materials, and Demo Day participation.

Founder Seat

$1,200 / founder
  • 6 live 90-minute virtual sessions
  • Founder Workbook with all frameworks
  • Access to all 6 session decks
  • Async support between sessions
  • Demo Day participation
  • Alumni network access
FAQ

Common Questions

What timezone are sessions held in?
Sessions are scheduled to accommodate multiple international time zones. The exact schedule is confirmed after participant selection based on the group's locations. Most sessions run in a US morning / Asia-Europe evening window.
Do I need to be incorporated in the US already?
No. Many founders join before incorporating — we cover the US entity decision in Session 4. However, you should have paying customers or strong early traction before applying.
How much time per week does this require?
Expect 3–5 hours per week: 90 minutes for the live session every two weeks, plus 2–4 hours for homework. Homework is real work — not busywork.
What happens if I miss a session?
Sessions are recorded. Missing one is manageable — missing two is grounds for removal from the program. We enforce attendance because the peer dynamic only works when everyone shows up.
Is Demo Day only for investors?
Demo Day is primarily investor-facing, but you may invite up to 2 guests. The audience is curated and kept small to maximize quality of investor interactions.
What industries do you accept?
We focus on B2B SaaS and tech-enabled services. We do not currently accept B2C consumer products, hardware-only startups, or crypto/web3 projects.
When is the application deadline?
Rolling applications are accepted until the program is full (maximum 10 startups). We recommend applying early as spots fill on a first-accepted basis.

Apply to the Market Access Program

Applications are open. Spots are limited to 10 founders per program.

Submit Your Application →