U.S. market entry for international founders
From assumptions to paying customers.
O1SF is a three-week program that helps international founders test U.S. market-entry assumptions, learn from real customer feedback, and build an evidence-based path toward paying customers: two weeks online, then one intensive week in San Francisco.
Hosted and publicly authored by TatianaSF in San Francisco. View the program host profile
Paying customers are the direction, not a guaranteed outcome. Each cohort is intentionally limited to 9 startups.
The shift
Build the evidence behind a customer-ready plan.
The program replaces vague confidence with documented customer feedback, clearer decisions, and a practical sequence of next moves toward commercial traction.
Before O1SF
- Unclear positioning
- Untested messaging
- Limited access to the right people
- No validated U.S. market plan
- Too many assumptions
After O1SF
- Tested positioning and messaging
- Real customer and partner feedback
- Target lists and warm introductions where available
- U.S. go-to-market plan and metrics
- Roadmap for 3, 6, and 12 months
The three-week program
Three weeks to test the path to paying customers.
Each week has a distinct job: define what must be learned, prepare customer-facing assets and conversations, then test the plan in San Francisco.
- Week 01Online
Diagnose & Prepare
- Understand the market
- Clarify the story
- Define target segments
- Prepare the plan
- Week 02Online
Prepare to Execute
- Build assets
- Identify targets
- Plan outreach
- Prepare conversations
- Week 03San Francisco
Execute in the Market
- Meet
- Test
- Learn
- Iterate
- Validate
The O1SF testing loop
Every assumption must meet the market.
The loop is lightweight on purpose: build only enough to create a real interaction, then turn feedback into a better next move.
- 1
Hypothesis
Name the assumption that matters.
- 2
Asset
Build the pitch, message, or target list.
- 3
Real interaction
Put it in front of the market.
- 4
Feedback
Capture what people actually say and do.
- 5
Iterate
Revise the story, target, or offer.
- 6
Action plan
Document the next measurable moves.
What you leave with
A customer-ready plan for the next 3, 6, and 12 months.
Not a certificate. Not a folder of generic templates. A working set of decisions, messages, targets, and plans shaped by real customer feedback.
San Francisco week
Real execution in the heart of the innovation ecosystem.
The week is built around relevant conversations, customer discovery, ecosystem gatherings, coworking, Demo Day preparation, and hands-on iteration.
relevant interactions during the San Francisco week
This may include confirmed meetings, introductions, ecosystem events, and useful professional conversations. It is a target, not a guarantee.
Program support
Small enough for direct work. Structured enough to keep moving.
Founders receive group preparation, individual strategy time, direct guidance, and a main mentor or a closely matched mentor group where relevant.
Online group sessions
Minimum 60 minutes each
Individual strategy sessions
Minimum 30 minutes each
Startups per mentor group
Small, focused working groups
Mentor matching depends on program needs, professional relevance, individual interest, approval, and availability.
Mentors, advisors & ecosystem network
Professional context without borrowed endorsement.
O1SF engages a curated network of professionals who may support the program as mentors, advisors, speakers, technical experts, ecosystem connectors, or potential investors.
Photography shows prior professional gatherings. It does not identify confirmed O1SF mentors, advisors, investors, or program participants.
Simple, transparent pricing
One company. One focused market-entry sprint.
The fee covers the O1SF program described on this page. There is no equity, success fee, or investment commission.
- One primary founder included
- Additional founder: $2,500
- 0% equity
- No success fee
- No investment commission
Travel, accommodation, meals, and third-party fees are not included unless explicitly stated.
See pricing and inclusionsFounder resources
Prepare the questions before the market answers.
Use the practical guides to audit readiness, run customer discovery, and build an evidence-based 3-, 6-, and 12-month U.S. plan.
U.S. Market Entry Checklist for International Startups
A practical readiness checklist for international founders preparing to test positioning, customer demand, outreach, and operating assumptions in the United States.
Customer Discovery in the U.S. for International Founders
A field guide to planning U.S. customer interviews, separating evidence from encouragement, and turning conversations into market-entry decisions.
How to Build a U.S. Go-to-Market Plan
Build an evidence-based U.S. go-to-market plan with clear 3-, 6-, and 12-month decisions, metrics, target accounts, and learning loops.
Who it is for
Built for founders ready to test, learn, and revise.
- You are an international founder entering or expanding in the U.S.
- You are ready for intensive participation and direct feedback.
- You can work in English throughout the program.
- You are willing to conduct outreach and revise assumptions.
- You can attend the San Francisco week in person.
FAQ
Practical questions, precise answers.
No guaranteed outcomes. No hidden equity. No invented access.
Who is the program for?
International founders who are evaluating or actively preparing a U.S. market entry and are ready to test assumptions through focused preparation, outreach, and in-person execution.
What is included in the fee?
The program includes two weeks of online preparation, one week of guided execution in San Francisco, four group sessions, two individual strategy sessions, working assets, feedback, and the documented deliverables described on this page.
Does O1SF guarantee paying customers or revenue?
No. Paying customers are the direction of the work, not a guaranteed program outcome. O1SF helps founders test assumptions, improve customer-facing assets, and define evidence-based next actions; customer acquisition and revenue depend on the company, market, offer, execution, and other factors outside the program.
Does O1SF take equity?
No. O1SF takes 0% equity and charges no success fee or investment commission.
Are meetings guaranteed?
No. The program targets 10–50 relevant interactions, which may include confirmed meetings, introductions, ecosystem events, and useful professional conversations. The mix and number depend on relevance, response, availability, and founder execution.
Are investors guaranteed to attend?
No. Participation by any investor, mentor, advisor, speaker, professional, or company is not guaranteed.
Is travel included?
No. Travel, accommodation, meals, and third-party fees are not included unless explicitly stated in a future written offer.
Does O1SF help with company formation?
The program may help founders identify practical questions and relevant resources, but it does not guarantee company formation, an EIN, banking approval, or legal outcomes. Founders should use qualified legal and tax professionals.
Is visa approval guaranteed?
No. O1SF does not provide or guarantee visas, immigration status, or admission to the United States. Participants are responsible for their own travel and immigration requirements.