Growth
A guide for tech companies expanding internationally
- Growth
- Report
- 3 minutes read
Produced in partnership with Newfound Global, this report explores the way that tech companies navigate international expansion. Based on 50 in-depth, in-person interviews, with a concentration at Series A and Series B funding stages, the report aims to highlight points of friction, difficult decisions, and key lessons.
- Most founders conducted minimal structured research before expanding, prioritising speed over analysis.
- Hiring was cited as the largest and riskiest investment, as well as the biggest delay to setting up operations.
- The timeline to revenue was almost universally underestimated. Enterprise sales typically took 12-24 month - at least double the expected time.
- Banking was a friction point for over 80% of founders.
What does it really take to successful grow into a new market?
This is the question at the core of our latest report, published in partnership with Newfound Global, who sat down with 50 founders, operators, Chief Revenue Officers, trade and investment professionals, investors and service providers across the expansion ecosystem who have expanded from over 15 origin markets into more than 25 destination markets.
The output from these rich discussions is a view into the realities that founders have actually faced, grouped into 5 parts:
- Part 1: Getting started
- Part 2: Getting traction
- Part 3: The operational reality
- Part 4: The UK reality
- Part 5: What founders wish they had known.
Packed with verbatim comments and honest reflections, this guide is a curated selection of key insights from experienced operators to share the most relevant patterns and themes to inform, not prescribe, what others in their position could consider as they plan their own expansion strategy.
About Newfound Global
UK expansion is not a presence strategy. It is a revenue decision.
Newfound works with funded B2B technology companies to validate opportunity, design the optimal GTM strategy and build structured pipeline in market.
Any opinions expressed are merely opinions and not facts. All information in this document is for general informational purposes and not to be construed as professional advice or to create a professional relationship and the information is not intended as a substitute for professional advice. Nothing in this document takes into account your company’s individual circumstances. HSBC Innovation Banking does not make any representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy, applicability, fitness or completeness of this document and the material may not reflect the most current legal or regulatory developments. HSBC Innovation Banking disclaims all liability in respect to actions taken or not taken based on any or all of the contents in this document to the fullest extent permitted by law. Nothing relating to this material should be construed as a solicitation or offer, or recommendation, to acquire or dispose of any investment or to engage in any other transaction.
