U.S. Startup Global Program

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The U.S. Startup Global Program is a federal partnership initiative designed to equip early-stage American startups with education and resources to access and succeed in international markets.
What are the main aims and objectives?

The program aims to foster a globally minded entrepreneurial culture among U.S. startups by providing targeted educational seminars and partnerships that raise awareness of federal export support, facilitate international market entry strategies, and build connections between startups, incubators, accelerators, and investment networks. It seeks to empower startups to integrate global perspectives from inception, thereby boosting U.S. economic competitiveness and increasing exports.

How does the program work?

Through its local branches, Startup Global organizes free seminars across the country to help small and early-stage companies develop plans to participate fully in global markets. Startup Global works in partnership with local partners (incubators, accelerators and universities).

The internationalization seminars:

  • Are organized into four to five themes
  • Topics include developing an internationalization strategy, protecting intellectual property, finding customers and distributors, navigating international partnerships, understanding foreign market regulations and accessing support programs
  • Cover Product Classification (Harmonized System) Codes, Tariffs and Taxes, Controls and Licenses, Guide to Exporting, E-commerce and Digital Marketing, Export Basics, Export Training, and Country Commercial Guides
  • Feature ITA experts and ITA partners (global corporations, overseas organizations, incubators, federal agencies, investors, universities, chambers of commerce and successful entrepreneurs)
  • Are delivered through a panel discussion or presentations followed by questions from the audience
  • Provide information sharing and networking opportunities
  • Identify relevant public and private sector resources
  • Are open to the public and usually a half to a full day
  • Contributors are often from the region where the event is held and act as advisors.

The seminars are designed to help participants exchange information and promote linkages and partnerships between early-stage companies and incubators, accelerators, private investors and the government.

They are promoted online through Export Assistance Centers across the country, accelerators, universities, local chambers of commerce, and the local stakeholders and contributors. Registration is through the Global Innovation Forum (GIF) website.

The program delivers both half-day and full-day events, customized by city and partner, ensuring relevance to varied startup communities across locations including Washington, D.C., Nashville, Philadelphia, and Long Island. It acts as a bridge between federal export support and entrepreneurial ecosystems by embedding export awareness early in company development. By operating through existing trusted intermediaries, Startup Global maximizes reach and impact without requiring direct funding to startups. Fundamental to its operation is strengthening connectivity among federal agencies, private sector experts, and startup support organizations to holistically address startups’ internationalization challenges.

What is the overall cost?

There is no available information about the cost of the program. 

How was it implemented?

The program originated during the Obama administration and was officially launched by U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker in February 2015 as part of a broader national effort to enhance exports and economic competitiveness. Initial design involved close collaboration between the U.S. Department of Commerce and private sector stakeholders organized around the Global Innovation Forum at the National Foreign Trade Council. Early pilot seminars began at key hubs like 1776 in Washington, D.C., followed by additional events in Philadelphia, Nashville, and Texas, aiming to test demand and refine program delivery. 

In July 2015, the Commerce Department and Global Innovation Forum formalized a partnership to institutionalize Startup Global, promoting a national education series embedded within trusted incubators and accelerators. The program expanded with a renewed Memorandum of Understanding in 2017, committing to enhanced web presence, more frequent events, and collaborative development of export education content aligned with the ITA’s eCommerce Innovation Lab initiatives. This phased approach, grounded in partnership and responsiveness to ecosystem needs, allowed the initiative to grow without creating duplicative infrastructure and ensured programming was timely and regionally relevant.

Timeline

2015 – present

Startup Global was initiated following a May 2014 White House Business Council design workshop, which gathered around 40 public- and private-sector stakeholders, including representatives from the startup community. A Startup Global pilot event was held in April 2015.

What impact has been measured?

Between April 2015 and October 2018, Startup Global organized about 10 information and networking events for participants that ranged between 40 to 100. The OECD case study researchers found no information on the impact of the program.

What lessons can be learned?

Challenges and responses:

1. Limited outreach: Because information about reaching global markets was provided only by participating in one of the seminars, it is not readily available to other entrepreneurs/startups. In response, Startup Global published key elements of seminars online and developed informational materials and recorded webinars.

2. Selection of resource advisors: The seminars did not always include international businesses or global partners. In response, Startup Global planned to organize international seminars. In addition, it prioritized including international participants.  For example, a March 2018 seminar in Austin, Texas included representatives from Korea, New Zealand, Singapore and the UK.

Lessons for other ecosystems:

The Startup Global program involves multiple actors and public-private partnerships to leverage expertise not held in-house. The use of local partners facilitated outreach to local entrepreneurs. However, in the absence of evaluation evidence, assessing the program’s impact and identifying specific strengths is difficult. Based on available information, lessons learned include:

  • Emphasizing outreach and promotion should be at the center of program roll out.
  • Maximizing coverage: Because seminars only serve those limited number of firms that participate, technology should be leveraged to extend and expand program reach. Online links to available resources and support programs should be developed.
  • Entrepreneurs and SMEs should be engaged during program and seminar design. Regular monitoring of the ecosystem and business landscape, regular dialogue with business community leaders, and formal feedback and other follow up information on participants would help similar programs to tailor programming to startup needs and increase their effectiveness.
  • Incorporate monitoring and evaluation in program design in order to track firms needs and satisfaction, effectiveness of outreach methods and the impact of the events.
Notes + Additional Context

The Startup Global website links to U.S. government resources, such as country commercial guides and an export guide.

CURATED BY

Cristina Fernandez

Director for Knowledge + Programming
Global Entrepreneurship Network
United States