SXSW & Chinwag Present: Doing Business in the USA
Event Info
Description
SXSW and Chinwag Present
"Doing Business in the USA"
When: Friday 8th March 2013 - 9.30am - 5.30pm
Venue: Austin City Hall, 301 West 2nd Street, Austin, TX (map)
Programme & Register: http://doingbusiness.eventbrite.com
Doing Business in the USA is the essential conference for Founders, CEOs and C-level executives from around the world who are planning to enter or expand their business in North America. Set on the first day of SXSW Interactive, it provides a comprehensive view of industry trends, investment, legal, tax and regional opportunities with a mix of expert speakers, case studies and candid Q&As.
What You’ll Learn
- Digital industry trends, tips and analysis
- Understanding US business culture and how to win business
- Industry geography and where to open an office
- Staying legal, protecting IP, corporate structures
- Where to find investment and making sure it’s the right type
- Immigration, visas and the right options for your firm
- Hiring and firing staff, plus office logistics
- The benefits of meeting other international SXSW delegates
Agenda
9:00am - Doors Open & Registration
9:50am - Introduction
An introduction to the day’s proceedings from conference organisers SXSW and Chinwag.
10:00am - Welcome to Austin
Austin: home of SXSW and a thriving tech industry. A welcome from the City and an introduction to the local digital scene from the Mayor’s Office and Adriana Cruz, Austin Chamber of Commerce.
10:15am - Geography Lessons: Silicon Alley to Silicon Valley
The United States is a huge country with an equally huge variation in its digital sector. What are the trends across the country? Where should firms look to set up? Startups in San Francisco, advertising & marketing in New York, game companies in Austin?
This session brings together industry experts from across the US to share their insight on the trends, opportunities and regional specialities.
11:25am - Keeping Legal: Setting up, starting up, paying up, keeping up
A little preparation can avoid a bunch of pitfalls. Staying legal means there’s plenty to consider: incorporation, corporate structure, contracts, hiring, firing, IP protection and investment.
Using real-world examples and avoiding legal jargon, the legal eagles will provide a checklist of the vital legal steps to starting your US business.
12:25pm - US Immigration for Digital Entrepreneurs
Resident alien? Non-resident alien? It’s not sci-fi, it’s immigration! Setting up in the US involves living and working in the country for a while, possibly permanently. Cut through the red tape with expert advice.
12:45pm - Lunch
Time for a break. Meet, chat and network over lunch.
1:45pm - Shifting Units & Making Noise: Sales & Marketing in the US
The scale of the US market provides great opportunities but also some big challenges: how to stand out from the crowd and close those all-important sales.
This session will go behind the culture of how US companies do business. Whether targeting a business or consumer market, pitching large corporates, finding partners, attracting media or building social capital, discover how to build relationships, trust and sales.
2:45pm - Show Me The Money: VCs, Angels & Investment
In Q4 2012, the US venture funds raised over $20bn. The appetite for investment is what attracts so many startups and overseas firms to the US and why some of the leading firms are almost household names. In startup households, at least.
What are investors looking for and what can they offer? What’s the best approach and what are the latest trends? Which type of investment and investor works best? Pick the brains of the people behind the money.
3:45pm - Break
4:15pm - Tales from the Trenches: Case Studies
What’s the inside story? What worked? What didn’t? How much did it cost? How long did it take? What was the planning process? Big challenges breed tough questions.
The best answers come from from those who’ve been there, seen it, done it and prospered. Bringing together entrepreneurs who have who have successfully expanded their business to the US, hear the warts’n’all reality, the tips, tricks and workarounds, the pitfalls and possibilities. Each founder will share their story with plenty of time for an extended Q&A.
5:30pm - Close & Networking Drinks
Supported by the Austin Chamber of Commerce, the post-summit networking drinks is an opportunity to talk, connect and network with fellow delegates, speakers and some of Austin’s leading tech firms over a few drinks. Meet with 100+ world-class international entrepreneurs and business founders facing similar challenges in developing business in the US.
Venue: Malaga Tapas & Bar, 440 West 2nd Street, Austin, TX 78701
8:00pm - SXSW Interactive Opening Party (SXSW Badge only)
For those with a SXSW Interactive badge, kick off the Interactive Festival with a bang at this unforgettable truly interactive party experience brought to you by the creative geniuses at frog design and Microsoft.
Venue: Palmer Events Center, 900 Barton Springs Rd
(free shuttles from Convention Center)
Speakers
- Gemma Craven, Executive Vice President and NY lead at Social@Ogilvy
- Toby Daniels, founder of Crowdcentric and Social Media Week
- Aziz Gilani, partner DFJ Mercury
- Jess Butcher, CMO and Founding Director at Blippar
- Allan Rooney, Founder of Rooney P.C.
- Emre Ozgu, Partner at Barst Mukamal and Kleiner LLP
- Harper Reed, Founder of Harper Rules LLC ex-CTO Obama Campaign
- Robert Scoble, Start-Up Liason Officer at Rackspace
- Dragos Ilinca, Co-Founder of uberVU
- Saidah Nash Carter, is Vice Presdent of Strategy and Business Innovation at Thomson Reuters
- Hermione Way, CEO at Newspepper ltd
- Jules Ehrhardt, Partner at ustwo
- Jason Seats, Managing Director of TechStars Cloud
Registration
Tickets are available for only $129. Discounts are available for groups, please contact us for details. You MUST be a SXSW Interactive, Film, Music, Gold or Platinum registrant to attend the "Doing Business in the USA" summit
Book now at: http://doingbusiness.eventbrite.com
Contact
If you are interested in being involved in the Doing Business in the USA Summit please contact:
Chinwag:
Sam Michel
Email: sam
chinwag [dot] com
Telephone: +44 20 7183 2925
Cell: +44 7887 627 115
Francesca Heath
Email: francescachinwag [dot] com
Telephone: +44 20 7183 2922
Cell: +44 7725 812 842
SXSW:
Mirko Whitfield
SXSW Europe & Int’l Business Development
Email: mirkosxsw [dot] com
Tel.: +49.7071.885 604
Tickets
Photo (cc) Thomas Hawk.
