The United States boasts the largest and most dynamic startup ecosystem in the world, with major hubs like Silicon Valley, New York City, and Boston. This ecosystem is characterized by a strong venture capital presence and a supportive culture for innovation and entrepreneurship. The U.S. continues to lead globally in technological innovation and startup activity, contributing significantly to economic growth and job creation.
As of 2024, the U.S. is home to approximately 77,927 startups. The startup ecosystem is supported by substantial venture capital investments, which totaled around $162.6 billion in 2022. This robust financial backing highlights the confidence investors have in the U.S. startup market, ensuring ample funding for innovation and growth.
Key strengths of the U.S. market include a highly skilled workforce, advanced technological infrastructure, and a culture that encourages risk-taking and entrepreneurship. The presence of major tech companies like Google, Apple, and Facebook fosters a collaborative environment and provides ample opportunities for startups. Additionally, the U.S. government offers support through various grants and tax incentives, such as the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program.
Silicon Valley remains the epicenter of innovation, driving advancements in AI, biotechnology, fintech, and clean energy. New York City excels in finance and media, while Boston is strong in biotechnology and education-driven startups. These regions are crucial to the U.S. startup ecosystem, offering a wealth of resources, talent, and opportunities.
Cities like Austin, Denver, and Seattle are emerging as significant tech hubs. These cities provide a favorable business climate, quality of life, and are becoming attractive locations for startups and talent. The rise of remote work has further expanded opportunities for startups to access talent from various regions, contributing to the growth of these emerging hubs.
The U.S. startup market benefits from a comprehensive support system of accelerators, incubators, and co-working spaces. Programs like Techstars and Y Combinator have been instrumental in nurturing early-stage startups, providing mentorship, resources, and funding. These support systems help startups at various stages of their journey to scale and succeed.
Despite its strengths, the U.S. startup ecosystem faces challenges such as high costs of living, regulatory hurdles, and intense competition for talent. These challenges can create barriers for new startups and require strategic navigation to ensure long-term success.
The U.S. startup market features a diverse customer base and a culture that encourages innovation and entrepreneurship. The rise of remote work has expanded opportunities, allowing startups to access talent from various regions. The future outlook remains positive with continuous growth and innovation, driven by emerging technologies such as blockchain, quantum computing, and green energy.
The U.S. startup ecosystem is characterized by its resilience and adaptability. Despite challenges, the ecosystem continues to evolve, driven by a strong culture of entrepreneurship and technological advancements. This ensures the U.S. remains at the forefront of global innovation, contributing significantly to economic growth and job creation.
London - New York - San Francisco Bay Area - California, U.S.A. - U.K.
Software (Web Marketplace Saas..) • Media • Retail (& E-Commerce) • Cosmetics (& Fashion) • Entertainment (& Sports) • HealthTech (& Fitness) • Local commerce • Healthcare (& Wellness) • Consumer
General Partner at Lightspeed Venture Partners
Nicole is an investor at Lightspeed Venture Partners, focused on early stage Consumer internet and FinTech companies, having invested in companies such as Calm, Cameo, Lunchclub, HAUS, Rothy’s, Zola, Daily Harvest, Illumix, Girlboss and Goop.
Nicole spent nearly a decade at Morgan Stanley covering the European and US e-commerce, retail and consumer companies. She also angel invested in healthcare and consumer companies over those years and then went to Nutmeg, a London based FinTech company. Later during business school, Nicole launched her own startup, which is where she met Lightspeed.
Nicole invests in generational change companies who are building brands and quickly becoming part of popular culture.
She holds a degree in math and economics from the University of York, England and an MBA from Stanford.
San Francisco Bay Area - California, U.S.A.
Software (Web Marketplace Saas..) • Media • Entertainment (& Sports) • Gaming (& eSports) • Online Social • Woman Focused
Managing Director | Transcend Fund
Most Interested In
Games, esports, and digital media
Business & Corporate Development • Founder @qbiquity • Exec roles at @playfish, @gree
Ontario California - Toronto Ontario - Toronto (Ontario) - Toronto (), U.S.A.
PropTech • BioTech • AgroTech • Hardware (& Manufacturing) • Entertainment (& Sports) • Food & Beverage • Impact • Medical Devices (& Hospital Services) • Real Estate (& Construction) • Mobility • Consumer
Jesse Rasch is a Co-Founder and serves as Chairman & Chief Executive Officer at Hedgewood. He is the co-founder and past Chairman & CEO of WebHosting.com and InQuent Technologies. He co-founded CareGuide. InQuent provides private label hosting solutions to telecommunications customers including Bell Canada, KPN, Telecom New Zealand, PCCW, AT&T, Comcast, & Cox Communications. WebHosting.Com was one of the largest business web hosting companies in the world. In 2000, Rasch sold InQuent and WebHosting.Com to AT&T. In 2002, Rasch orchestrated a management team acquisition of InQuent from AT&T. Rasch successfully sold InQuent once more in 2003. InQuent was merged with Network Solutions and is now part of publicly traded web.com. Rasch is widely credited with establishing the white label web hosting market segment that is a significant component of the $95 billion annual web hosting market. VerticalScope, which Rasch co-founded, develops and acquires online media and community properties. VerticalScope's network of websites is visited by over 85,000,000 people per month. VerticalScope's automotive publishing division, the Modified Automotive Group, was acquired by KKR / Primedia in 2007. Torstar acquired 56% of VerticalScope in 2015. Rasch is a proponent of venture philanthropy and is active in encouraging entrepreneurs to participate in strategic philanthropy. He established the Jesse & Julie Rasch Foundation in 2000 to invest in causes that reflect Rasch's broad charitable interests. In 2001, Rasch was awarded the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award. He has been featured in Time Magazine, The Globe & Mail, Canadian Business, The National Post, Network World, Macleans, and on CBC, CTV, Global, City-TV, BNN, and many other print, televised, and radio media. He was a founding member of the Canadian E-Business Opportunities Roundtable, a joint private and public sector advisory group on e-business in Canada.
San Francisco Bay Area - Miami Beach - Florida, U.S.A. - Singapore
PropTech • Hospitality (& Events) • Hardware (& Manufacturing) • Retail (& E-Commerce) • Cosmetics (& Fashion) • Entertainment (& Sports) • IoT (& Wearables) • Real Estate (& Construction) • Mobility • Consumer
Most Interested In
Currently we're interested in Consumer, Marketplaces, and Real Estate tech - but are opportunistic and really just want great founders in huge markets
Not Interested In
BioTech, Social Networks, Marketing Software, Big Data, AR/VR
New York - Los Angeles, U.S.A.
Hospitality (& Events) • BioTech • Sales (& Marketing) • Entertainment (& Sports) • CleanTech • HealthTech (& Fitness) • Medical Devices (& Hospital Services) • Healthcare (& Wellness) • Mobility • Consumer
Most Interested In
We provide liquidity for founders and investors for their private shares in great companies -usually mature enough to have meaningful revenue traction
Not Interested In
Pre-revenue companies or shares in companies where the investors and founders are not supportive of a secondary transaction
San Francisco Bay Area - New York, U.S.A.
Media • Retail (& E-Commerce) • Cosmetics (& Fashion) • Entertainment (& Sports) • HealthTech (& Fitness) • Gaming (& eSports) • Healthcare (& Wellness) • Online Social • Consumer
Nikhil Kalghatgi serves as Partner at CoVenture. He also serves as Venture Advisor at Green Sands Equity. He formerly served as Partner at Vast Ventures. He is a partner at Vast Ventures, investing in world-positive early-stage and late-stage companies. He has invested across technology including space exploration, healthcare, energy, software, and transportation. Recent investments include Elon Musk's Hyperloop and Peter Diamandis's Planetary Resources. Nikhil previously worked at SoftBank Capital where the portfolio included Alibaba, FitBit, Buzzfeed, Huffington Post and many more. Nikhil also founded Partner 6, a hedge fund focused on large-cap, value-based strategies and joined the founding team of Localytics building mobile analytics. Nikhil spent several years as an engineer in the military intelligence sector before completing his MBA at Harvard Business School. Nikhil started and hosts the Necker Summit with Richard Branson on his island, where he brings together global leader and innovators from early to late stages of entrepreneurship to inspire ideas and products that create a different kind of billionaire - one who impacts a billion people.
Argentina - Colombia - Sao Paulo, U.S.A. - Brazil - Mexico
Software (Web Marketplace Saas..) • Hospitality (& Events) • Media • Retail (& E-Commerce) • Entertainment (& Sports) • Food & Beverage • Local commerce • Logistics (& Distribution) • Messaging • Online Social
Most Interested In
Online marketplaces, market networks, urban mobility, transportation, logistics
New York - Los Angeles - San Francisco Bay Area, U.S.A.
Software (Web Marketplace Saas..) • Media • Education • Retail (& E-Commerce) • Cosmetics (& Fashion) • Entertainment (& Sports) • HealthTech (& Fitness) • Messaging • Healthcare (& Wellness) • Consumer • Woman Focused
Global Head Of Music at Roblox
Most Interested In
I focus on female founded consumer startups that are improving the way we live and making the best things in life accessible to more people domestically and around the world.
Not Interested In
Enterprise
Entrepreneur and Angel Investor. Father of 2. Recovering Media, Advertising and Mobile Exec. Interested in helping passionate founders where I can add value.