Techscaler New York
Summer 2026

Focus

During their time in New York, participants focused on:

• Understanding how East Coast investors evaluate international startups and early commercial traction
• Building relationships with corporates and partners across key sectors
• Developing a clearer view of regulatory expectations and operational realities in the US
• Navigating the cultural and commercial dynamics that shape partnerships and deal progression
• Making connections, expanding their networks and gaining invaluable insights at a16z‘s New York Tech Week

Pre-Departure Activity 

1-1 self-scheduled sessions:

• Throughout April - 30-minute call with EIRs (Entrepreneurs in Residence, CodeBase)
  
• 2x pre-departure, 2x post-trip - Techscaler Ecosystem Mentorship Session with US-specific Mentors
• 27th & 28th May - Scottish Enterprise: Preparing your IP for the US Market 1:1 slots

Cohort Group Sessions:

• 15th April - Online cohort mixer (online)
• 6th May - Pre-departure workshop (online)
• 7 May - US Expansion Dinner with Dan Glazer from Wilson Sonsini 

On-Location Agenda

1-7 June featured a16z‘s New York Tech Week. This was followed by a participant-led structure, supplemented with a small number of additional activities including:

• 1 June - Cohort welcome workshop
• 3 June -  “Spotlight On Scotland” Techscaler x NY Tech Week Panel and Networking Event
• 11 June -  “Setting up your US operations” Breakfast with TABS
• 11 and 18 June -  End of Programme Drop-in

Invitation Process

• Anyone could register their interest for the programmes on the programme’s landing page on the Techscaler website.
• If they were a Techscaler member at that time, they were directed to the international programme application. 
• If they were not a Techscaler member at that time, they were signposted to the membership application, before being directed to the international programmes application once their membership application was processed and accepted.
• Existing Techscaler members were invited to apply to the programme by email. Invitations were sent to all registered and suitable Techscaler members listed on our CRM (or where this field was empty, in the interest of completeness). 
• New Techscaler members in the midst of their onboarding who were likely to be suitable received updated onboarding communications with a link to the international programmes application form to ensure they didn’t miss the opportunity to apply. 

The workflow also incorporated an opportunity for members to update their information at the point of application, to ensure our CRM held the most up-to-date details possible. 

The Techscaler New york programme was promoted through direct outreach, organic content and paid advertising. An application invitation was emailed to all suitable Techscaler members, and the programme was promoted through organic and paid content across Techscaler's web and social channels. Founder case studies were subsequently published to document outcomes for participating companies.

Eligibility and Criteria

• Techscaler membership
• Being a founder / co-founder / senior leader
• Availability for pre-departure workshop
• Availability for all trip dates (with a small number of exceptions made on a case by case basis as part of a commitment to accessibility - based on founder feedback)
• Product in market and generating  revenue over £1,000 a month 
• Has started engaging with potential customers or partners in the US and is able to prove significant traction

Assessment and Review
Applicants who matched all essential criteria were reviewed by the CodeBase team. They were assessed based on a combination of their application answers and wider information held by Techscaler in their curation/mentorship notes, as well as members highlighted by Entrepreneurs in Residence and Regional Community Managers as particularly suitable.

Attending Businesses

• danceSing
• eCERTO
• Fanbase
• Lexidesk
• LiberEat
• ScotAi
• Tethered
• Vidai UK

In Numbers

• Participants accepted: 8
• CodeBase colleagues attending:2
• CSAT Score  100  (based on all 8  participants completing a survey within 1 week post-trip)Average costs per flight: £1,048.88
• Average costs per flight: £1,048.88
• Average cost per hotel room per night: £221.92  (excl. Tax and Fees)

Lessons Learned

Based on attendee feedback collected 2-weeks post-programme:

• Selection criteria validated: Targeting high potential and more mature, revenue-generating B2B businesses works. It yields immediate contract negotiations with major US brands rather than vague networking and business card collection.
• New York is the place to be for Scottish founders: Big enterprise headquarters are there, strong Scottish and British communities, reduced time difference with the UK, shorter flight from the UK. NY Tech Week was a great catalyst for this!
• Workspace: We offered WeWork passes to work flexibly around New York rather than a single office space. Two people who had been on one of our previous cohorts before missed having a single office space, but the others appreciated the flexibility.
• Duration: Some participants found 3 weeks in market insufficient for closing leads, while others suggested that 3 weeks was too long of a commitment, especially for more mature business founders. We’re trialling a 2-week format for Techscaler Silicon Valley and Techscaler Singapore this Autumn.
• Prep is everything: Our pre-departure offerings, such as the EiR sessions, dedicated mentorship sessions, contact with alumni, pre-departure workshop, were rated highly- which reflects positively on the changes we made since the Japan cohort in Spring 2026. Our objective is to continue incorporating more opportunities for demos so participants can better understand each other’s products before being in-market.