If you have IP (a patent, a pending patent, a trade secret, or even a core software method) and you are thinking about licensing it to a US company, you are not alone. A lot of founders do this to get into the US market faster, win bigger customers, or make US fundraising easier. But […]
Licensing IP to a US Entity: Pros and Cons Read More »
If you are building a startup, you will hear the word “valuation” a lot. People will throw it around like it is one clear number. It is not. In the real world, founders deal with at least two kinds of valuation conversations: One is the 409A valuation. This is the one most founders first meet
409A vs Local Valuations: What Actually Matters Read More »
Raising money is already hard. Raising money from another country adds a new layer of risk, paperwork, timing issues, and trust gaps. But it can also be worth it. Cross-border fundraising can open doors to better-fit investors, larger checks, and stronger networks. It can also help you avoid getting trapped in a tiny local pool
The Cross-Border Fundraising Checklist for Founders Read More »
Most founders wait too long to think about company structure. They focus on the product, the demo, the launch, and the next hire. That makes sense—until an investor, a customer, or a future acquirer asks a simple question: “Who owns what?” If your answer is messy, the deal gets slower. If your answer is unclear,
Parent-Subsidiary Structures That Investors Prefer Read More »
If your startup has a team, a contractor, a lab partner, or a parent company in another country, you may already be doing “transfer pricing” without knowing it. Transfer pricing is simply the price you charge when one part of your business provides something to another part of your business across borders. That “something” can
Transfer Pricing for Startups: The Early Setup Read More »
Cross-border fundraising sounds fancy. In real life, it often feels like this: you built something strong, you have early users or pilots, and you suddenly realize the best investors for your kind of company may not live in your country. Maybe the top AI funds are in the U.S., maybe the best robotics angels are
Cross-Border Fundraising 101 for Startups Read More »
Double taxation sounds like a boring tax phrase. But for founders, it can quietly drain cash, slow hiring, and even scare off investors if it shows up at the wrong time. In the simplest sense, “double taxation” means the same money gets taxed two times. Not because you made a mistake, but because of how
Double Taxation: What Founders Should Understand Read More »
Tax withholding can feel like a “small line item” in a cross-border deal… right up until it delays closing, changes the price, or creates a surprise tax bill months later. If you are raising money from outside your home country (or investing across borders), withholding tax is one of the first things you should get
Tax Withholding in Cross-Border Investment Deals Read More »
Sanctions can kill a deal fast. Not in a dramatic way. More like a quiet “we can’t proceed” from a bank, a law firm, a payment provider, or an investor’s compliance team. And when that happens, it does not matter how strong your tech is, how fast you are growing, or how excited the other
Sanctions and Restricted Countries: Deal Killers to Avoid Read More »
Picture this: you finally get that “yes” from an investor. You shake hands. You feel the momentum. And then… the investor’s lawyer or fund admin sends a quiet email that says something like: “Please complete KYC/AML.” This part can feel strange the first time. It can also feel personal. “Why do they need my passport?
Investor KYC and AML: What You’ll Be Asked For Read More »
Tran.vc invests $50,000 at the pre-seed stage to empower AI, software, and robotics startups. We help technical founders build strong IP moats, raise seed funding, and grow without relying on endless capital. Focused on speed, innovation, and ownership, we back the builders shaping the future with AI.
