Global Launch: Silicon Valley for Irish Startups
A six-week global expansion program designed to support Irish companies preparing to enter or scale within the U.S. market. Through structured virtual preparation and an immersive experience in Silicon Valley, founders gain the clarity, confidence, and execution readiness needed to take their next step globally.
APPLY TODAY
Deadline: March 9, 2026
Ireland has a strong track record of producing ambitious, globally minded technology companies. For many of these businesses, U.S. expansion represents a defining next step that requires clarity, preparation, and an informed approach to execution.
This 6-week program is designed for Irish companies that have achieved product-market fit in the home market and are preparing to expand into the U.S. market or looking to validate their U.S. strategy. It combines structured preparation with an immersive, Silicon Valley experience to help founders approach U.S. expansion with confidence and intent.
Program Dates: April 13 – May 22, 2026
Ideal Candidates:
A focused, execution-led approach to U.S. expansion, designed to prepare companies for long-term growth beyond their home market.
Founders engage in 4-weeks of guided preparation to clarify their U.S. go-to-market strategy, refine positioning, and align internal teams before entering the market.
The program includes a two-week in-person immersion in Silicon Valley, providing direct exposure to the U.S. startup ecosystem and practical insight into how companies operate, sell, and scale in-market.
By combining preparation with real-world validation, the program helps companies build the confidence, clarity, and foundations required for sustained international growth.
The program runs over six weeks, combining virtual preparation with an in-person immersion to Silicon Valley. Each phase is designed to build on the last, forming a single journey from preparation to validation.
The first phase focuses on preparing companies to enter or scale effectively in the U.S. market. Through a combination of workshops, cohort sessions, and 1:1 mentorship, founders work on sharpening strategy and aligning execution plans.
Areas of focus include:
This phase ensures companies arrive in the U.S. with clear objectives and informed assumptions.
The in-person phase takes place in Silicon Valley, placing founders inside one of the world’s most influential startup ecosystems.
During this phase, founders:
This experience is intentionally focused on prioritizing relevance and application to help founders challenge and validate key assumptions, observe real sales motions, and develop a deeper understanding of how companies operate, sell, and scale within the US.
AI-driven behavioral intelligence platform
Leveraged learnings from the program to raise their valuation 2x and close their JPY 550M Series A round
Conducted 47 meetings during the program with investors and potential clients
Hired 18 new team members to expand their business globally to set up U.S. office within 5 months
Identified new ICP, targeting Private Equity firms and large corporates active in M&A
AI-driven behavioral intelligence platform
Leveraging learnings from the program, the following were achieved by the startup, as reported to 500 Global1:
Raise their valuation 2x and close their JPY 550M Series A round
Conducted 47 meetings during the program with investors and potential clients
Hired 18 new team members to expand their business globally to set up U.S. office within 5 months
Identified new ICP, targeting Private Equity firms and large corporates active in M&A
1. ALL OF THESE ACTIVITIES WERE PURSUED AND IMPLEMENTED BY THE STARTUP THROUGH ITS OWN INITIATIVES.
THIS PROGRAM IS OPERATED BY 500 STARTUPS INCUBATOR, L.L.C (TOGETHER WITH ITS AFFILIATES, “500 GLOBAL”). ALL CONTENT PROVIDED IN THIS WEBPAGE IS PROVIDED FOR GENERAL INFORMATIONAL OR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. 500 GLOBAL MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS AS TO THE ACCURACY OF INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS WEBPAGE. WHILE 500 GLOBAL HAS TAKEN REASONABLE STEPS TO ENSURE THAT THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS WEBPAGE IS ACCURATE AND UP-TO-DATE, NO LIABILITY CAN BE ACCEPTED FOR ANY ERROR OR OMISSIONS. NOTHING IN THE CONTENT DELIVERED THROUGH THIS PROGRAM SHALL CONSTITUTE OR IS INTENDED TO CONSTITUTE LEGAL, TAX OR INVESTMENT ADVICE BY 500 GLOBAL (INCLUDING INVESTMENT ADVICE AS DEFINED IN THE U.S. INVESTMENT ADVISERS ACT OF 1940). THIS WEBPAGE IS UPDATED AS OF JANUARY 2026. THIS IS A NON-INVESTMENT PROGRAM, AND PARTICIPATION IN THE PROGRAM DOES NOT INCLUDE OR GUARANTEE AN INVESTMENT FROM 500 GLOBAL, OR ITS RESPECTIVE AFFILIATES. HOWEVER, PARTICIPATION IN THE PROGRAM DOES NOT PRECLUDE 500 GLOBAL AND ITS AFFILIATES FROM CONSIDERING FUTURE INVESTMENTS IN A PARTICIPATING COMPANY. THE SERVICES PROVIDED UNDER THE PROGRAM ARE CONDUCTED SOLELY IN FURTHERANCE OF THE PARTICIPANTS’ BONA FIDE COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL, OR FINANCIAL OPERATIONS AND ARE NOT BEING UNDERTAKEN FOR THE PURPOSE OF DIRECTLY PROMOTING THE PUBLIC OR POLITICAL INTERESTS OF “GOVERNMENT OF A FOREIGN COUNTRY” OR “FOREIGN POLITICAL PARTY”, AS DEFINED AT 22 U.S.C. SECTION 611.
