Canary Wharf Group plc’s Level39, Europe’s largest technology accelerator for finance, retail and future city technology companies, is to host the first London SelectUSA Tech Seminar. The session will help young technology companies based in London to establish operations in the United States. Hosted at Level39, the event will focus on the legal, tax, accounting, insurance, visa, and finance issues related to doing business in the U.S., and will be presented to a curated audience of companies that are in part based across several UK accelerators: Level39, Wayra UK, Seedcamp and TechStars UK.

The seminar is part of a series of events that will be hosted at Level39, Canary Wharf, as the accelerator space widens its international programme.

The U.S. Commercial Service, part of the U.S. Department of Commerce, has partnered with the likes of Deloitte, Fried Frank, GP Bullhound, Index Ventures, La Playa Insurance, Silicon Valley Bank, UK Trade and Investment, Tech City, Tech London Advocates, and the Embassy’s Consular Section for today’s first in a UK series of SelectUSA Tech seminars.

John Breidenstine, the U.S. Embassy’s Minister Counselor for Commercial Affairs:

“British technology companies recognize that the United States is a great target for expansion, as it accounts for more than 55% of global ICT R&D and continues to dominate the global tech market with a 40% share of all purchases.  The level of excitement in the run-up to this seminar among our partners, accelerators and startups tells me that we are on to something.  Through these kinds of events, we hope to give local entrepreneurs the tools that they need to successfully enter the U.S. market, while at the same time strengthening the U.S.-UK commercial relationship.”

Eric Van der Kleij, Head of Level39, Canary Wharf Group plc:

“As an entrepreneur who has done business in both the UK and US, I learnt first-hand about the challenges that young companies can face when making the leap into the US market. This decision to take a business global is a huge moment for any company, and it is often a risk worth taking. We hope that this seminar leads to many more successful relationships between the UK and U.S. technology sectors.”

SelectUSA invites interested parties to submit questions to @SelectUSATech @Level39CW with the hashtag #SelectUSATech.  The seminar will include sessions on:

•  Accessing U.S. buyers and finance;
• Understanding the legal, tax, accounting, insurance and visa issues related to expanding in the United States; and
• Marketing to a U.S. audience, highlighted through a number of case studies.