5 mistakes European companies make entering the US

Every year, hundreds of European tech companies decide to crack the US. Most spend 12–18 months and most of their runway before realizing it isn’t working. The mistakes are predictable.

1. Assuming your European positioning works in America.

It doesn’t. American buyers are more direct, more competitive, and more skeptical of unfamiliar brands. Your website copy, your pitch deck, your pricing page — all of it needs to be rewritten for a US audience. “We’re the leading solution in the Nordics” means nothing to a VP of Engineering in Austin.

2. Hiring a US sales rep before having a US strategy.

This is the most expensive mistake on the list. Companies hire a salesperson in the US, hand them a European pitch deck, and expect results. Six months later, the rep quits (or gets fired), and you’re back to zero — minus $150K. Sales reps execute a strategy. They don’t create one.

3. Treating the US as one market.

The US isn’t a bigger Sweden. It’s a continent of different markets. Selling enterprise in NYC is nothing like selling startups in SF. Pick a beachhead. Go deep. Expand later.

“We’re the leading solution in the Nordics” means nothing to a VP of Engineering in Austin.

4. Underpricing to “be competitive.”

European companies consistently underprice for the US market. They think lower prices will help them win deals against established players. In practice, low prices signal low value. American buyers are used to paying more — and they expect to. Price with confidence.

5. Going alone.

No warm intros, no local advisors. Cold outreach from overseas barely converts. The companies that succeed almost always have someone opening doors for them. An advisor, a board member, or a partner who can make the first call warm.

All five mistakes come from one root: applying European assumptions to American buyers. The companies that succeed adapt. They don’t translate.