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Pillar guide
How to enter the US market in 2026: a step-by-step guide for international companies
The US is the largest market most international companies will ever sell into, and the most expensive one to get wrong. This is the sequence we use with clients to reach US revenue without burning budget on the wrong hires, the wrong state or the wrong trade show.
Why the US, in numbers
Foreign companies held $5.86 trillion of direct investment in the United States at the end of 2025, according to the US Bureau of Economic Analysis. By country of the direct foreign parent, the largest positions came from the United Kingdom ($1.11 trillion), the Netherlands ($1.04 trillion), Luxembourg, Ireland and Canada. New foreign investment to acquire, establish or expand US businesses reached $232.2 billion in 2025, and Europe contributed about half of it.
The momentum continued in 2026. The EACC Transatlantic Expansion Barometer counted 680 European projects announced in the US in the first half of 2026, worth about $17 billion, with growth moving toward Texas, Florida and North Carolina. Executives cited market size and existing US demand as their top reasons, and the most direct trigger was staying close to large US customers.
The 8-step entry sequence
- Validate demand before spending. Book 15–30 conversations with US buyers in your target segment. Their objections tell you more than a market study. Our free ICP brief is a fast first pass.
- Pick one segment and one buyer profile. "US healthcare" is not a segment. "Revenue-cycle directors at US hospital groups with 5–20 sites" is.
- Pick a first region, not the whole country. The US behaves like ten markets. Match your sector to its hub: biotech in Boston, finance and media in New York, SaaS and AI in the Bay Area, logistics and industry in Chicago, fast-growth tech in Austin.
- Adapt the offer for US buyers. US-format case studies, pricing in dollars, US references, SOC 2 or sector certifications where buyers ask for them, and a US phone number and time-zone coverage.
- Build visibility where your buyers look. For B2B that is LinkedIn first: a founder profile and company page that speak to US buyers, with regular posts. Buyers check you before they reply.
- Run outbound to named accounts. Personalised LinkedIn and email outreach to mapped decision-makers, followed by calls. Measure acceptance, reply and meeting rates weekly.
- Set up the legal footprint when it is needed. See the next section. Many companies sign their first US deals from the home entity.
- Hire locally once the pipeline exists. Your first US hire should inherit live opportunities, not a blank CRM.
Legal and tax basics for foreign-owned companies
| Topic | What to know in 2026 |
|---|---|
| Entity | Delaware C-corporation is the common default for a foreign parent. An LLC can work, but a foreign-owned single-member LLC must file Form 5472 with a pro forma Form 1120 every year, even with no activity; the penalty is $25,000 per form. |
| EIN | Required for banking, payroll and tax filings. Founders without a US Social Security number apply to the IRS by fax, mail or phone rather than the online form. |
| Beneficial ownership (BOI) | FinCEN's August 11, 2026 final rule permanently exempts US-formed companies. Entities formed abroad and registered to do business in a US state must still report their non-US beneficial owners. |
| Sales tax | No federal VAT. Each state sets its own sales tax and, since the 2018 Wayfair decision, can require out-of-state sellers to collect once they pass an economic threshold (often $100,000 of sales into the state). SaaS taxability varies by state. |
| State registration | A company formed in Delaware but operating elsewhere usually must register ("foreign qualify") in the states where it has employees or an office. |
| Tax treaty | Most of our clients' home countries have an income-tax treaty with the US that limits double taxation; claim it with the right W-8 form when US customers pay you. |
This is general information. Confirm entity, tax and filing choices with a US attorney and a CPA who works with foreign-owned companies.
Visas for founders and staff
- Business visits (ESTA / B-1): meetings, negotiations, trade shows and conferences — not productive work for a US entity.
- E-2 treaty investor: for nationals of treaty countries (including the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Canada and France) who invest substantially in a US business they direct. Eligibility follows citizenship, not residence.
- L-1 intracompany transferee: for managers or specialists who worked for the foreign company for at least one continuous year in the last three, moving to a US affiliate.
- Business plans: E-2 and L-1 applications rely on a credible business plan; we have written them for clients since 2013.
Finding your first US buyers
What we see across client campaigns run from New York since 2021:
| Metric (48 LinkedIn campaigns, Apr 2021 – Jun 2026) | Result |
|---|---|
| Connection invitations sent | 301,398 |
| Acceptance rate | 31.6% |
| Opportunities delivered | 4,860 |
| Meetings booked / held | 799 / 628 |
| Median time to first opportunity | 7 days |
Three things drive those numbers: a narrow buyer profile, a founder profile that looks credible to Americans, and follow-ups that start a conversation rather than pitch. Trade shows still matter in some sectors — use Events.gershon.ai to pick the few worth attending, and book meetings before you fly. The SelectUSA Investment Summit, run by the US Department of Commerce each spring near Washington, D.C., is the main event for meeting US state economic-development agencies.
The mistakes that burn budget
- Hiring too early: a US sales lead hired before demand is proven, then given no pipeline.
- Aiming too wide: "the US market" instead of one segment in one region.
- Waiting for trade shows: one booth a year instead of a weekly pipeline.
- Missing the filings: a foreign-owned LLC that never files Form 5472.
- Selling with home-market materials: euros, local references and translated decks.
Read the guide for your home country: UK, Germany, Netherlands, Canada.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a US company to sell in the United States?
Usually not at first. Many international companies sign their first US customers by invoicing from their home entity. A US subsidiary becomes useful when customers ask for a US contracting party, when you hire US staff, hold US inventory, or need US banking and payroll.
Delaware C-corp or LLC for a foreign-owned US subsidiary?
A Delaware C-corporation is the common default when the parent is a foreign company, when you may raise US venture capital, or when you want a clean corporate structure. A single-member LLC owned by a foreign person or company triggers an annual Form 5472 with a pro forma Form 1120, with a $25,000 penalty per form for missing it. Ask a US CPA before choosing.
Does a foreign company still have to file beneficial ownership (BOI) reports with FinCEN?
Under FinCEN's final rule of August 11, 2026, US-formed companies are permanently exempt. Entities formed abroad and registered to do business in a US state remain foreign reporting companies and must report their non-US beneficial owners.
How long does it take to get the first US customer?
It depends on deal size and sector. Across 48 Gershon LinkedIn campaigns run between 2021 and 2026, the median time to the first qualified opportunity was 7 days after outreach began, and 91% of campaigns had one within 30 days. Turning that into a signed contract typically takes one to several sales cycles.
Which US visa lets a founder run the US business?
Common routes are the E-2 treaty investor visa (only for nationals of treaty countries such as the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Canada and France), the L-1 intracompany transfer (after at least one year working for the foreign parent in the last three), and short business visits under ESTA or a B-1 visa for meetings, but not for working in the US.
Should I hire a US salesperson first?
Rarely. Hiring a US sales lead before you have validated demand is one of the most common and expensive mistakes. Validate first with real buyer conversations, then hire when you have a pipeline to hand over.
Is the US still worth it with tariffs in 2026?
European companies kept investing: the EACC Transatlantic Expansion Barometer counted 680 European projects in the US in the first half of 2026, worth about $17 billion. Tariffs mostly affect goods; software and services companies are less exposed.
Want US buyers in your pipeline this quarter?
Free 30-minute call with Olivier Attia, founder of Gershon Consulting. We map who buys what you sell in the US and how a Promote · Network · Engage campaign would reach them.
Book your free US growth call