Europe is producing world-class innovation. The U.S. is still where many founders go to prove how big they can get.
The new Sifted H1 2025 report points to a clear pattern. European startups excel in deeptech, B2B, climate, and fintech. Yet when the goal is to move faster or raise larger rounds, many look west.
In the first quarter of this year, U.S. startups raised $85.5B compared to Europe’s $13.5B. The gap is not just about scale. It reflects how decisions are made, how quickly capital is deployed, and how much risk investors are willing to take.
At Quartermaster California, we work with Dutch and European companies that want to keep their capital discipline while tapping into the size and pace of the U.S. market. California is where they validate their product, meet customers face-to-face, and turn strategy into sales.
European founders do not have to choose between efficiency and ambition. With the right plan, they can keep both. The question is whether they want to test their next stage of growth in the largest single market in the world.
Check out the full report here: https://sifted.eu/intelligence/reports
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