The "US GTM" Playbook: 25 US Venture Builders Backing Indian Startups
Why Your US Expansion Will Fail (And the 1% Playbook to Succeed).
You have traction, a solid team, and a working website. You're ready to scale. But 99% of Indian founders fail at this next step: expanding to the US market.
The common mistake? Pitching US VCs cold. Your deck is dying in their inbox because you haven't solved the "GTM (Go-to-Market) gap."
Here's the truth: The smartest Indian founders are using a "secret on-ramp." They partner with US Venture Builders first. These programs aren't just about a cheque; they are a "GTM-in-a-box." They provide the infrastructure, customer networks, and playbooks to get your first 10 US customers and "de-risk" you for top-tier VCs. This is your strategic map to that on-ramp.
25 US Venture Builders Backing Indian Startups
We've organized this list into the 5 key sectors you're building for
For AI-First Startups
Venture Builder Name | Typical Check & Model | Their "US GTM" Superpower | Who They Actually Want | How to Apply |
|---|---|---|---|---|
$500k total ($125k for 7% + $375k MFN) | The ultimate "Demo Day" signal. Unrivaled alumni network (9,000+ founders) for fundraising & advice. | Ambitious founders ("Make something people want"). (AI-first teams are a major 2025 focus). | Apply online. Do NOT seek warm intros. A clear, concise app & 1-min video are all that matter. | |
Co-founds (Venture Studio). Provides up to $1M pre-seed. | "GTM-in-a-Box" for AI. An embedded "tiger team" of ML engineers & data scientists works with you. | Domain-expert founders (often pre-idea) who want to be CEO. They pair you with their in-house AI talent. | Pitch idea via their site. They recruit "Founders in Residence" year-round, not a cohort model. | |
Up to $600k seed funding on a SAFE. | Full-stack AI support. Embedded PhD-level experts & enterprise customer intros to accelerate PMF. | Applied AI startups (pre-seed/seed) tackling real industries (health, finance, etc.). Global teams welcome. | Online application (rolling). Remote-friendly program based in Seattle. | |
$1M equity investment. (Converge Program) | Early access to new OpenAI models and 1-on-1 advice from OpenAI engineers and researchers. | "AI natives" (engineers, researchers) using AI in transformative ways. (Pre-idea solo founders accepted). | Apply to "Converge" online. Annual cohorts. Remote-friendly with a final on-site week in SF. | |
$200k for 8% + $300k follow-on available. | "Co-founder matching." A 6-week "sprint" to find a co-founder and validate an idea from zero. | "Wired differently" builders. Relentless individuals (often solo) with a "spike" in tech or business. | Apply online for the US Residency (in-person in NY, Austin, SF). No warm intro needed. |
For B2B SaaS Startups
Venture Builder Name | Typical Check & Model | Their "US GTM" Superpower | Who They Actually Want | How to Apply |
|---|---|---|---|---|
$25k for ~5% equity. (6-month program) | The "Enterprise Playbook." "Customer Blitz" sessions give direct intros to Global 2000 buyers. | B2B Enterprise Only. Must monetize from businesses. Prefers distinctive, technical founding teams. | Apply online for cohorts. Acceptance is tough (<5%). Part-time friendly. | |
$220k total ($20k for 5% + $200k MFN SAFE). | Global mentor network (7,000+). An "instant GTM tribe" in every major US city for B2B customer discovery. | "Team, Team, Team." Strong founding teams (Seed) in B2B SaaS, FinTech, etc., ready to leverage mentorship. | Apply online to a specific themed/city program. (e.g., Techstars NYC, Techstars AWS). | |
$150k for 6% (minus program fees). | "Growth Hacks" Curriculum. Deep focus on growth marketing (SEO, virality, sales funnels) from in-house experts. | Scrappy global founders (SaaS, FinTech) with a product & some traction, ready for a US launch. | Apply online for the Flagship Accelerator (Palo Alto). They love founders from emerging markets. | |
$100k for ~8%. (Remote-friendly) | "Fractional co-founder" approach. Partners act like extended team, joining sales calls & strategy. | Pre-seed B2B SaaS & AI startups. Prefers teams with domain expertise in their industry. | Apply online for 3 cohorts/year. Remote-first. Be ready for intensive, hands-on help. | |
Co-founds (Venture Studio). Equity varies. | B2B SaaS GTM-in-a-Box. A cross-functional team of GTM & brand experts co-builds with you. | First-time or seasoned founders with deep experience in B2B SaaS, ready to co-create. | "Get In Touch" via their "Build With Us" page. This is a rolling partnership, not a cohort. | |
Up to $100k (via fund) for select startups. | "Soft-landing" in the US. Tailor-made for Indian B2B SaaS. Provides free office space & "Technology Day" showcase. | Post-revenue Indian SaaS companies with an MVP, ready to "land and expand" in the US. | Apply online for the Global Immersion cohort. Starts virtual, then 5-week on-site in Milpitas, CA. |
The GTM Match Matrix: Find Your Perfect US Venture Builder.
The final, actionable step is to self-diagnose the startup's primary need and map it to the optimal GTM on-ramp. The following matrix provides a clear decision-making framework for Indian founders as of November 2025.
Founder Profile / Primary Need | Your Primary GTM Need | GTM Archetype to Target | Programs to Target |
|---|---|---|---|
"I am a solo founder with strong domain expertise but no US-based co-founder, idea, or team." | Co-Founder & Idea Validation | The "Day Zero" Co-Founder | Antler (US), On Deck (ODF) |
"I have a deep tech / AI R&D background but no business co-founder or in-house GTM/product team." | In-House GTM & Product Team | The Venture Studio (AI) | AI Fund, AI2 Incubator |
"I have a proven B2B SaaS product in India and need to acquire my first 10-20 US enterprise customers." | Enterprise Customer Access | The Enterprise Playbook or The Corporate Pilot | Alchemist Accelerator, Plug and Play Health |
"I have strong traction and a polished product (B2B or B2C) and need US VC validation to lead a large seed round." | VC Signal & Fundraising | The Signal | Y Combinator, Techstars |
"I have a high-traction B2B SaaS company and need an experienced US operator to help me co-found the US entity." | B2B SaaS GTM Co-Founder | The Venture Studio (B2B) | High Alpha, Forum Ventures |
"I have 'tough tech' (hardware, robotics, or deep science) and need to build a prototype." | "Tough Tech" R&D / Validation | The Deep Tech Accelerator | HAX (SOSV), IndieBio (SOSV) |
"I am just starting. I need to incorporate in the US, open a US bank account, and get a 'soft landing'." | Legal & GTM Infrastructure | The "Soft-Landing" Accelerator | FalconX (Silicon Valley), Antler (US) |
The "How to Win" Summary: From GTM to Growth.
The path to US expansion is a clear, multi-step process. For most Indian founders, the journey doesn't start with a VC. It starts with a strategic "on-ramp."
If you are a B2B SaaS founder, your "on-ramp" is the Alchemist Accelerator (for enterprise customers) or Plug and Play (for corporate pilots). If you are a DeepTech founder, it's IndieBio or HAX (for labs and validation). If you have high traction and are ready to raise, Y Combinator is your "VC Signal."
This list is your "who." The "how" is just as critical. Fundraising is a process of managing dozens of conversations, tracking follow-ups, and building momentum. At Backrr, we built the fundraising Operating System to help you manage this exact process. You can use this list to build your target pipeline on our platform, manage your outreach, and turn these first conversations into your final term sheet.
