Oz2US Ventures Launches U.S.-Expansion Accelerator and Silicon Valley Landing Pad to Equip Aussie Tech Startups for Global Growth
Oz2US Ventures launches a unique 24-week US-expansion Accelerator, combining Melbourne and Silicon Valley residencies for U.S. expansion success.
Applications are now open for the inaugural Melbourne cohort, commencing 6 September 2025.
A free public Information Session will be held on 29 July 2025 in Melbourne to guide prospective applicants.
Melbourne, Australia - 14 July 2025 – Oz2US Ventures today announced the launch of its U.S.-expansion Accelerator and Silicon Valley Landing Pad Residency programs, designed to empower Australian high-growth tech startups to conquer the U.S. market.
Current support systems for high-growth Australian startups looking to expand in the U.S. are minimal and fragmented, leaving founders ill-prepared for the considerable market, regulatory, cultural, and financial challenges. Oz2US Ventures bridges the gap by offering tailored accelerators and cross-border mentorship, empowering high growth tech startups to scale up with confidence.
Addressing the Real Barriers to U.S. Expansion
According to a study by Startup Genome, startups that go through structured accelerator programs are 10–15% less likely to fail, thanks to the mentorship, structured support, and network access accelerators provide, which help founders navigate challenges more effectively.
Oz2US Venture’s program will go even further to provide hands-on support in market validation, regulatory navigation, and investor readiness for Australian startups eyeing U.S. expansion with a 24-week program: a 12-week Melbourne-based accelerator followed by a 12-week Silicon Valley Landing Pad residency.
In addition to immersing founders into U.S.-proven growth frameworks, Oz2US Ventures will also connect them with experienced operators, investors, and other Aussie founders who’ve successfully scaled to the U.S. Participants will gain access to a network of 40 U.S. and Australian U.S.-expansion expert mentors, service providers, and VC advisors, including Vera Shokina (Silicon Valley Bank), Tom Chi (At One Ventures), Benjamin Levy (BootstrapLabs), and Trena Blair (FD Global Academy).
“Oz2US Ventures is redefining how Australian founders scale to the U.S.,” said Robert Gallup, Founder and Principal of Oz2US Ventures. “Our programs deliver unmatched preparation, mentorship, and networks to help founders land and grow in the U.S. — turning bold risks into confident leaps.”
Founder-First, Global-Scale Growth
“I’m impressed by the volume of amazing Australian founders solving incredible challenges, yet disheartened by the lack of available funding and resources to help them scale globally, I’m hoping to create a new paradigm for international expansion,” Gallup added. “No other initiative provides this seamless integration of in-depth preparation and in-market engagement, enabling founders to launch confidently and scale successfully.”
Founders will gain practical tools and insights to assess market readiness, select launch locations, develop go-to-market strategies, prepare for funding, and navigate legal and visa requirements, while mastering strategies for market research, pricing optimisation, sales approaches, and building U.S. teams. The landing pad provides a Silicon Valley workspace and extensive networks of additional advisors, fellow founders, service providers, and investors to help establish a presence quickly and reduce market-entry risks.
Successful Australian innovator in San Francisco, Ben Wunderman, Co-Founder and CEO, Packsmith, shared, "As an Australian founder having faced the incredible challenges of scaling across both the U.S. and Australia over the last few years, I wish we had this level of domain expertise, founder support, and investment advice across a US pre-launch accelerator and arrival landing pad. We look forward to supporting the advance prep and a soft landing for the next batch of U.S.-bound Aussie founders.”
Fabio Ficano, Managing Director, AI & Innovation, Head of Venture Studio, Silicon Valley BootstrapLabs, an Ares Company, said, “We’ve engaged Robert for over 10 years as a co-founder, a fractional CMO for portfolio companies, and most recently to help identify the best talent coming out of Australia. Results have always been impressive, which is why we’re fully committed to supporting Oz2US Ventures’ transformative programs, confident they will equip these innovators to become Valley ready and highly fundable.”
Oz2US’s mission is to enable diverse Australian tech innovators to drive global impact, prioritising equitable opportunities with a commitment to The Panel Pledge (ensuring gender equity and diversity in its panels and events) and a 50% fee discount for women and underrepresented founders.
Join the free Information Session on 29 July 2025, in Melbourne to explore the programs and application process. Registration is required at https://lu.ma/9hszjfr1.
About Oz2US Ventures
Oz2US Ventures empowers diverse Australian tech founders to conquer the U.S. market through its unique U.S.-expansion accelerator programs and Silicon Valley
landing pad residencies. Led by Robert Gallup, a California expat with 25 years of experience in Silicon Valley, Silicon Beach, and Melbourne as a serial founder, international CxO, Silicon Valley VC advisor, and principal of Gallup Global Sales & Marketing, a Melbourne and Santa Barbara-based growth agency, Gallup drives Oz2US’s mission to transform U.S. expansion by uniting a stellar team of domain experts, service providers, and VC advisors with exceptional in-market resources and networks for founders upon arrival.
