Sequoia India and SEA taps international operators to help startups launch and expand overseas

As it scales its offerings in the key regions, the venture firm has launched a new program to help its portfolio's early-stage founders connect with international operators who can help the startup expand to new markets.

The venture firm said that the operators will invest in the startup as part of the program. The launch of the program comes at a time when there is a growing number of Indian startup in the US, the UK, Europe and other international markets. The U.S. and Europe are some of the biggest markets for startup companies.

The program will open up a lot of the venture firm's portfolio, but it will be especially useful for early-stage startups, according to the Managing Director of the firm.

In the Seed and Series A stages, companies that are looking to expand to the U.S. scramble to find their first customers and who to hire. Many of the names in India are not very well known in the United States.

There will be a system where either of the stakeholders can make suggestions.

The firm, which launched a $2.85 billion funds for India and Southeast Asia earlier this year, chanced upon the idea of Pathfinders on a zoom call in 2020 while discussing ways to provide more help to firms looking to expand outside of the country.

Our companies should be the best in the world. We have very smart people who are experts in their fields. It is not a level field when they begin to build for a market they are not in. The right set of operators will bring years of learning to the startup.

Operators have signed up for the program. They include a President of Palo Alto Networks, an ex CRO of Asana, and a senior director of engineering at Okta.

Next generation cloud, artificial intelligence and mobile-first design principles are disrupting the enterprise software market. To succeed, Indian disrupters need to understand the western buyers, their needs and their user's expectations, and design products that fit them. Palo Alto Networks said in a statement that it connects entrepreneurs with experienced operators who have built expertise in western buyers.

Sequoia is trying to increase its value add to startup. Arc was launched in London and the U.S. to find and mentor idea-stage startups. The approach of Sequoia, the most influential venture capital firm, is different from several of its peers, many of which take hands-off approach, delivering the check but not really being there as a startup navigates their journeys.