Create a diaspora-powered founder and talent network that helps companies find customers, executives, employees, mentors, and cross-border opportunities
Organize successful members of a national or regional diaspora into a structured network that pays forward access and knowledge to emerging founders, then connect that network with equivalent communities in other countries.
From a16z — How Borderless Founders Build Global Companies at 01:31
Problem: International founders often lack an organized way to access compatriots who have already navigated visas, relocation, customers, hiring, and scaling in global markets. Home ecosystems may also lack enough experienced executives and cross-border connections to help companies scale.
For: Founders from a specific country or region who want to build global companies, plus companies seeking design partners, senior executives, technical talent, and international market access.
Examples
- C100: a network of 100 Canadians in the Bay Area who had founded large companies or held influential positions; it helped Canadian companies find design partners and executives, and the transcript says many unicorns around the globe were later started by Canadians, including Shopify and Open Evidence.
Behind this: 12 build steps · 4 tools and how each is used · how to validate demand · 4 more real examples · 6 things the video never answers.