In the latest episode of Scaling Stateside, we sat down with Husayn Kassai, co-founder and former CEO of Onfido, to unpack one of the most successful UK-to-US expansion stories in recent tech history. From launching with just £20,000 in revenue to a $650 million acquisition by Entrust in 2024, Husayn’s journey offers invaluable lessons for European founders eyeing the American market.
The Unconventional Entry: Breaking All the Rules
Most consultants will tell you to wait until you hit $20 million in revenue before expanding internationally. Husayn threw that playbook out the window.
“We had about £20,000 of revenue when we expanded to the US,” he reveals. “The conventional wisdom didn’t apply to us, and it might not apply to you either.”
What made this aggressive move possible? Three critical factors:
- Founder-led expansion – Husayn personally moved to San Francisco to launch the office
- Product-market fit – They had validated demand in the US market
- First-mover urgency – In identity verification, the race for data meant getting there first
The lesson: If you have genuine product-market fit and understand US market dynamics, don’t let arbitrary revenue thresholds hold you back. The opportunity cost of waiting might exceed the risk of moving early.
The Tale of Two Cities: San Francisco vs. New York
Onfido’s strategic advantage was establishing presence on both coasts. But Husayn is clear these aren’t interchangeable locations.
San Francisco became their innovation hub – access to engineering talent, VC relationships, and tech-forward early adopters.
New York became their enterprise gateway – financial services customers, East Coast enterprise buyers, and strategic revenue scaling.
“Having offices on both sides of America gives you two very different perspectives,” Husayn explains. Don’t just pick a location because everyone else does – pick it because it serves your specific go-to-market strategy.
The Culture Shock: American Business Norms That Matter
Be Blunt, Be Direct
“In the UK, we tend to be polite and indirect. In the US, you need to be blunt and to the point,” Husayn says. This manifests in critical ways:
Client feedback cycles: Americans expect rapid iteration and direct communication. If you can’t deliver something, say so immediately.
Sales conversations: US buyers want straight talk about capabilities, pricing, and timelines. British indirectness reads as evasive.
Internal communication: Your US team expects clear direction. Ambiguity doesn’t translate well across cultures.
The Litigation Culture
“The legal environment is just different,” Husayn notes. “Americans are more likely to sue, and contracts reflect that.” This means longer contract negotiations, more extensive legal reviews, and the need for US legal counsel who understands local norms. It’s not about Americans being litigious – it’s a fundamentally different business culture.
Building Culture Across Continents
As Onfido scaled to nine global offices, maintaining culture became paramount. Husayn’s approach was simple: “We only launch an office if we have a team member that exemplifies the culture and is able to go and launch that office.”
He personally launched the US office. A trusted engineer returning to Portugal launched their Lisbon hub. Each office was seeded with someone who could embody and transmit Onfido’s values.
“One of the toughest things is to make sure you have a clear culture that you continuously celebrate and strengthen,” Husayn reflects. In fast-growing companies, new hires soon outnumber the day-one team. They need to know who you are and who they’re expected to be.
The Fundraising Reality: Getting US Investors
Raising money in the US as a European founder isn’t impossible – it’s just different.
The advantages of US VCs:
- Larger check sizes for growth capital
- Better understanding of US market dynamics
- Network effects for customer introductions
- Credibility with US enterprise buyers
The path to get there:
- Show traction in the US market first
- Have a US presence, even if small initially
- Understand US market sizing better than your European market
- Be prepared for aggressive growth expectations
Onfido ultimately raised over $200M from investors including Salesforce Ventures, Microsoft Ventures, Bain Capital and TPG Growth. But that capital came after demonstrating US market success, not before.
The Advantage of Being British (Yes, Really)
Here’s a counterintuitive insight: being British can actually be an advantage in the US market, if you play it right.
“Use your Britishness to your advantage,” Husayn advises. Americans often perceive British founders as more thoughtful, measured, and credible. But this only works if you combine it with American directness. Think of it as “British thoughtfulness with American execution” – you get the best of both worlds.
The Small Things That Matter
One of the most memorable pieces of advice? Know your local sports teams.
“The importance of knowing local sports teams cannot be overstated,” Husayn says. In San Francisco, talk 49ers or Warriors. In New York, it’s Yankees or Knicks. These aren’t superficial networking tricks – they signal you’re invested in being part of the community, not just extracting value from it.
The Mistakes to Avoid
The biggest mistakes UK startups make when expanding to the US:
- Underestimating cultural differences – It’s not just a bigger UK. Business culture is fundamentally different.
- Half-measures on presence – Don’t try to run the US market from London. Either commit to being there or don’t expand yet.
- Wrong hire for country manager – Hiring someone who doesn’t embody your culture will backfire, regardless of credentials.
- Misunderstanding the pace – Everything moves faster. Sales cycles, hiring, decision-making – all need to accelerate.
- Being unclear about objectives – Is it for customers, capital, or talent? Be crystal clear on your primary objective.
The Remarkable Outcome
Onfido’s US expansion paid off spectacularly. By the 2024 Entrust acquisition:
- Over $140M in annual revenue with 500+ employees globally
- Customers including Revolut, Zipcar, Orange, and major financial institutions
- Verified millions of identities weekly and prevented over $6 billion in fraud
For Oxford University, the £20,000 seed investment returned at 80x – the institution’s largest ever return on a student-led startup. Early SEIS investors saw 100x returns. Most importantly, Onfido proved European founders can build global category leaders by getting US expansion right.
Key Takeaways for European Founders
On Timing: Don’t wait for arbitrary revenue thresholds if you have product-market fit. First-mover advantage can trump perfect preparation, but ensure founder-led expansion when possible.
On Location: Be strategic about SF vs. NY vs. other markets. Match office locations to your customer and talent strategy, not where everyone else goes.
On Culture: Adapt to American directness while maintaining core values. Be honest about what you can and can’t deliver. Seed new offices with cultural carriers, not just hired managers.
On Fundraising: Show US traction before seeking US VC capital. Understand that US investors expect faster growth. Build relationships early, even if you’re not raising yet.
On Integration: Take the legal and compliance environment seriously. Know the local sports teams (seriously). Combine British thoughtfulness with American execution speed.
The Broader Lesson
Onfido’s story illustrates something profound: the US market rewards bold, well-executed expansion. The companies that win aren’t always the ones who wait until they’re “ready” – they’re the ones who move decisively when they have clarity on product-market fit and a founder willing to lead from the front.
As Husayn reflects: “The world is changing. You can’t build a global company from one location anymore. The question isn’t whether to expand, but when and how to do it right.”
For European tech founders, that “when” might be sooner than conventional wisdom suggests, and the “how” requires more cultural adaptation than you expect. But as Onfido proved, getting it right creates extraordinary outcomes.
Getting the Legal Foundation Right
As Husayn emphasized throughout our conversation, navigating US legal and compliance requirements is fundamentally different from what European founders are used to. From entity formation and employment law to contract negotiations and IP protection, having experienced US legal counsel isn’t optional – it’s essential.
That’s why Scaling Stateside is powered by Wilson Sonsini, the law firm that’s been at the forefront of technology company growth for over 60 years. Wilson Sonsini understands the unique challenges European tech companies face when expanding to the US, providing strategic legal guidance across corporate formation, venture financing, M&A, employment matters, and regulatory compliance. When you’re making the move stateside, you need advisors who’ve guided thousands of companies through this exact journey.
Learn more about Wilson Sonsini’s services for growth companies at wsgr.com.
Ready to Explore Your US Expansion?
The team at USXP helps European tech scaleups navigate the entire lifecycle from readiness through launch to revenue. We’ve guided countless founders through the challenges Husayn describes, and we’d love to discuss your path stateside.
Listen to the full conversation with Husayn Kassai on the Scaling Stateside podcast on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts.
Scaling Stateside is powered by Wilson Sonsini, providing legal counsel for technology companies and growth enterprises navigating US expansion.
About Husayn Kassai
Husayn Kassai co-founded Onfido in 2012 while studying at Oxford University. He served as CEO through the company’s growth to a $650M acquisition by Entrust in 2024 – Oxford’s largest ever return on a student-led company. He now serves as co-founder of Quench.ai, applying lessons from scaling Onfido to help workers learn new skills through AI coaching.
