Name respondent:

Name startup:

Date of interview:

Coming to Silicon Valley

Q1. When did you start your business here in Silicon Valley?

Q2. Before coming to Silicon Valley: were you involved in business in the Netherlands?

Q3. Could you tell us a little bit about your background in the Netherlands: upbringing, education, first jobs?

Q4. How did you get the idea of going to Silicon Valley and begin a startup here?

Q5. Why did you not start your business venture in the Netherlands?

Q6. How did you prepare yourself for coming over to Silicon Valley?

Q7. Did you know any people in Silicon Valley before coming here?

Q8. What were your main worries in deciding to come over? And have they become true?

Q9. Did you come alone or with your partner/wife/husband?

Q10. Is this your first startup in the united states?

If no: what other startups did you found?

If no: are those startups still around?

If no: what was the main reason the startup(s) no longer exists or failed?

Strategy

Q11. How do want your startup to develop say in the next two years?

Q12. Do you have a growth strategy? If so, what are the plans?

Q13. What is your exit strategy?

Team

Q14. Are you the main founder or do you have a business partner?

Q15. Did you have a mentor with who you could spar on your startup idea? Q16. Do you have a role model for your startup venture?

Q17. How many people are presently employed by your startup?

Q18. What are the qualities you look for in your team?

Q19. Is it difficult to find the right people with the right skills?

Q20. What about salary levels compared to the Netherlands?

Market

Q21. What is the main product or service of your startup? What is your lead market?

Q22. How do you rate this product or service in terms of innovation?

Q23. How difficult was it to find the right balance between product development and sales in the first period? Q24. How solid in your opinion was your business plan? What were the weak points?