While these hubs operate in different markets and contexts, one message emerged consistently across both conversations: innovation grows faster when ecosystems are connected.
Learning from Silicon Valley: The Reality of Building in the U.S.
In mid-May, Charly Esnal, CEO of Mana Tech, traveled to San Francisco to participate in Startup Grind San Francisco, where he moderated a panel titled “VC Perspectives: Building in the U.S. as an International Founder.”
The conversation brought together leading investors, including Eugene Malobrodsky, Managing Partner at One Way Ventures, Audrey Kim, Venture Partner at Oak HC/FT, and Manan Mehta, Founding General Partner at Unshackled Ventures.
The discussion focused on a topic that continues to shape the journey of founders from around the world: what it really takes to build and scale a company in the United States.
One of the strongest themes was the gap between expectations and reality. Many international founders arrive believing that entering the U.S. market automatically unlocks capital, customers, and growth. In practice, the market demands something different: clarity, speed, credibility, and a deep understanding of how the ecosystem operates.
The panel explored what creates conviction for investors, the signals that immediately stand out during fundraising, and why success often depends on how quickly founders can adapt to the market rather than simply gaining access to it.
The event also included pitch reviews with an impressive delegation of Bulgarian founders, highlighting the increasingly global nature of entrepreneurship and the growing ambition of startups entering the U.S. market.
São Paulo’s Growing Global Innovation Role
Just days earlier, from May 13–15, Mana Tech’s COO, Conrado Morais, participated in São Paulo Innovation Week 2026, one of the largest innovation and technology events in Latin America, bringing together startups, investors, corporations, universities, and public sector leaders from across the region.
Invited by Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Itamaraty), Conrado joined the Global Ecosystem Stage to discuss Miami’s role as a bridge between the United States and Latin America, and how innovation hubs can help accelerate international collaboration.
The panel brought together representatives from institutions helping shape Brazil’s innovation agenda, including FAPES, FAPESP, FAPEMIG, and CONFAP.
Throughout the conversations, a common theme emerged: the strongest ecosystems are not built solely through capital or infrastructure. They are built through intentional connections between founders, corporations, governments, universities, investors, and global markets.
During the trip, Conrado also met with key players in Brazil’s startup ecosystem, including Cubo Itaú and MONASHEES, exploring opportunities to strengthen cross-border collaboration and create new pathways for founders looking to access the U.S. market.
These conversations reinforced the growing importance of international partnerships and ecosystem collaboration in helping startups scale beyond their home countries.
Building the Bridges That Matter
Although San Francisco and São Paulo are thousands of miles apart, the discussions happening in both cities pointed toward the same reality: Innovation ecosystems are no longer competing locally, they are connecting globally.
For founders, access to new markets increasingly depends on access to networks, trusted relationships, local context, and the right support systems. For ecosystems, growth comes from building meaningful connections across borders rather than operating in isolation.
At Mana Tech, that belief continues to guide our work every day.
Whether through partnerships, events, founder programs, investor networks, or international delegations, our mission is to help entrepreneurs shorten the distance between opportunity and execution. Because the future of innovation is not built within a single city, it is built through the bridges that connect them.