Foothold America’s Laurie Spicer Joins SelectUSA 2026 Tech Track

Foothold America is proud to announce that our Director of US Expansion, Laurie Spicer, will be speaking at the SelectUSA Investment Summit 2026, taking place May 3 to 6 at National Harbor, Maryland.

Laurie will facilitate the official session: “Startup Workshop: What Does it Take to be Successful in the U.S. Market?” on Sunday, May 4, as part of the SelectUSA Tech track.

This is the second Foothold America voice on the SelectUSA stage this year. Our President and CEO, Joanne Farquharson, is also facilitating an official SelectUSA Tech workshop over the same weekend.

About the SelectUSA Investment Summit

The SelectUSA Investment Summit is organised by the U.S. Department of Commerce and is the highest-profile FDI event in the United States. It connects thousands of international investors, companies, economic development organisations, and industry experts to explore opportunities in the American market. More than 5,500 attendees are expected, with representation from over 100 countries.

For international companies considering U.S. expansion, it is one of the most valuable events on the calendar.

What Laurie Will Cover

Laurie will draw on more than three decades of hands-on experience working between the UK and the US, helping international businesses successfully enter and scale in the American market. Attendees can expect practical, experience-led insights on:

• How to navigate the U.S. business and regulatory landscape
• The key success factors for international startups expanding to America
• Strategies for establishing and scaling a U.S. presence
• Why the U.S. market represents a significant growth opportunity right now

About Laurie Spicer

Laurie Spicer is Director of US Expansion at Foothold America and a leading voice on US market entry for UK and European businesses. An American citizen who has lived in the UK for over 30 years, she brings a transatlantic perspective to every conversation, helping founders and leadership teams understand both sides of the market with clarity.

Laurie is a regular speaker and panellist at US expansion events, working alongside partners including Frazier & Deeter, Shoosmiths, Avalara, Sage, Blick Rothenberg, and Innovate UK. She advises international startups and scale-ups on the full scope of US market entry, from employer of record services and entity formation to employment compliance, hiring strategy, and cross-cultural business practice.

“Founders arrive at SelectUSA with a strong product and a long list of unanswered questions. The Startup Workshop is built for exactly that moment. We will be talking through what works, what does not, and where the avoidable mistakes happen. After three decades working between the UK and the US, I have plenty of examples of both.”

Laurie Spicer, Director of US Expansion at Foothold America