At the 2025 US CAN STARTUP Demo Day, one of the event's highlights was the panel discussion, “Move, Build, and Thrive: A Playbook for Cross-Pacific Success.” A group of seasoned advisors and investors shared candid advice for Chinese startups looking to scale in North America, drawing from their deep experience in acceleration, capital, healthcare, and law.
The Entrepreneur-in-Residence: Chang Han
Chang Han, Entrepreneur-in-Residence at UBC and advisor to early-stage startups, eminded founders to embrace their cultural and experiential differences as a strength rather than a hurdle: “Your greatest advantage is actually your difference. Don’t hide it; leverageit. You can see problems locals can’t — and that’s your greatest opportunity.”
The Capital Connector: Aaron Stuart
As CEO of VANTEC and WUTIF Capital, Aaron Stuart highlighted what Canadian angels look for. First, founders should lean into their unique advantages as Chinese entrepreneurs. Second, they must address two major investor concerns: IP protection and regulatory readiness. Building confidence often requires a Canadian advisor or even a local co-founder to prove firsthand market understanding.
The Legal Architect: Douglas Qi
With legal expertise in both Canada and the U.S., Douglas Qi advised startups to “assume nothing.” Canada and the U.S. differ not only from China but also from each other. Expansion should be approached like product development: test assumptions, iterate, and adapt. His reminder: success depends not just on the technology, but on delivering a complete customer experience tailored to local needs.
The MedTech & HealthTech Expert: Marco Daoura
For startups in regulated industries, Marco Daoura stressed that compliance must be treated as a design driver, not an afterthought. As he put it: “If your product and data aren’t built under ISO 13485, ISO 14971, and IEC 62304, you’ll be forced to redo your work before FDA or Health Canada engage seriously. It’s not what you build, but how you build it under a controlled process.”
The Accelerator Expert: Ray Walia
Ray Walia, CEO of Launch Academy, emphasized that localization is more than translation. He noted that many Chinese startups underestimate cultural and market differences when entering North America. Success requires understanding fragmented ecosystems, building trust through transparency, and adjusting pricing and networking approaches. Relationships matter, but here they are structured, data-driven, and tied to clear value propositions.
The Ecosystem Builder: Jean Yoon
Jean Yoon, Sr. Program Manager at Launch Academy, reminded founders that success doesn’t happen in isolation, “Don’t be shy. Reach out more.”. Too often, entrepreneurs hesitate to ask for help, even when surrounded by a strong support network. Jean emphasized that the startup ecosystem is full of mentors, peers, and resources waiting to be tapped into — but only if founders take the initiative to engage.
Key Takeaway
Across all perspectives, the message was consistent: success in North America requires adaptation. Whether through compliance, cultural understanding, ecosystem engagement, or legal frameworks, startups must go beyond exporting technology — they must build trust, leverage their uniqueness, and design for the local market. Just as importantly, founders should actively seek out and make use of the rich ecosystem of mentors, peers, and resources available to support their journey.
LINKEDIN VERSION
🚀 Panel Highlights from the 2025 US CAN STARTUP Demo DayOne of the most engaging sessions of Demo Day was the panel discussion “Move, Build, and Thrive: A Playbook for Cross-Pacific Success.” Our advisors shared practical insights for startups scaling into North America:
🔹 Aaron Stuart (VANTEC/WUTIF): Canadian angels look for IP protection and regulatory readiness. Having a local advisor or partner can significantly boost investor confidence.
🔹 Douglas Qi (Legal expert): Don’t assume North America is uniform — Canada and the U.S. have distinct business and regulatory landscapes. Expansion should be iterative, like product development.
🔹 Marco Daoura (Strategist, HealthTech expert): In regulated industries, compliance must be a design driver from day one. Build to international standards and see cultural diversity as a strength.
🔹 Chang Han (Lead EiR at Innovation UBC): A startup’s greatest advantage can be its difference. Founders should leverage unique perspectives to spot opportunities locals may overlook.
🔹 Ray Walia (Launch Academy): Localization goes beyond translation. Success depends on understanding cultural norms, building trust, and adapting pricing and networking to local expectations.
🔹 Jean Yoon (Launch Academy): Founders shouldn’t go it alone — the startup ecosystem is full of resources, mentors, and peers, but only if you actively engage with it.
✨ The common thread: Success isn’t just about bringing technology across borders. It’s about adapting, building trust, leveraging uniqueness, and tapping into the support systems around you to thrive in new markets.
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