Slide deck for my guest lecture at the University College Leuven Limburg about doing business in Belgium and doing business in the US, based on my own experience at iText.

1. © 2015, iText Group NV, iText Software Corp., iText Software BVBA
Belgium and the USA, a mutual introduction1 Las Vegas, Welcome sign, NV

2. © 2015, iText Group NV, iText Software Corp., iText Software BVBA
Belgium and the USA, a mutual introduction2
Who is Bruno Lowagie?
Original developer of iText
Author: “iText in Action” (Manning Publications)
CEO iText Group
Castle Rock State Park, CA

3. © 2015, iText Group NV, iText Software Corp., iText Software BVBA
Belgium and the USA, a mutual introduction3

4. © 2015, iText Group NV, iText Software Corp., iText Software BVBA
Company Structure
Belgium and the USA, a mutual introduction4
Shareholders:
- Ingeborg Willaert (50%)
- Bruno Lowagie (50%)
°2008 Belgium: ISG
iText Group NV
IP, TM, Development
Marketing
°2015 Singapore: ISA
iText Software Asia Pte. Ltd.
Sales Asia/Pacific
°2011 Belgium: ISB
iText Software BVBA
Sales EMEA
°2009 USA: ISC
iText Software Corp.
Sales US/Americas
Board of Directors:
- Peter Camps (chairman)
- Ingeborg Willaert
- Bruno Lowagie
Advisory board:
- Bernard Slede
- Mark De Visser

5. © 2015, iText Group NV, iText Software Corp., iText Software BVBA
Belgium and the USA, a mutual introduction5
BelCham: Most promising company 2014
Tribeca Rooftop, New York, NY

6. © 2015, iText Group NV, iText Software Corp., iText Software BVBA
Belgium and the USA, a mutual introduction6
Fastest growing Technology company 2014
Brussels, Belgium

7. © 2015, iText Group NV, iText Software Corp., iText Software BVBA
Belgium and the USA, a mutual introduction7
Finalist Stevies 2015
Sint-Amandsberg, Belgium

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Why did UCLL ask me as a speaker?
Belgium and the USA, a mutual introduction8
To the US or not
to the US, that’s
not the question!

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#1: Where is your market?
Belgium and the USA, a mutual introduction9

10. © 2015, iText Group NV, iText Software Corp., iText Software BVBA
#1 Where is your market?
Belgium and the USA, a mutual introduction10
Site sessions 2014
Downloads 2014 (SourceForge Java version only)

11. © 2015, iText Group NV, iText Software Corp., iText Software BVBA
Belgium and the USA, a mutual introduction11
#2 Where do you want to start?
Westrozebeke, Belgium

12. © 2015, iText Group NV, iText Software Corp., iText Software BVBA
Belgium and the USA, a mutual introduction12
#3 Where do startups get advantages?
Kinepolis Ghent, Belgium

13. © 2015, iText Group NV, iText Software Corp., iText Software BVBA
#3 Where do startups get advantages?
Belgium and the USA, a mutual introduction13

14. © 2015, iText Group NV, iText Software Corp., iText Software BVBA
#3 Where do startups get advantages?
Belgium and the USA, a mutual introduction14
Don’t say hashtag!
Say waffle!

15. © 2015, iText Group NV, iText Software Corp., iText Software BVBA
Belgium and the USA, a mutual introduction15
#4 Where do you get funding?
Sandhill Road, Menlo Park, CA

16. © 2015, iText Group NV, iText Software Corp., iText Software BVBA
Belgium and the USA, a mutual introduction16
#5 Where do you plan your exit?
Plug and Play Tech Center, Sunnyvale, CA

17. © 2015, iText Group NV, iText Software Corp., iText Software BVBA
Belgium and the USA, a mutual introduction17
iText: How it all started…
Java One, San Francisco, CA

18. © 2015, iText Group NV, iText Software Corp., iText Software BVBA
Belgium and the USA, a mutual introduction18
First Open Source Release: 2000
Adobe Headquarters, San Jose, CA

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Belgium and the USA, a mutual introduction19
First book: 2006
Digital Guru Technical Bookshop, Sunnyvale, CA

20. © 2015, iText Group NV, iText Software Corp., iText Software BVBA
Belgium and the USA, a mutual introduction20
First IP Review: 2007
JRA Law, San Francisco, CA

21. © 2015, iText Group NV, iText Software Corp., iText Software BVBA
Belgium and the USA, a mutual introduction21
First substantial revenue: 2009
Golden Gate Park Aquarium, San Francisco, CA

22. © 2015, iText Group NV, iText Software Corp., iText Software BVBA
Belgium and the USA, a mutual introduction22
First visit to the US: 2010
Union Square, San Francisco, CA

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Belgium and the USA, a mutual introduction23
WARNING: Stereotyping ahead
Toll booths, Bay Area, CA

24. © 2015, iText Group NV, iText Software Corp., iText Software BVBA
Belgium and the USA, a mutual introduction24
Horum omnium fortissimi sunt Belgae
iText Summit 2012, Ghent, Belgium

25. © 2015, iText Group NV, iText Software Corp., iText Software BVBA
Belgium and the USA, a mutual introduction25
Who has the best beer?
Blue Smoke on the road, JFK airport New York, NY

26. © 2015, iText Group NV, iText Software Corp., iText Software BVBA
Belgium and the USA, a mutual introduction26
Americans brew beer too!
Devil’s Canyon Brewery, San Carlos, CA

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Belgium and the USA, a mutual introduction27
And they have excellent wine
Europeans tend to emphasize achievements from
the past: they have a whole lot of history.
Americans live very much in the present, some even
in the future. Belgium, what did you achieve lately?
Revana Winery, Saint-Helena (Napa Valley), CA

28. © 2015, iText Group NV, iText Software Corp., iText Software BVBA
Belgium and the USA, a mutual introduction28
Belgium – USA: 2 - 1
World Cup, Brazil

29. © 2015, iText Group NV, iText Software Corp., iText Software BVBA
Belgium and the USA, a mutual introduction29
Starting a business
The Wall Street Bull, New York, NY

30. Connecting like-minded professionals and help promising Belgian
startups scale up faster and more successfully in the USA.

31. © 2015, iText Group NV, iText Software Corp., iText Software BVBA
Belgium and the USA, a mutual introduction31
Belgian American Chamber of Commerce
- Independent, not-for-profit organization
- Founded in 1918
- Headquarters in New York City (USA)
- Provides services to individuals, startups and corporations
- For and by entrepreneurs
- Founded ATELIER incubator and co-working space in 2014
- Offices in New York and Bay Area
What does BelCham offer?
- Career service
- J-1 Visa Program
- Referrals & Introductions
- Business workshops
- Events
- ATELIER co-working space

32. © 2015, iText Group NV, iText Software Corp., iText Software BVBA
Belgium and the USA, a mutual introduction32
Differences USA - Belgium
Americans have less rules and it’s OK to think big
Europe has plenty of rules and prevents thinking big
As for Singapore…
Googleplex, Mountain View, CA

33. © 2015, iText Group NV, iText Software Corp., iText Software BVBA
Belgium and the USA, a mutual introduction33
The idea is not the execution of the idea
Oracle, Redwood Shores, CA
Adobe Systems, San Jose, CA
SAP, Palo Alto, CA

34. © 2015, iText Group NV, iText Software Corp., iText Software BVBA
Belgium and the USA, a mutual introduction34
Feeling business
Guerneville, CA

35. © 2015, iText Group NV, iText Software Corp., iText Software BVBA
Belgium and the USA, a mutual introduction35
Empoyees in the US and Belgium
Plug and Play, Sunnyvale, CA

36. © 2015, iText Group NV, iText Software Corp., iText Software BVBA
Belgium and the USA, a mutual introduction36
Things need to be convenient
5 of the 11 federal holidays were moved to a Monday
by the Uniform Monday Holiday Act (1968)
To ensure uniformity throughout the world…
Fish without fish bones…
Times Square, New York, NY

37. © 2015, iText Group NV, iText Software Corp., iText Software BVBA
Belgium and the USA, a mutual introduction37
The US: one nation…
Every American is an American: most of the Americans
I know have lived in at least two different states.
Not every European is a European: They’re French,
German, Dutch, Irish, Italian, Belgian,…
Grand Canyon, AZ

38. © 2015, iText Group NV, iText Software Corp., iText Software BVBA
Belgium and the USA, a mutual introduction38
Pledge of Allegiance
Redwood City, CA

39. © 2015, iText Group NV, iText Software Corp., iText Software BVBA
Belgium and the USA, a mutual introduction39
What amazes Europeans
Americans: it is hard to understand that there are
whole countries as small as New York.
Belgians: it is hard to understand that there’s a
country as big as the US.
Manhattan seen from the Empire State Building, NY

40. © 2015, iText Group NV, iText Software Corp., iText Software BVBA
Belgium and the USA, a mutual introduction40
Years versus house numbers
Boston Massacre site, Boston, MA

41. © 2015, iText Group NV, iText Software Corp., iText Software BVBA
Belgium and the USA, a mutual introduction41
All those different time zones…
Europe: everything is so close by, and yet countries
are after so far apart… (e.g. Flanders - Wallonia)
The US: distances are huge. Everything is so far
away and yet so close…
Bay Area, CA

42. © 2015, iText Group NV, iText Software Corp., iText Software BVBA
Belgium and the USA, a mutual introduction42
Deep down, Americans love Europe
Castello di Amorosa, Calistoga (Napa Valley), CA

43. © 2015, iText Group NV, iText Software Corp., iText Software BVBA
Belgium and the USA, a mutual introduction43
But they give it their own twist
Safeway, Redwood City, CA

44. © 2015, iText Group NV, iText Software Corp., iText Software BVBA
Belgium and the USA, a mutual introduction44
And Europe follows
Java One, San Francisco, CA

45. © 2015, iText Group NV, iText Software Corp., iText Software BVBA
Belgium and the USA, a mutual introduction45
Cum Romano Romanus eris
Trevi Fountains, Rome, Italy

46. © 2015, iText Group NV, iText Software Corp., iText Software BVBA
Belgium and the USA, a mutual introduction46
When in America, be American
Firewood Grill SFO, San Bruno, CA

47. © 2015, iText Group NV, iText Software Corp., iText Software BVBA
Belgium and the USA, a mutual introduction47
The food in the US is great!
Fish Market, Palo Alto, CA

48. © 2015, iText Group NV, iText Software Corp., iText Software BVBA
Belgium and the USA, a mutual introduction48
Food culture: some dinner stories
Europe: Let’s see if we can trust each other before
we start doing business.
US: Let’s start doing business to see if we can trust
each other.
Sam’s Chowder House, Halfmoon Bay, CA

49. © 2015, iText Group NV, iText Software Corp., iText Software BVBA
Belgium and the USA, a mutual introduction49
Guns are good…
Iron Door Saloon, Groveland, CA

50. © 2015, iText Group NV, iText Software Corp., iText Software BVBA
Belgium and the USA, a mutual introduction50
…subsidies are evil!
Bennet Lane Winery, Calistoga (Napa Valley), CA

51. © 2015, iText Group NV, iText Software Corp., iText Software BVBA
Belgium and the USA, a mutual introduction51
You. Your. Thou. Thy.
Digital Detox Social Hike, Los Gatos, CA

52. © 2015, iText Group NV, iText Software Corp., iText Software BVBA
Belgium and the USA, a mutual introduction52
Go to events and…
Community Leadership Summit West, Santa Clara, CA

53. © 2015, iText Group NV, iText Software Corp., iText Software BVBA
Belgium and the USA, a mutual introduction53
Pitch! Pitch! Pitch!
Digital Detox Social Hike, Los Gatos, CA

54. © 2015, iText Group NV, iText Software Corp., iText Software BVBA
Belgium and the USA, a mutual introduction54
Be a member

55. © 2015, iText Group NV, iText Software Corp., iText Software BVBA
Belgium and the USA, a mutual introduction55
What’s beneath the surface?
Film set “Third person”, Cinecittà, Rome, Italy

56. © 2015, iText Group NV, iText Software Corp., iText Software BVBA
Belgium and the USA, a mutual introduction56
Friendly versus Blunt
Wente’s, Livermore, CA

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Belgium and the USA, a mutual introduction57
Talking about politics?
White House, Washington DC

58. © 2015, iText Group NV, iText Software Corp., iText Software BVBA
Belgium and the USA, a mutual introduction58
Talking about religion?
Washington National Cathedral, Washington DC

59. © 2015, iText Group NV, iText Software Corp., iText Software BVBA
Belgium and the USA, a mutual introduction59
Talking about sex?
Film set “Third person”, Cinecittà, Rome, Italy

60. © 2015, iText Group NV, iText Software Corp., iText Software BVBA
Belgium and the USA, a mutual introduction60 Montaña de Oro State Park, CA