Applications are open for the Scale SEE Accelerator, a program designed for B2B startups from Southeast Europe that are ready to grow in the US – not through short visits or pitch competitions, but by building long-term, performance-based relationships with senior US-based growth operators. Startups can apply until June 15 at scalesee.com.
Scale SEE is built around the idea of matchmaking between founders and US growth experts who become deeply involved in each startup’s journey. Participants will engage in virtual office hours with three top-tier operators from the US, culminating in a one-week immersion in Belgrade where final matches are made. The ultimate goal is for two to three startups to sign 12-month performance-based contracts with these experts, who then help scale their operations, customer acquisition, and fundraising efforts directly in the US.
The program started through the YTILI Initiative of the US State Department, and American Councils, where Vladislav Pavlov spent 2 months in Philadelphia and New York in mid 2024, and got paired up with the US Growth Experts and started working on the Scale SEE program.
What sets the program apart is its focus on aligning incentives. Each growth expert works 10 to 15 hours per week with their matched startup, contributing hands-on support in exchange for a small monthly fee, a share of generated revenue, and a minor equity stake, that is tied to the revenue growth of the startup. In that sense, the expert wins, only if the startup wins, and increases revenue by a drastic amount. The model is designed to ensure that experts only commit to startups they truly believe can succeed, bringing both expertise and skin in the game.
Scale SEE’s growth experts bring decades of operational experience, cross-border know-how, and a track record of scaling companies internationally. David F. Calabrese, with more than 20 years of experience, has led growth teams at STRV and Marketo ($5B acquisition by Adobe), building predictable customer acquisition engines. As a mentor to elite Bay Area startups, he brings Silicon Valley growth playbooks directly to founders in Southeast Europe. His approach is rooted in velocity: helping founders build systems that acquire and monetize customers rapidly without sacrificing unit economics.
Chuck Sacco brings over 40 years of entrepreneurial and corporate experience, including three successful startup exits – one through IPO. As Vice Dean at Drexel University’s School of Entrepreneurship and a long-time VC fund LP, he blends academic rigor with hands-on startup execution, guiding founders to build sustainable, investment-ready businesses with real paths to liquidity.
Aron Starosta has built more than 30 accelerator programs across four continents and served as Head of US Operations for over 100 companies entering the American market. Now Managing Partner at Evotx Consulting, he helps startups minimize risk and accelerate expansion through a proven EU–US market entry framework. For him, the differentiator isn’t just strategy – it’s ensuring that execution meets ambition.
One startup has already signed a partnership ahead of the program’s official launch. Dynamic Mockups, a print-on-demand design automation company, with Luka Filipovic as the CEO, joined forces with David Calabrese to refine its pricing, sales, and long-term roadmap. In just 2 short months of work, they have rapidly changed their go-to-market strategy, and have implemented new growth tactics that are bringing them upwards of 20+ client meetings per week.
While the collaboration is still new, the early traction reflects Scale SEE’s core value: giving B2B startups access to operational leaders with the expertise and networks to drive real growth.
The program is designed for startups with existing revenue (250K+ in ARR) and product-market fit, who want to scale their business to the US, regardless of industry. What matters is readiness for scale, founder ambition, and compatibility with the US growth partners. The selection process is intentionally rigorous: from an expected 100+ applicants, only 10 will enter the cohort, and just two to three will go on to form long-term partnerships.
In addition to the core program, Scale SEE provides participating startups with a powerful suite of ecosystem advantages – from access to exclusive perks like AWS and Stripe credits, to strategic investor introductions and corporate matchmaking with regional leaders such as OTP Bank, Raiffeisen International, and the American Chamber of Commerce. Startups matched with growth operators benefit from a fully personalized US entry strategy, warm intros to customers and investors, and hands-on execution that compresses years of market development into just months. These partnerships are built on performance: growth operators only earn equity and revenue share when they deliver results.
And for those not selected in the final 10, the journey doesn’t end – every applicant will receive tailored feedback from the Scale SEE team, outlining why they weren’t selected and offering clear guidance on what to improve to become investor- and expansion-ready.
