【Towards Global Markets Meetup】
To adapt to the rapidly changing new world, the Syntrend Startup Foundation will launch a series of thematic events in 2025. The first session will feature experts from SkyDeck, the startup accelerator at the University of California, Berkeley. They will share insights and experiences into the current Silicon Valley startup ecosystem to help startups expand into the North American market and connect with international markets.
The event will be divided into two parts. The first part will focus on international market analysis, discussing the opportunities and challenges for startups entering the North American market, and sharing key considerations for international brand marketing and operations. The second part will hold a relaxed networking environment, where attendees can interact and explore potential collaboration opportunities.
For startups interested in expanding into the North American market or those seeking to understand venture capital and the latest trends in Silicon Valley's investment ecosystem, we invite you to register and join us. Don't miss this rare opportunity for deep Taiwan-U.S. exchange!
The adoption of an invitation-based review system for the first event is free. Due to limited availability, each company or organization may register up to two participants. The event will take place on January 22, 2025, at the 11th Floor of the Syntrend Creative Park. We sincerely invite startup entrepreneurs and professional venture capitalists to participate in the event. Learn and network together!
【Agenda】
(English)
Time | Items | Contents |
19:00-19:20 (20) | Opening Remarks |
|
19:20-19:30 (10) | Introduction |
|
19:30-20:30 (60) | Panel Discussion |
|
20:30-20:45 (15) | Q&A and Summary |
|
20:45-21:30 (45) | Networking Tea Session |
|
【Language for Events】
The event will be conducted primarily in English, with Chinese-English translation provided by the hosts.
【International Speakers】
1. Taylor Marcus (Linkedin)
Taylor Marcus leads Business Development at Berkeley SkyDeck, where she plays a key role in connecting the leading accelerator and incubator with various partners to help them achieve their unique goals.
Throughout her career, Taylor has been passionate about creating first-of-its-kind products and experiences. She spent over 15 years at Google and YouTube, working on various new business ventures and product launches. Notably, Taylor was a founding member of the YouTube Kids team and also led Instagram’s first-ever Creator Ecosystem team. Most recently, she was a founding member and the General Manager of a consumer AI startup.
Taylor earned her BA from Columbia University and her MBA from Berkeley Haas—Go Bears! Outside of work, she enjoys taking walks with her small dog, exploring new restaurants and recipes, and appreciating modern art.
2. Pete Giordano (Linkedin)
Pete Giordano is a seasoned professional with over 30 years of experience in Go-to-Market Strategy and Product Marketing. He has held transformative roles at industry leaders such as DoubleClick (now part of Google), VMware, Google Cloud, and Scale Venture Partners. Additionally, Pete has co-founded companies specializing in B2B2C channel marketing and online learning.
With a strong focus on aligning product strategy with go-to-market initiatives, Pete excels in defining Ideal Customer Profiles (ICPs), formulating monetization and pricing strategies, and crafting positioning for B2B SaaS companies targeting mid-market to enterprise segments.
Currently, Pete serves as a Go-to-Market Advisor at Scale Venture Partners, where he provides guidance to founders and executives across a portfolio of over 50 companies on key strategic decisions, including GTM strategy, monetization and pricing, and product marketing.
Most recently, Pete was the Global Director of Go-to-Market Strategy for Google Workspace during the pandemic. He led strategies for a product serving 3 billion users and 10 million paying customers. During his time at Google, Pete introduced innovative entry points for acquiring new enterprise customers, achieving a 10x increase in pipeline generation for new use cases and a 3x growth in new customer stories highlighting these use cases.
Before his time at Google, Pete was the first full-time Product Marketing Manager at VMware. He played a crucial role in building and delivering product positioning, messaging, go-to-market strategies, launch playbooks, and sales enablement. He directed the go-to-market, product marketing, and launch efforts for new cloud and end-user computing products such as VMware vCenter, ACE, VDI, Horizon, Zimbra, SlideRocket, and Socialcast.
During his tenure at VMware, Pete built and managed several businesses and held various executive roles, including Product Marketing, Sales Enablement, Customer Success, and M&A, where he was involved in over 14 acquisitions. Under his leadership, VMware's annual revenue grew from $50 million to $5.2 billion. An aerospace and industrial engineer by training, Pete is based in the San Francisco Bay Area.
3. Will Burke (Linkedin)
Will Burke is a serial entrepreneur and avid explorer with over 25 years of experience in developing and executing brand strategies and design systems for innovative startups and global Fortune 50 companies. His work focuses on helping businesses shape their future rather than being shaped by it, spanning multiple industries including food and beverage, home improvement, personal and pet care, ret6ail, and technology.
Will's first company, Brand Engine, served as the consumer branding and design agency for Hewlett-Packard for over 12 years. During his tenure, he led the creative and strategic development of a simplified, consumer-centric system for purchasing ink and toner cartridges, which later became the industry standard.
Currently, through his venture PINK : Partners In New Thinking, Will advises startup founders on brand design and market strategy to accelerate growth and secure next-stage funding. When he’s not building brands, Will enjoys exploring the northern California coast in his Porsche Boxster Spider or making first ski tracks in the back bowls of Vail.
Will holds a BS in Physics from the University of Utah and an MBA from UC Berkeley. Born in Bangkok, Thailand, he currently resides in Marin County, California.
【About Berkeley SkyDeck】
Berkeley SkyDeck is the startup accelerator and innovation hub at the University of California, Berkeley. By providing expert mentorship, office space, funding support, and access to a network of investors and industry experts, SkyDeck helps early-stage startups grow. Leveraging UC Berkeley's abundant resources and talent pool, SkyDeck supports entrepreneurs in turning ideas into reality and scaling their businesses. As one of the world's top startup accelerators, it covers fields such as technology and life sciences, offering a collaborative and supportive environment for startups across various industries.
【 Information】
Date: January 22, 2025 (Wed.)
Time: 19:00-21:30 (Check-in begins at 18:45)
Venue: Syntrend Creative Park 11F UniSpace
Event Fee: Free !
Registration: The adoption of an invitation-based review system. Online registration will open at 09:00 AM on December 25, 2024 (Wed.), and it will close once capacity is reached.
【How to get to the venue】
Please refer to the transportation to Syntrend Creative Park ：https://www.syntrend.com.tw/traffic.html
【Ticket Information】
- Ticket Type: This event offers free tickets only. Each participant must present a ticket with QR Code to gain entry.
- Registration: Please complete your registration within the specified timeframe and provide valid contact details to receive event notifications.
- Quota Limitation: Due to limited availability, registration is subject to approval. Each company or organization is allowed to register a maximum of two participants.
- Entry: Please bring a valid ID and present your e-ticket for verification upon entry.
- Refund Policy: If you need to cancel your registration, please notify the organizer in advance. Failure to do so may result in being placed on a watchlist.
- Ticket Transfer: If you are unable to attend, you may transfer your ticket to another person. However, prior notification to the organizer is required.
- The organizer reserves the right to make final decisions. If you have any questions, please contact the Syntrend Startup Foundation. Thank you for your cooperation.
