CASE STUDY Silicon Valley's US Market Access Center: the incubator as a soft landing zone

The Case Study section of the International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation serves two purposes. First, the case studies presented are concerned with problematical issues that are pertinent to students of entrepreneurship. Thus they constitute appropriate teaching and learning vehicles on a variety of postgraduate and undergraduate programmes, Each case study is accompanied by a set of guidelines for the use of tutors, Second, it is envisaged that those engaged in entrepreneurial activities will find the cases both interesting and useful. The US Market Access Center (USMAC) was established to reduce the number of failures by foreign companies trying to access the US market, Starting from this premise. the USMAC has created programmes and services that follow the classic business incubator model of close business guidance and support, coupled with the vigorous introduction of its clients to networks of people who are well connected to potential customers, This case study discusses the particular aspects of the USMAC's programme that are relevant to assisting firms that are successful in their home markets as they enter the San Jose/Silicon Valley/California markets, A close look is taken at what is unique in those markets and how the services of the USMAC and its relationship with San Jose State University create a unique advantage in terms of the internationalization of foreign companies in the USA, Some 'lessons learned' are presented for discussion of their potential application in other contexts.