Confidante Consulting

03/19/2026

Event Details

U.S. Expansion Office Hours: SelectUSA Edition

Date: 8 April 2026
Time: 11:00 AM EDT | 4:00 PM GMT
Location: Online

The U.S. Expansion Office Hours: SelectUSA Edition brings together founders and experienced U.S. expansion specialists for focused, practical conversations about entering and scaling in the American market.
Participants are matched with two experts from a network of nearly 50 specialists across market entry strategy, funding, hiring, legal structure, and growth planning.
Each session is founder-led and designed to address real questions about navigating the U.S. ecosystem.
This edition is timed to support companies preparing for the SelectUSA Investment Summit, helping founders refine their approach and build meaningful connections before the event.
Register:
https://luma.com/gf0oo77p

Learn more:
https://meetroi.com/office-hours/

03/16/2026

Throughout the history of litigation and conflicts with the government, this is the first case where the company initiated to stop any relationship with the government. Where would it lead and how far would you go under the circumstances if your business was under such pressure?... How far can we get by compromising, in the long run?

03/06/2026

Not just another great event by the USUBC, but a housewarming party! Godspeed!

02/27/2026

The DARPA Lift Challenge aims to shatter the heavy lift bottleneck, seeking novel drone designs that can carry payloads more than four times their weight, which would revolutionize the way we use drones across all sectors.

$6.5 million in prize money

To apply: https://www.darpa.mil/research/challenges/lift

02/16/2026

Honored to represent at the West coast charity networking event organized by . Was proud to share how American Ukrainian Political Action Committee has been supporting congressmen and congresswomen that support Ukraine and why our l effort is amplified when we unite. Each of us becomes a policy maker by donating through the AmUkrPAC.

02/05/2026

I was absolutely delighted to attend another high-quality U.S.-Ukraine Business Council (USUBC) event, dedicated to building partnerships and investing in Ukraine.

I've learned about new reliable partnerships and how to find them. And I was especially thrilled to learn about new directions of the U.S. government in the defense sector, which I could bring to my dear clients.

Rome was not built in one day, but Ukraine was also not taken in 3 days... Ukraine I know, has incredibly smart, kind people with a great sense of humor. People you look forward to spending time with and sharing a great cup of coffee.

The U.S. I know, has incredibly entrepreneurial, witty, and adventurous people who are open to exploring and daring to share and try.

All that memory came back to me yesterday during the event.

Looking forward to new enduring partnerships, strengthening existing ones, and more incredible events!

Thank you for all the work and love you put into this Irina Paliashvili, Nadiia Khomaziuk, Iryna Chaika, Tanya Shea, Alex Slusarenko and much more, I am sure!

01/31/2026

DEFENSE INDUSTRY UPDATE:

Thanks to the Atlantic Council, I had an incredible opportunity to hear the "extract" of the NDAA (https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/2296/text) from Representative Rob Whitman (https://wittman.house.gov/), who also happened to be the Vice Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee.

A short summary (even a summary of a 3000+ page document could be voluminous) of what I found interesting:

* the requirement writing process is simplified: a direct path between a request and a contract;

* software-informed reform: expendable platforms designed around software;

* export control changes for the exchange of technology with partner countries;

* simplified access to government contracts by small businesses;

and....

* Office of Strategic Capital - a government investment fund into defense. https://www.cto.mil/osc/

Helping defense companies to enter the game has just become even more exciting for me. :)

Menu Home About OSCEquipment FinanceCTAsInvestment StrategyInvestment Fund FinancingNewsEmployment Linkedin Attracting and Scaling Private Capital for National Security Attracting and Scaling Private Capital for National Security OSC develops and implements strategies and partnerships to accelerate....

12/01/2025

https://www.ukri.org/opportunity/turing-ai-global-fellowships/

This fellowship funding opportunity is for exceptional Artificial Intelligence (AI) researchers currently based outside of the UK.

The fellowship offers funding to relocate to the UK, establish a highly skilled team and undertake transformational AI research.

You must have been based outside of the UK for at least 24 months prior to applying and be hosted by a UK research organisation which meets the eligibility criteria set out in the guidance.

The total cost to EPSRC for your project can be up to £4.5 million. Further information set out in the guidance.

Fellowships can last up to five years, starting by 1 February 2027.

This fellowship funding opportunity is for exceptional Artificial Intelligence (AI) researchers currently based outside of the UK.

11/29/2025

Grateful to have represented a promising dual-use startup from Ukraine at Defense TechConnect Fall—the nation's premier defense innovation event connecting dual-use solution providers with military, industry, and investment leadership.

Sharing my key takeaways below:

🎯 Government Contracting Fundamentals. The path to federal contracts requires understanding the unique procurement landscape. Success hinges on navigating the government regulatory system, proper SAM registration, CAGE codes, and navigating the FAR (Federal Acquisition Regulation). The learning curve is steep, but the opportunity for mission-driven innovation companies is substantial.
🤝 Working with Prime Contractors. One of the most actionable insights: you don't always need to go direct. Prime contractors actively seek innovative subcontractors to strengthen their proposals and deliver cutting-edge solutions. Building relationships with primes like Northrop Grumman and others can provide a faster entry point while you build your federal contracting foundation.
⚡ Noncompetitive Awards & Strategic Pathways Programs like SBIR/STTR offer noncompetitive pathways specifically designed for innovative small businesses. Other Transaction Authorities (OTAs) and sole-source justifications can accelerate adoption when you have truly unique capabilities aligned with urgent defense needs.

A particularly valuable discovery was learning about Intergovernmental Support Agreements (IGSAs)—a mechanism enabling military installations to rapidly address infrastructure challenges. In today's defense environment, mission readiness and military wellbeing depend not just on equipment or training, but on the conditions where service members live, work, and train. IGSAs allow installations to deliver timely, compliant improvements—from mold remediation to smart barracks modernization—that directly impact the health, morale, and performance of the force. Installation leaders are collaborating with innovative government partners like Sourcewell and industry partners like Johnson Controls to bring forward-thinking solutions into the heart of mission operations.

The key is demonstrating clear technical differentiation and mission impact.

Moving Forward. The event reinforced that the U.S. defense innovation ecosystem values diverse perspectives and breakthrough technologies—regardless of where you're headquartered. For startups from allied nations, there's a real opportunity to contribute to shared security objectives while building sustainable businesses.

Thank you to the TechConnect team and all the DoW, industry, and investment leaders who shared their time and expertise. Looking forward to continuing these conversations.

hashtag

11/27/2025

11/27/2025

Happy Thanksgiving, Friends!

11/08/2025

What a joy it was to discuss the investment regulatory climate between the U.S. and Ukraine! Thank you all for joining this discussion.

We talked about differences in corporate regulations, why now is a good time due to the uncertainty, and incoming financing programs with the EU. We discussed investment protection mechanisms and potential exits; taxation peculiarities, legal system and practical cases.

Stay tuned for the recorded session and please let us know if there is a particular topic you would like to be covered next time.

Thank you, and until the next time!