Josef Scharfen, CEO of Hydra Consulting, hosted and moderated the event for the third time. He invited clients who have successfully expanded into the US, along with representatives from the state of South Carolina who support companies making the move and it was a home run!

Speakers at US Expand 2026

Zdeněk Bínek, CEO, ZEBR.AI

Zdeněk founded ZEBR.AI as a family business, first expanding within Europe and now into the US. Speaking about a partnership that continues to grow, he said:

Ernest Cory, Sales Manager, eWay System

Ernest is a true salesman. He knows when to push and when to let go – the kind of nuance only natives tend to sense. On the value of sports analogies in business, he said:

Sergio Domingues, Managing Director, South Carolina Department of Commerce

Sergio spoke about the importance of community:

David Ginn, President & CEO, Charleston Regional Development Alliance (CRDA)

David took the idea of community further, focusing on the Charleston metro area:

US Expand 2026

David was there at the very beginning of the Charleston Regional Development Alliance (CRDA), and he knows the business, academic and political leaders who shape and drive the region’s economic growth. For more than 30 years, David has helped fulfill the organization’s mission to attract the world’s best companies, talent and entrepreneurs to the Charleston metro region of South Carolina. Outside the office, he’s a passionate skier and traveler, and a proud father: his daughter got married just two weeks ago.

How much has the region changed since you started at CRDA? 

These days, roughly half of our metro region’s economic development activity comes from international companies, and most of them are European.

The Alliance has helped bring more than 330 new business projects to the region. Is there one you’re particularly proud of?

Every successful expansion project in our market takes many partners to help us compete. But Boeing’s decision 15 years ago to assemble and deliver 787 twin-aisle commercial aircraft in Charleston stands out. Its direct and indirect impact on our community and state has been substantial.

How do you make sure companies can find the people they need, especially for sales roles?

Our community and state offer several workforce development solutions to help companies find the people they need. One example is ReadySC, the State of South Carolina’s pre-employment screening, testing and training program.

Another local tool is CharlestonCareers.com, a job board that’s updated every night with open positions at 300 companies in our market.

Is there a “Business 101” lesson for European CEOs that always works?

Every project is unique, so it’s hard to name one lesson that “always” works. But I’d recommend that European executives be ready to share the key drivers behind their decision. That way, US states and communities can respond much better to their needs.

What are you most looking forward to in Prague?

This will be my first visit to Prague, and I can’t wait to finally discover a place I’ve read so much about!

The Charleston Regional Development Alliance serves as a catalyst for long-term regional prosperity by attracting the world’s best companies, talent, and entrepreneurs.

Finding Ernest wasn’t a coincidence: it was Hydra Consulting who helped make the match. Since joining, Eernest has been the driving force behind eWay-CRM’s US sales. Based in New York and Kansas City, he knows firsthand what it takes to sell a European product to American customers. Ernest is flying to Prague to share not just what it’s like to work for a European company, but also to give you his practical takes on how to kick-start your sales in the US.

What was your first reaction when a Czech software company approached you? Did you have any reservations? 

Now, however, instead of talking to grape growers in Styria and Burgundy, it is developers in Prague. And instead of helping you plan your dinner and wine pairings, I have become your business advisor. I do miss working from a bar stool though!

Did you have to explain to your European colleagues how Americans buy, or change the sales process to stand out among competitors? 

I’m not sure if it’s a Czech thing, or just my organization but providing discounts continues to be a difficult conversation!  Americans love to ask for discounts, and we have become a bit more flexible in providing them when needed to close the right deals.

Even more important is the American “tone.”  To prepare for the job, I reviewed some of the emails that my European predecessors were sending to American prospects.   The formality was painful to read.  My casual tone may have initially upset the EU office, but they trusted me, and it has paid dividends.

Can selling from Europe without having a local point of contact in the US work?

eWay-CRM attempted to sell in the States for years before opening a US office.  As I understand it, they had a difficult time finding reputable people willing to work in the middle of the night.  However, when I began speaking with our existing customers, there was a clear sense of relief that we finally had someone Stateside.

I don’t think it’s anything deeper than the “safety” of having someone with an easy-to-pronounce name, who also got their baseball references, simply made people feel more at ease. The sales numbers have grown enough that we now also have Support and Customer Success employees based in America.

You’re flying to Prague, what are you most curious about?

My last trip to Prague was near the end of the pandemic, so I didn’t have an opportunity to explore the city as much as I would have liked.   Additionally, our team has grown and changed quite a lot in four years, so there are colleagues that I am excited to finally meet in person.

US Expansion: 2022 
Location:  Kansas City 
Product: CRM software for Microsoft 365

eWay System provides professional CRM software built directly into Microsoft 365. It helps businesses organize emails, meetings, and tasks and share them across the team. Whether you manage projects, handle orders, run sales, or simply need to get your contacts in order, eWay-CRM is the right choice.

You run a family business, is it harder to keep all the family members in check, or to expand to the US?

Definitely the family! The US is a big market, but at least it has rules you can study. With family, the rules keep changing.

Seriously, though, having my wife and both sons in the company is a great advantage. There is a lot of trust, but we also have to be very clear about roles and responsibilities. At work, we are colleagues first and family second.

Expanding to the US is a different kind of challenge. We have been in the IT business in Europe since 1993, but in America you cannot simply copy and paste what worked in Europe. You must understand the market, build relationships and earn trust again. That’s what makes it exciting.

Cybersecurity is a top priority for every company right now. What are you bringing to American clients that others don’t?

For more than 30 years, our model has been value-added distribution. We combine technology with technical expertise, support, training and, most importantly, strong relationships with our partners.

In the US, we want to bring the same approach. Especially for SMBs, we want to be a partner who helps them choose the right solutions, implement them and ultimately grow their business. Technology matters, but people still buy from people they trust.

What is the one thing companies most underestimate about their security and if you could only invest in one thing today, what would it be?

Companies still underestimate the human factor. You can buy excellent technology, but one wrong click can open the door.

So, if I could invest in only one thing, I would invest in building resilience across the whole company. That means educating people, assuming that sooner or later something will go wrong.

Security is not about believing you can prevent every attack. You can’t. The real question is: when something happens, how quickly can you detect it, contain it and recover? For me, that’s the difference between security and real cyber resilience.

Why South African wines what makes them so special?

That’s the dangerous question; I could talk about South African wine much longer than cybersecurity.

South Africa has everything: great terroir, old vines, fantastic winemakers and an incredible diversity of styles. You can find world-class Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Cabernet, Syrah or Pinotage, often with an excellent price-to-quality ratio.

But for me, it’s also about the country itself. Wine is about people, places and stories, and South Africa has plenty of all three.

And after more than 30 years in cybersecurity, I can confirm one important thing: wine is much easier to understand after the second glass.

US Expansion: 2024
US Location:  Charlotte, North Carolina
Product: value-added distributor in the IT security and data protection

ZEBR.AI value-added distributor in the IT security and data protection segment in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Southeastern Europe since 1993. In addition to product sales, it provides its customers with top-notch support and training services. The company is a distributor of Acronis, GFI Software, N-able, Cloudflare and AST products.

The South Carolina Department of Commerce is dedicated to supporting businesses at every phase of their lifecycle, because thriving companies build thriving communities. From site selection assistance to community development and infrastructure improvement grant offerings, to export and trade support, S.C. Commerce fosters success for both new and existing businesses, alike.

What is the first thing you say to someone who comes to you and says, “I want to expand to the US”?

First thing I would say is great! But let’s define what the US actually means for your company. America is not just one market; it is 50 states with different regions, costs, talent pools, customer bases, logistics networks, and business cultures.

So before talking about location, I ask: What do you need to succeed? Customers? Manufacturing? Distribution? Workforce? Speed to market? Proximity to partners? Once we understand that, we can find the right landing spot — whether that’s South Carolina or somewhere else. The goal is not just to arrive in America. The goal is to grow your company and succeed in America.

Do you see more companies from Central and Eastern Europe expanding to the US, and do you see the potential there?

I think we’re at the beginning of something here in CEE, not the middle of it. Right now, huge amounts of capital are flowing into CEE at a much faster pace than they’re flowing out. I’ve seen this same pattern before. A region stops being known for cheap production and starts building its own capacity, hosting real, integrated markets.

South Carolina went through that same transition forty years ago. Once a region reaches that point, its companies start thinking beyond their own borders. So yes, I absolutely see potential for CEE companies expanding to the US, and I look forward to any role South Carolina can play in helping to facilitate it.

South Carolina calls itself the new headquarters of American innovation. What makes it a smart landing spot for European companies?

The best evidence that we’re both an innovation hub and a smart place to land is our track record. BMW recently passed thirty years in South Carolina. Michelin runs its entire North American headquarters out of Greenville.

Over a thousand international firms looked at South Carolina, chose it, and then chose to stay. They stay for practical reasons such as dense supply chains, ports that connect them to every market, and support programs that make moving here easy. And if anyone needs one more reason, we’re happy to point them toward our beaches.

What is one thing not to miss while visiting South Carolina?

Find a diner that serves a meat-and-three. It’s the most honest meal in the state, if not the entire country. You choose one meat and three sides, all from whatever’s on the menu that day. The meat might be fried chicken or barbecue, and you’ll have a hard time narrowing your sides down to just three.

We’ve expanded our services to the Polish market. We believe in the potential of CEE companies and the value they have to offer the US market. These companies have the expertise, capital, and drive to expand and coming from a smaller market, you always have to think about expansion from day one.

We spoke with Cedric Fromont, CEO of Valians International, who helps companies relocate and expand across the CEE region. Cedric provided us with not only local knowledge, but also in-depth business insights drawn from years of experience.

From our experience supporting foreign companies in Poland, success rarely comes from simply finding a distributor and waiting for the market to develop.

What we see on the ground is that companies perform better when they stay close to the market: understanding what their partners are doing, speaking directly with customers, following opportunities, and adapting their approach when needed.

Poland is a very pragmatic market. You need a clear offer, a good understanding of your competition, and, above all, regular follow-up. One of the most common mistakes we see is underestimating how important persistence and local presence are.

In practice, the companies that succeed are usually the ones that remain engaged with the market over time, rather than treating Poland as a purely opportunistic export destination.

What we see in our day-to-day work is a business culture that is quite direct, pragmatic, and focused on concrete results.

Polish managers are generally open to meeting new suppliers or partners, but they expect you to come prepared. Very quickly, the discussion moves to practical questions: What can you offer? What’s different compared with existing suppliers? What are the prices, lead times, and technical advantages?

Another important point from our experience is follow-up. A first meeting can go very well and still lead nowhere if there’s no active follow-up afterward.

Relationships and trust are built progressively. Being responsive, following up regularly, and showing genuine interest in the Polish market make a real difference. A local presence or at least local support is also often appreciated and can help accelerate discussions.

From the projects and discussions, we’re currently seeing on the ground, several sectors are particularly active.

Defense and aerospace are clearly among them. Poland is investing heavily in its military capabilities, but this is also creating opportunities throughout the supply chain for components, industrial equipment, technologies, and specialized services.

Energy is another major area, particularly around offshore wind, nuclear energy, and energy infrastructure.

We’re also seeing strong demand linked to industrial modernization. Polish manufacturers are investing in automation, robotics, production equipment, and technologies that can improve productivity.

Infrastructure, digital technologies, cybersecurity, healthcare, and life sciences are also generating opportunities.

What’s interesting is that these opportunities aren’t limited to large multinational companies. We increasingly see room for specialized SMEs with strong technology, know-how, or niche expertise.

Poland is accelerating its rise as a key player in Central and Eastern Europe, and the US-Poland relationship is already deep and growing. The US is Poland’s largest non-EU investor, with close to $30 billion in FDI. However, Polish capital stock in the US stood at just under $0.6 billion in 2024, still modest, which tells us there’s real room to grow.

We believe that in the coming years, Polish companies will fill this gap.