For the past six months, six Lithuanian businesses have participated in the „Global Access Program” (GAP) at the University of California, Los Angeles. By collaborating with teams of MBA students, the businesses conducted market analysis, developed marketing strategies, and created business plans. Representatives of three program participants — „Doclogix,” „Oixio,” and „OPTOMAN” — say that participation in the program not only allowed them to evaluate market nuances but also their own capabilities.
According to Indrė Balčiūnaitė, Head of the International Partnerships Division at the Innovation Agency Lithuania, Lithuanian businesses’ participation in the GAP program allows companies to prepare to enter one of the largest and most competitive markets in the world.
„This program is widely recognized in Europe and provides an excellent opportunity to test your products and services and prepare for a smooth entry into the U.S. market. We are grateful to the Consulate General of Lithuania in Los Angeles for its partnership in this program. The program helps strengthen the internationalization and export opportunities of Lithuanian businesses, enables them to become part of the high-tech ecosystem, and further strengthens their position in the U.S.,” she says.
Sandra Brikaitė, Consul General of Lithuania in Los Angeles, is convinced that such programs not only help Lithuanian businesses avoid costly mistakes but are also very important in promoting the growth of Lithuanian exports to the U.S., fostering partnerships, and presenting the potential of the Lithuanian business community to international partners.
„We value our long-standing collaboration with the Anderson School of Management at UCLA in creating a platform that successfully connects Lithuanian talents, their innovations, and the largest market in the world. The prestigious UCLA GAP program not only provides unique opportunities for Lithuanian companies to better understand the U.S. market and assess their expansion capabilities, but also promotes intercultural collaboration and the development of significant contact networks. We are pleased that in 2024, the Innovation Agency Lithuania allocated partial funding for Lithuanian companies to participate in the program, allowing them to test the potential of their products in the most competitive market,” says S. Brikaitė.
Varying Requirements as a Challenge
For „Doclogix,” a company developing document digitization solutions, participation in the GAP program became a strategic step that provided practical answers to a critical business development question: what to do today to remain competitive in the U.S. market tomorrow.
„Insights into the differences between the U.S. and European markets helped us better understand how to adapt our value proposition for the U.S. market, which aspects of the product to emphasize, and what communication strategy to choose. With a data-driven foundation, we can invest more purposefully in product improvement and faster implementation of solutions, thereby increasing our international competitiveness,” shares Žilvinas Kazlauskas, CEO of „Doclogix.”
Speaking about challenges, he does not hide that the document management field faces difficulties due to different regulations:
„In the U.S. market, compared to the Baltic States, stricter rules apply across different states. Therefore, to adapt solutions, more in-depth analysis and adjustments to specific legal and technological requirements are needed.”
Remigijus Šliupas, one of the founders and the CEO of the laser optics manufacturer „OPTOMAN,” values the opportunity provided by the program to conduct a resource-intensive market study guided by the professional „Anderson School of Management” model, which answers fundamental questions such as how, where, when, why, and how much it might cost.
He explains that the GAP team conducted more than 100 interviews with people from the photonics market, and the collected material became an irreplaceable primary source for formulating an optimized value proposition for the company’s potential clients:
„By conducting the study, we received clear indications about the validity of the projected business model in the U.S. market. The data and recommendations obtained became a very valuable package of information for structuring the next stages of business entry into the U.S. market.”
However, R. Šliupas reveals that there were also challenges:
„As the process progressed, we realized that one of the priority market segments was almost inaccessible, so we had to quickly adjust the project plan. But the team handled the tasks excellently.”
A Call to Do Your Homework
The „Doclogix” representative emphasizes that attempting to enter the U.S. market is an expensive and risky step that requires thorough preparation in advance. He states that, although from a European perspective this market appears enormous, it does not mean that there is room for everyone — competition with established players can be challenging.
„For this reason, it is crucial to understand market specifics well, clearly identify your niche, and test hypotheses before starting active operations. Therefore, programs like GAP provide valuable feedback from potential clients, help better understand their needs, and evaluate whether the business value proposition resonates with the expectations of the target audience. This is an investment in preparation that can save time, resources, and increase the likelihood that the step into the U.S. market will be not only bold but also successful,” says Žilvinas Kazlauskas.
Dovydas Zinkevičius, CEO of the business management systems provider „Oixio,” agrees. According to him, participation in such programs is an essential business action to evaluate whether a company should even consider entering the U.S. market:
„In this case, a distinction should be made between desires and reality based on a certain analysis. It may show that such a step is not advisable overall, or at least not at this time, and that certain tasks still need to be completed. Not doing your homework could do you a disservice.”
D. Zinkevičius points out that, when entering the U.S., one should:
„Prepare for cultural differences, established local rules, and be open to changes. Also, don’t be surprised that attempts to ‘sell’ happen here and now — you need to form your ‘front face’ and constantly refine it.”
Between 2018 and 2023, with the support of the Consulate General of Lithuania in Los Angeles, a total of 18 Lithuanian businesses participated in the GAP program. This year, the participants include „Doclogix,” „Feetsee” (UAB „Diabetis”), „Oixio,” „OPTOMAN,” „Reiz Tech,” and „TeleSoftas.”
The participation of companies in the program is partially funded by the Innovation Agency’s „InnoHUB Lithuania” project, which, in collaboration with the Ministry of Economy and Innovation, has been operating in Silicon Valley since the beginning of this year. The goal of the InnoHub Lithuania project is to grow Lithuanian businesses and their competitiveness in the U.S. market.
