For European startups, the US is still the land of opportunity

With under 2 million people, a landmass that’s half the size of Greece, and a recent history of communist rule, Latvia doesn’t have textbook foundations for building world-leading businesses. But building a world-leading business is exactly what Latvia’s Printful did. In 2021, the on-demand printing startup was valued at over $1 billion, making it the country’s first-ever unicorn. To reach the local landmark, Printful took an international route. But rather than focus on its home continent of Europe, the company set its sights on the US.