About the IBA
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Creating Globally-Focused Companies
Taking it Global From the Get-Go
Companies with a global outlook are proven to have greater sales and growth trajectories. Yet only about one percent of all US firms are engaged in exporting. One percent! Studies have shown most US companies with competitive products and services lose money by sitting on the sidelines because of a fear of the unknowns in exporting, despite the broad network of training and support services. The challenge facing the US economy is to find more effective ways of getting more companies ready for and actively involved in international trade. The IBA meets that challenge by bringing profitability and growth to your business.
Leveling the Global Playing Field
Th world is diverse. So Are We.
From day one, the IBA has had a minimum of one black and one woman owned business in every cohort, While companies follow a proven curriculum, customization is a critical facet of success. Each founding team has specific issues yet access to capital for black owned businesses and uncovering pubic initiatives and private-sector resources for women owned businesses are a permanent focus. Over 50% of IBA clients are minority-owned and over 60% are women-owned businesses...and proudly so.
Bring the Accelerator to Your Market
Interested in launching an International Business Accelerator in your market? We'll help you do it by not only providing the framework but provide your startups a first-class concierge service for US and North American market entry via Los Angeles. Why LA? We speak more languages here than there are countries in the world! There's a target market, literally, for any business.
Contact us to see if the IBA's proven curriculum and process is the right fit for your market and entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Who We Are
The International Business Accelerator is a joint program of the Community Vitalization Council, an economic development non-profit, and K5 Ventures, an early-stage venture fund that partners with and invests in technology-driven businesses led by visionary founders.The IBA was started in 2014 with support from the US Small Business Administration. Fun fact: every key member of the IBA has lived overseas and is bilingual.
The IBA Export Accelerator
Outbound from the US
Available in cohorts, as 1:1 client, and self-paced online program. All three options offer 1:1 business coaching with multiple sector experts.
We make global expansion easy. Combine your ambition and the tools, strategy and latest business intelligence of the IBA Export Accelerator to guarantee sales in foreign markets in 90 days complete with minimal risk, customer acquisition, IP protection and financial support.
InBoundLA @ Silicon Beach
Inbound to the US
Inbound LA is for international companies interested in a guided roadmap to US market entry with Los Angeles as the entry point. The LAX and Silicon Beach areas of Los Angeles are home to hundreds of cutting edge tech and advanced manufacturing companies. This launch pad will enable international companies to access the unparalleled lifestyle and career opportunities that the most talented, skilled and diverse talent pool in the US.
LEADERSHIP
Everyone on the team is bilingual and has lived and worked abroad.
Christopher Lynch
Founder
Christopher Lynch is a global business thought leader and founder of the International Business Accelerator (IBA). An economist by training, he was a career US Foreign Service Officer, dealing with economic and business policy issues in Washington DC and at five US Embassies in Europe and Latin America. His last post was as US Consul General to Hamburg, where he was the senior US Government representative in northern Germany.
After returning to the US, Chris has focused on local economic development and entrepreneurship. He has mentored more than 200 startups through business incubators, accelerators and small business development programs. Chris currently heads the Community Vitalization Council and was previously VP for Economic Development at the Irvine and Santa Rosa Chambers of Commerce in California. He founded the International Business Accelerator in 2016.
He is an adjunct professor of International Business at Golden Gate University and of economics at Long Beach City College. He speaks fluent German and Spanish.
Michael McClune
Principal
Michael McClune has extensive experience in international business as a two-decade business owner. His global perspective began in the 1980s while traveling to Europe as a middle-school athlete and studying Russian in high school.
In the 90s, after graduating University of Pennsylvania and working for a NYC tech company, he left to develop the LATAM market from Chile and enjoyed assisting founders with international trade.
Returning to the US (backpacking 7 months & 15 countries), he owned and operated successful international businesses including a PR & Marketing firm with an international client roster.
Before joining Chris in 2017 to expand the IBA from Orange County and Long Beach into Los Angeles' Silicon Beach, DTLA and SF Valley, he co-owned a joint partnership in the natural supplement space with an Eastern European company.
Michael also co-chairs the Los Angeles Venture Association's (LAVA.org) Global Committee to connect US and foreign founders with investors who understand the potential of cross-border growth.
He is happily married to a foreigner and proudly raising two bi-cultural, global mini-citizens. He insists he fell in love long before realizing her country has the lowest corporate tax rate in the EU.
Sulaiman Kenyatta
Sulaiman is the IBA's charismatic international trade and research expert. Before joining the IBA, Suli was based in Southeast Asia as a digital communications consultant for the American Chamber of Commerce in Singapore.
Before that he served as the Communications Manager for the US-China Business Council in Washington, DC from 2016-2018.
He is a 2015 Morehouse College alum and also attended Shanghai University as a Coca-Cola and Deloitte Study Abroad Fellow.
Suli is a certified international trade professional and as a Online Accelerator coach, he helps the IBA with Chinese projects from his time living in Singapore.
Jenna Fuentes
Jenna is an expert in all things related to community building, particularly with online courses and learning communities. Jenna is behind the IBA's online platform and growing community of globally minded entrepreneurs.
Her expertise knows no bounds and her online learning development ranges from the US to Germany to Argentina where she lived and worked. Jenna is also the founder of the Virtual International Startup Networking Community.
Jenna plays a critical role in the IBA's founder engagement, growth, partnerships, creative ideation, scaling processes, organizational effectiveness, cross-functional project management, and, when the pandemic passes, we hope she'll lead our event production.
Jenna is an coach for the IBA's Online Accelerator and helps our English and Spanish speaking companies with processes and systems required for cross-border success.
