Stripe Atlas
Starting a company in the U.S. can be incredibly complicated and time consuming — endless paperwork, waiting in line at the bank, steep legal fees, and tough decisions about what kind of entity to form and what services to use.
New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) has become one of the official Network Partners of Stripe Atlas, which can streamline this process considerably.
What is Stripe Atlas?
Stripe Atlas is an online tool to make establishing a US business as easy as possible. All that is required is to complete a simple form and within days (and for a nominal fee of $500 USD), you’ll have: a new C Corporation in Delaware; an U.S. bank account at Silicon Valley Bank (complete with a debit card); a Stripe payments account for processing payments; and $5,000 of AWS credits. Atlas also provides US guides for your business from bookkeeping and taxes to pitching investors. Members can also access a private online forum for founders to connect with other entrepreneurs, learn from experts, find beta users, and more.
Atlas is an invite-only service but NZTE is an Atlas Network partner, which means, as an NZTE customer, you can access Atlas immediately. If a company wants to incorporate via Stripe Atlas, please contact the US NZTE team.
Who is the Stripe Atlas program for?
· Internet (technology) companies who need to incorporate in the US
· Companies who have identified that incorporating as a Delaware C Corp is aligned to future strategies
· Companies that don’t have complicated requirements that could require deep legal guidance. (Basic legal advice is offered by Stripe)
· Companies who require a US bank account or US payment account and/or are willing to move their systems over to these new US accounts
NOTE:
· There are ongoing costs of $100/year to renew Delaware registered agent and $25/month to maintain bank account (waived with a minimum account balance)
· Carefully read through the website and consult others before signing up to make sure it works for you and your business
Additional FAQs about incorporation in the US:
1. When do I have to incorporate in the US? Check here for more information with advice on which structure you should use to incorporate and when.
2. Do other New Zealand tech companies use Atlas Stripe? Many New Zealand technology companies have used Stripe Atlas when expanding their US operations. Problems can arise if you don’t fully understand the offerings and legal implications. NZTE are happy to connect you to other customers who have used Stripe Atlas. Additional testimonials are available via the Stripe Atlas website.
