How to choose the right legal structure for your global expansion? 🌎

When a Latin American startup decides to expand, enter a new market, or raise capital in the United States, one of the very first —and most strategic— decisions is choosing the right legal structure. Even if it seems like a technical formality, this choice directly affects:

• your ability to raise capital

• your credibility with corporate clients

• your tax obligations

• and how your company will be evaluated by the ecosystem

  
  

A poor choice can cost you months, thousands of dollars, and missed investment opportunities. That’s why deciding whether your startup should be an LLC or a C-Corp is a step you simply can’t take lightly.

Your legal structure also shapes how your clients perceive you:

Large companies in the U.S. —especially in SaaS, B2B, AI, fintech, or corporate services— expect to work with companies that have: legal clarity, solid corporate standards, a tax structure that’s easy to understand, formal contracts and agreements

A C-Corp signals professionalism and scalability.

An LLC can come across as more informal or limited for high-growth projects.

LLC vs. C-Corp: how to choose without putting your growth at risk

LLC:

An LLC is ideal when:

• you don’t plan to raise investment

• your business is small, freelance, or family-run

• you’re looking for tax simplicity

• you don’t need to issue shares

  
  

It’s not ideal when:

• you want to raise capital

• you plan to offer stock options to your team

• you’re looking for partners, advisors, or future funding rounds

• you want to attract U.S. funds

  
  

C-Corp: the structure designed for high-growth startups

A C-Corp offers: scalability, the ability to attract investment more easily, clear rules for issuing shares, compatibility with VCs, a separate corporate tax structure, and strong credibility with large clients.

If you decide to form a C-Corp, the next step is choosing which state to incorporate in. While you can incorporate almost anywhere, there’s an almost universal consensus: Delaware is the best place to incorporate a startup that aims to raise capital.

Delaware has the Court of Chancery, a court that specializes exclusively in corporate cases. This means:

• faster decisions

• judges who are experts in corporate law

• greater legal predictability

• lower risk for investors

  
  

All of this reduces uncertainty and builds confidence for any fund.

Choosing between an LLC and a C-Corp is not just an administrative formality. It’s a strategic decision that defines your real capacity to grow in the U.S. If your vision includes raising capital, attracting corporate clients, issuing equity, or scaling without friction, the structure that is most solid and aligned with the ecosystem is a C-Corp in Delaware. It gives you legal certainty, flexibility, credibility, and full compatibility with investors, while helping you avoid the delays, costs, and limitations that often arise when a startup chooses the wrong structure from the start.

👉 Would you like to book an orientation meeting to understand your options to expand your startup and raise investment in the U.S.?

Click the button and schedule a free session!

Schedule now