Hi, my name is Nico. I am an ambassador and company scout for the German Accelerator Tech.
German Accelerator is a free (no fees or equity) acceleration program designed specifically to support German startups quickly evaluate U.S. market opportunities and enter the American market. It provides startups with extensive, hands-on mentoring from some of the tech industries most experienced entrepreneurs, and office space at its locations in Silicon Valley, San Francisco and New York City.
Recent testimonials of program participants
Sebastian Schulze — CEO FitAnalytics (Q1/2017)
The amount of concentration it takes to become even slightly successful in today’s technology market can result in a very myopic focus. We all constantly struggle to stay close to our core competencies. That can be good, but it can also be very limiting.
The GA helped us achieve the short-term small wins we needed, while simultaneously challenging us to think bigger for the long run. The program enabled us to realize that we weren’t just a company that built great technology to solve a small set of divisional problems. They helped us realize that we were actually a data-driven customer intelligence platform that could address a wide variety of critical business issues for really big companies.
My experience at the GA reminds me of this famous Bob Proctor quote: “A mentor is someone who sees more talent and ability within you, than you see in yourself, and helps bring it out of you.” That’s what the GA did for Fit Analytics and me.
Percy Stocker — COO Ubimax (Q3/2017)
The German Accelerator pushed us out of our comfort zone. We’ve had a lot of success with European customers, but we found out that messages that might work in Germany, for example, don’t necessarily resonate with US companies.
The GA mentors forced us to adopt a customer-centric approach and bigger vision that is better aligned with US customers’ interests. They took a hands-on approach to help us reshape our positioning and identify and emphasize the competitive advantages that matter in this market.
Ultimately, what’s impressed me most, however, is the relationships I’ve established with the GA mentors and other startups affiliated with the program. I didn’t expect to develop this type of network so fast in the US. These are connections that will help us succeed in the US.
Daniel Raschke — CEO Picalike (Q2/2017)
The German Accelerator was a truly eye-opening experience that went far beyond entering the US market. The GA’s expert mentors constructively challenged our plans and helped us re-evaluate our strategy. They worked with us to sharpen our value propositions and improve our ability to execute.
After three tough, but rewarding months, we finished the program as a better, more focused company. And I left the GA as far better entrepreneur with the confidence and training to address the type of obstacles I face on a daily basis running an early-stage, fast-growing startup looking to expand into the US market.
Thomas Hohenacker — CEO Cleverciti (Q3/2017)
If you want to launch and market your products in the US, you need to understand how this country works. There is no better way to learn how clients and investors think in the US than the GA program. The network of the coaches and mentors is excellent and we got a great variety of new business connections that will accelerate our growth here. If you want to pitch to US Investors, this the the best training ground one can image.
Before coming, we calculated the value of the GA program — mentoring, accelerating our entry into the US market, office space, access to customers, partners, and investors — at between $250k and $500k. Since the program is free — no fees and no equity — it was an absolute no-brainer to participate. Now that we’re here, we know we made the right decision.
Felix Ewald — CEO DyeMansion (Q3/2017)
I’ve never learned so much so fast in my entire entrepreneurial career. I’m not going to lie, The German Accelerator isn’t easy. The mentors challenge us every day to confront obstacles to growth and identify the best ways to address those barriers.
We arrived in the US with assumptions based on our success in Europe. The mentors didn’t tell us we were wrong. Instead. they provided the training and framework to develop a customer-centric approach that is helping us evaluate our strategy and identify product/market fit in the US. This is stuff that we will be able to use the rest of our careers.
Without the GA, we would have wasted months chasing a market that is significantly different than the European market and that needs a completely different approach.
German Start-up Ecosystem
I have been gathering a lot of knowledge about the German start-up ecosystem over the last couple of months. The following will be an ever-growing list of stuff that I find relevant. Enjoy!
Accelerator & Incubators of relevance in Germany
Axel Springer Plug & Play Accelerator
German Tech Entrepreneurship Center (GTEC)
SEED & SERIES A Investors of relevance in Germany
Government initiatives
EXIST is a support programme of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi). This programme aims at improving the entrepreneurial environment at universities and research institutes. It also aims at increasing the number and success of technology and knowledge based business start-ups
Business Plan Competitions in Germany — (pretty complete, not all of them make sense!)
Berliner Unternehmerin des Jahres
Businessplan Wettbewerb Medizinwirtschaft
Businessplan-Wettbewerb Berlin-Brandenburg
Businessplanwettbewerb Sachsen-Anhalt
Designwettbewerb Trusted Fairtrade Clothing
Deutscher eLearning-Innovations- und Nachwuchs-Award
Dr. Rudolf-Eberle-Preis — Innovationspreis des Landes Baden-Württemberg
European Satellite Navigation Competition
GENERATION D. Ideen für Deutschland. Gemeinsam Anpacken
Großer Preis des Mittelstandes
Gründerwettbewerb — IKT innovativ
Gründungswettbewerb start2grow
Herausforderung Unternehmertum
Ideenwettbewerb Gesundheitswirtschaft Schleswig-Holstein
IHK Forschungs- und Innovationspreis
IHK-Gründerpreis Mittelfranken
Initiativpreis DIHK Aus- und Weiterbildung
Innovationspreis Berlin-Brandenburg
Innovationspreis der deutschen Wirtschaft
Innovationspreis Region Aachen
Innovationspreis Weiterbildung Region Stuttgart
IQ Innovationspreis Mitteldeutschland
Kultur- und Kreativpiloten Deutschland
Landespreis für junge Unternehmer
Lausitzer Existenzgründer Wettbewerb
Mittelstandspreis für soziale Verantwortung in Baden-Württemberg
Münchener Business Plan Wettbewerb
Pioniergeist: Ihr Konzept — unser Gründerpreis
Plug & Work, der Gründungs- und Ansiedlungswettbewerb für Zukunftsbranchen
Prix Veuve Clicquot für die Unternehmerin des Jahrespromotion
Nordhessenruhr@ventureScience4Life Venture Cup
Senkrechtstarter — der Gründungswettbewerb
Starthilfe-Onlinestartsocial — Hilfe für Helfer
StartUp-Impuls — Der Wettbewerb für Ihre Gründungsidee
