Written by Julia John-Scheder
Product feature testing can be an expensive and risky process for startups, but it doesn’t have to be. Let’s dive deeper into what German Accelerator mentors think about the painted door test as a cost-effective solution before rolling out a new feature.
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Written by Julia John-Scheder
Being a former cell biologist, Dr. Edgar-John Vogt found his way to German Accelerator and is now one of our company scouts searching for high-potential life science startups in Germany. As an advisor and sparring partner, he supports them in finding the right way to their internationalization journey.
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Written by German Accelerator
It may be the end of Women’s History Month but by no means should it be the end of the conversation. We need to make sure to keep the topics we discussed during this past month on our radar throughout the entire year and continuously celebrate women breaking barriers day-by-day. To help you stay informed, find inspiration, and learn from other women in business and entrepreneurship, we have prepared a list of podcasts, blogs, newsletters, and social media accounts to follow.
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Written by Sophia Junginger & Lauren Desrosiers
The gap in startup financing is still as prevalent as ever, not only for female founders who want to have a chance to secure investment dollars but also for women who want to reach leadership positions at venture capital firms. While women have managed to rise in many sectors, the venture capital space remains mostly male-dominated, with change for the better happening at an almost imperceptible speed. Let’s dive into why women are still disproportionately disadvantaged in the funding process, what we can do about it, and the positive changes we have seen so far that give us hope for gender parity.
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Written by German Accelerator
7 Questions to Dr. Christopher Smolka, Program Director at German Accelerator – insights around early planning and the right timing for global expansion, a global mindset, and all the right tools and connections to successfully scale to other markets
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Written by Sophia Junginger & Marie Klemme-Lacus
We talked to Dr. Michaela Hagemann, Founder of German Accelerator Alumni ‘das boep,’ about her experience of leaving the medical field to become a founder, how she lives by the mantra “in the end, everything has its purpose and will work out,” tips she would give young founders, and much more. We also wanted to know how they’ve been since the pandemic hit and what’s next for ‘das boep,’ and how she balances entrepreneurship and being a Mom of three.
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Written by Ananya Deshpande & Sophia Junginger
“Mansplaining” is a phenomenon as old as time. It is when a man explains something, generally (unsolicited) to a woman, thinking he knows more about the topic than she does — whether he himself knows anything or not. We dive into how and where women encounter mansplaining and how to deal with mansplaining (without burning bridges).
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Written by German Accelerator
In episode #06 of “Startup Stereo,” we talked to Bettina Engert (CEO of STARTUP TEENS) and Frederike Probert (Founder & CEO of Mission Female) about their experiences in the corporate, VC, and startup world. We dive into the importance of role models, entrepreneurial education, and an open mindset and curiosity to nurture equal opportunities.
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Written by Franziska Rammel
In our conversation with Katharina Kreitz, co-founder of Vectoflow, we talk about her experiences of being the only woman in the room, why women have to learn to leverage the advantages they have, astronaut Barbies, the gender gap in STEM, and learn that math is for lazy people.
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Written by Ananya Deshpande
In our latest German Accelerator “Pass The Mic” series, we chatted with industry experts to learn more about the world’s second-largest healthcare market, Japan, and its opportunities for German startups.
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Written by German Accelerator
Debunking Stereotypes of Women in Business | Gender bias; sometimes shockingly apparent, sometimes subconsciously present. Many stereotypes are as old as time; many re-discussed year after year. So why mention them again? Because we need to. We want to acknowledge and debunk widely held stereotypes about women as a crucial step to split from gender-biased clichés, including examples from #GAalumni das boep, Wildling, and Vectoflow, to leave them behind once and for all.
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Written by Lydia Koh
Uncomplicated bureaucracy, a high degree of digitization, and quick access to money and employees – South Korea offers German startups the right playing ground for growth and internationalization.
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Written by German Accelerator
March 8 is International Women’s Day – A day to celebrate women around the globe! Shoutout to all the women, who give their best every day, run their own businesses, stay home to take care of their loved ones, and so much more. We want to take a look at the current state of female entrepreneurship and women in business across the globe.
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Written by Sharleen Lucas David
Tim Miller, Co-Founder & Managing Director at Certif-ID, shares his experiences and his journey in successfully scaling to this dynamic region. Hear more about his experiences in German Accelerator Southeast Asia’s program, including how he forged partnerships with TÜV Rheinland Philippines and UNESCO.
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Written by Julia John-Scheder
From cultural nuances to how to conduct business in new markets, knowledge of how to navigate a new commercial landscape is essential for startups wanting to succeed. This article highlights the benefits of having local mentors in the U.S. and Asia in order to de-risk internationalizing for German startups.
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Written by German Accelerator
“I was never planning to found my own company. In fact, I was supposed to start working as a consultant in an advertising agency.” Of course, we at German Accelerator are very happy that things turned out differently and can officially introduce our Company Scout Alice Behrendt. Alice shares her tips and experiences as a female founder and provides more insights into her job, scouting the best German startups for the German Accelerator programs in Germany, the U.S., and Asia.
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Written by Julia John-Scheder
We talked to Jens Kirsch, CEO of terraplasma medical, about his experience in our German Accelerator Life Sciences focused program last fall and the company’s future plans for FDA approval of their device for the wound care market in the U.S.
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Written by Sharleen Lucas David
Recently, we took the time to learn more about Pedro, German Accelerator alumni, and his experiences in working closely with lead mentor Yih Cheng Yak. We also gathered the benefits of working with our mentors and how they pave the way for German startups through our German Accelerator startup program.
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Written by German Accelerator
2020 has now almost come to an end and we are happy that we were able to introduce some of our fantastic German Accelerator companies with you during the 24 days of advent.
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Written by German Accelerator
Despite the challenges that 2020 threw at the world, many startups finished the year successfully and took the chance to grow and expand. 153 of them have been part of our German Accelerator programs and prepared or started their mostly digital expansion journey. We have recalled the year and taken a closer look at all participants. Read about the milestones we’ve achieved in the virtual world and learn why the number of hours that we’ve spent on Zoom was five-figured.
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Written by Sophia Junginger
In full holiday spirit, we hosted our 4th U.S. German Startup Night of the year. We were proud to present 11 startups, from various industries. The event represents the culmination of our 3-month intensive program and helps connect companies with investors, venture capital representatives, potential customers, and partners.
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Written by German Accelerator
A Reflection on the Global Trends We Have Seen This Year | The year 2020 has brought many trends to light that are likely to continue to shape the way we live and work in the future. We have asked our German Accelerator team around the globe to share the trends they have observed.
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Written by German Accelerator
In this episode #05 of “Startup Stereo,” we talked to German Accelerator Alumni Dirk Schart, CMO & President U.S. of RE’FLEKT, and Julian Leitloff, Founder & CEO of Fractal about the culture of failure. In our conversation, they highlight the various angles, their learnings, and opportunities around failure. As Julian summarizes “Failure is only failure if you stop doing it, before that it’s learning!”
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Written by Keshia Theobald-van Gent
Partnerships can offer huge opportunities for growth for both startups and corporations. Keshia Theobald-van Gent, U.S. Program Director, recently zoomed with #GAmentor Patrick Guerra, Founder & Principal of Lions Peak LLC, to discuss challenges startups face in developing these early partnerships and which tools are the best for startups to recognize partnership opportunities.
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Written by Julia John-Scheder
We talked to Marco Janezic, CEO & Founder of Eternygen, as well as German Accelerator mentor Mike Serrano-Wu, serial entrepreneur, investor and Partner at Sprout BioVentures about their mentor relationship and overall experience in our Life Sciences program.
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Written by Dr. Irène Kilubi
What is a brand ambassador, and what are typical steps for a startup to take before launching an ambassadorship program? Important questions to answer, as it is a great and effective way to promote your business and offering. Laying the foundation for an ambassador program certainly is no walk in the park, so we have asked Irène Kilubi, a brand expert and founder herself, who shared her top ten tips on how startups can successfully use ambassadors to promote their products. Read about the things you must consider, from defining your values to tracking your success.
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Written by German Accelerator
As part of our mini-series on the culture of failure, we spoke to Dirk Schart, CMO and President U.S. of RE’FLEKT who participated in our program in 2016. He shared his insights on working with German Accelerator mentors and the importance of having the proper mindset, both as an individual and as a society, when it comes to learning from failures.
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Written by Lydia Koh
The Indo-Pacific region is the world’s growth engine, and it is a priority of German foreign policy. Singapore is at the heart of it, but why is this country such an attractive location for startups and businesses alike, and how can you access the market as a springboard into Asia?
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Written by Lauren Desrosiers
The benefits of working with a dedicated mentor during our program provides invaluable insight for the German startups. We caught up with current German Accelerator participant Fabian Alt (InGeneron) and Strategic Lead Neema Mayhugh (Wave Strategy) to learn more about their experience working together and their tips for how other startups can leverage the mentor/ mentee benefits.
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Written by Lydia Koh
With most sales conversations happening in a virtual context, we’ve collected the top five tips from our German Accelerator mentors to help B2B startups prospect, connect, and engage potential customers in the new normal.
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Written by German Accelerator
Wondering about your current options for traveling or working in the U.S.? While it might seem impossible at the moment, you may be relieved to hear that it is not. There are many restrictions in place as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, however, we have simplified some of the current regulations and explained which visa categories are affected, how you might qualify for an exemption, and how you may be able to enter the U.S. as a business traveler.
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Written by Julia John-Scheder
To pivot or not to pivot is a question that many founders will face at some point in their journey of building a company. Sometimes outside forces push startups to reinvent themselves in order to be able to adapt to new environments. COVID-19 altered the landscape for a lot of markets, and it will probably continue to do so. In this article, we highlight some of our alumni companies’ pivots over the past six months to try to shed some light on their decision-making and communication around pivots.
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Written by Lauren Desrosiers
As part of the German Accelerator “Pass The Mic” series, we hosted a virtual fireside chat with serial entrepreneurs about adapting B2B go-to-market strategies and the extra adjustments that are required due to COVID-19. Stefan Groschupf (Automation Hero), German Accelerator Mentor Ralf Hirt (8W8 – Global Business Builders), and Andreas Hofmann (Program CEO, German Accelerator Silicon Valley) share their battle scars and advice on virtual networking, tailoring messages, and developing go-to-market strategies internationally.
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Written by German Accelerator
Merriam-Webster defines failure as “lack of success” or “a failing in business”. But do you think Bill Gates or Elon Musk would define failure the same way? Does the perception of failure depend on the country and societal business norms? Let’s take a closer look at the culture of failure across startup ecosystems around the world.
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Written by German Accelerator
For the most recent German Accelerator “Pass The Mic” series, we hosted a webinar to explain the traditional and alternative financing options for German startups during COVID-19. Alex von Frankenberg (High-Tech Gründerfonds, HTGF), Angela Kerek (Morrison & Foerster), and German Accelerator Mentor Christian Janson-Euterneck (NeueCaptial Partners) brought different perspectives to address the current challenges German startups face, along with an overview of the public and private financing solutions they can tap into.
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Written by German Accelerator
In our quick chat with Marco Feelisch (born in Düsseldorf), Managing Director and Co-Founder of Buckle & Seam, we threw a few quick questions at him. We were curious to hear what he reads and enjoys most, and what he wants to change about the German startup ecosystem.
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Written by Sophia Junginger
Alongside 110 participants, we were excited to watch the 10 startups in our U.S. Class 2020-3 pitch at our virtual New York & Silicon Valley German Startup Night. The event represents the culmination of our 3-month intensive program and helps connect companies with investors, venture capital representatives, potential customers and partners, as well as our mentors and our jury Anne Cocquyt, Sarah Foley, and Julian Roeoes.
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Written by Lauren Desrosiers
German Accelerator’s virtual fireside chat, co-organized by the Singapore Embassy in Berlin and SGInnovate, explored the landscape for startups thinking about expanding to the Singapore and German markets during COVID-19 and beyond. After kicking off with an overview of internationalization from Ambassador Laurence Bay, the panel provided insights from a wide range of experiences and cross-cultural knowledge. Moderated by Marc Filerman (our Life Sciences Program CEO), the panel comprising Dr. Jack Tan (TeleMedC) and German Accelerator participant Sirko Pelzl (apoQlar) provided the startup perspective, while Harjit Gill (APACMed) was able to speak from an industry perspective, and investor and German Accelerator mentor Shoko Suzuki (Harbourfront Ventures) rounded out the conversation.
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Written by Julia John-Scheder
When expanding your business into a new market, there are many things to consider, and oftentimes the sentence “do your homework” is the credo during the preparation phase. With sales, this rings true on your home turf, but in new markets where sales processes might not even have been tested yet, it is even more important. Find out more about the key takeaways from our session with our mentor Martin Guersoy, Managing Partner at Kaan & Associates, on how to set up your sales approach in the U.S.
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Written by Franziska Rammel
Over the last six months, our world has been turned upside down. It’s safe to say that the pandemic has affected our lives at all levels. And, even though we have somehow adapted to the new normal, it’s still a difficult, uncertain, and challenging situation for both our private and business life. Economies around the globe are suffering, many companies need governmental funding, and even large corporates fear insolvency. We asked our Program CEOs to share their thoughts and observations around the impact of COVID-19 on the startup scene worldwide.
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Written by German Accelerator
How should business leaders steer their organizations to adapt to the new normal? We’ve summarized the insights from our #GAPassTheMic series on the different scenarios of a post-COVID-19 global economy, and why now is the time to catalyze innovation.
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Written by German Accelerator
There are many reasons for startups to join our global accelerator programs. One of them is the opportunity to travel to the world’s leading innovation and startup hubs and experience the local hustle and bustle. That was, of course, pre-COVID-19. The global pandemic changed the way we and many other organizations operate, but the wheels didn’t stop spinning and to cater to the unabated interest for international expansion, we are now offering fully virtual programs. We spoke to a few of our startups participating in our global programs to find out why they applied and participated over the past few months and learn from the experiences and growth opportunities they’ve had.
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Written by German Accelerator
In this episode of “Startup Stereo,” Andy Goldstein shares his personal perception of crises – or as he calls them “breakdowns.” According to him, every breakdown is the opportunity for a breakthrough! We also talk about pitfalls entrepreneurs might face and tips for founders to successfully steer their business through a crisis. Towards the end of the conversation, we look at digital transformations and Andy’s personal experience as an American living in Europe for more than 35 years.
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Written by Katrin Grunwald
Taking over your first team can be quite a challenge: You have more responsibility, can encounter new uncertainties, question if you can handle the workload, and might feel like you need to know everything from day one. But it doesn’t have to be that way! Katrin Grunwald, a fempreneur herself and coach for first-time leaders, shares her top 10 recommendations for a successful start for your first leadership role.
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Written by Juliane Frömmter
India’s technology boom and expanding economy have paved the way for startups to drive the country’s next wave of growth. As startups disrupt all sectors and receive global attention, there are abundant opportunities for German companies to expand into India.
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Written by German Accelerator
With summer coming to a close, the changing of seasons to fall promises new beginnings and a refocus of efforts. For our 21 new startups from various industries joining the virtual German Accelerator programs, fall promises to be the beginning of their journey of expansion into the U.S. and Southeast Asian markets.
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Written by German Accelerator
Florian Leibert (D2iQ) | From Schweinfurt to Silicon Valley: How a German Founder Convinced Andreessen Horowitz and Brad Silverberg to Support His Business He came, saw, and built. Florian Leibert, General Partner at 468 Capital and Founder of D2iQ (formerly Mesosphere), is an entrepreneur and investor with a stoic edge. In this German Accelerator Coffee Session, the computer science whiz from Schweinfurt, Germany, shares his Silicon Valley success story, the value of a strong network and introductions to the right people, and what being an investor means to him.
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Written by Mabel Fu
Japan has a rapidly growing startup scene, and it’s mainly driven by the collaboration of large corporates and startups. As the country heads towards creating a ‘super-smart’ society, the opportunities for German deep tech startups are abundant.
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Written by German Accelerator
Female entrepreneurship in New York is thriving virtually and this may be the perfect opportunity to start growing your network from wherever you are. Here are 10 top organizations & communities that bring together businesswomen of the New York startup ecosystem and beyond.
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Written by Lydia Koh
In the race to develop a COVID-19 vaccine, #GAStartup Prime Vector Technologies (PVT) from Tübingen has received funding and support for their safe viral vector platform that enables the fast generation of vaccines. Find out why they chose to focus on Southeast Asia and their biggest learnings from this pandemic.
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Written by German Accelerator
How to Avoid Cultural Business Traps: How To Do International Business Like a Pro | Before heading into your next international business call or meeting, make sure to take the time to familiarize yourself with each country’s cultural norms. Doing so maximizes your chances of success and helps foster strong business ties.
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Written by German Accelerator
Florian Otto (Cedar) | Ignoring Assumptions – How Cedar Closed a $102M Series C During the Height of COVID-19 (Part 2) Florian Otto, Co-Founder & CEO of Cedar recently shared his journey from wanting to become a maxillofacial surgeon to founding a successful patient payment and engagement platform for hospitals and health systems in New York. In part two of this Coffee Session, Florian shared with Christian Busch, Program CEO of German Accelerator New York, insights about Cedar’s successful Series-C led by Andreessen Horowitz despite COVID-19, how to nourish investor relationships, the mentors alongside him, and his guiding principles as a leader.
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Written by Mabel Fu
Find Out the Reasons Behind South Korea’s Vibrant Tech Ecosystem and Our Top Tips to Scale in South Korea | South Korea is considered as a ‘Land of Innovation’, ranking second only to Germany in Bloomberg’s 2020 Innovation Index. It has the biggest government backing of startups per capita in the world providing US$4 billion to startups in the country since 2015. With strong support from the government, South Korea is cultivating startups to be the new engines of economic growth and has become an increasingly attractive destination for foreign startups.
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Written by Sheena Cheong
Key Tips on Fundraising, Building a Business Continuity Plan, and Identifying Positive Opportunities | With startups shifting to survival mode as the coronavirus uncertainty grows, German Accelerator mentor Dr. Sian Wee Tan addresses questions from our startups around fundraising, business continuity plans, and key risk mitigation strategies. Dr. Sian is Co-Founder and Executive Director of Finaxar (a Monk’s Hill Ventures portfolio company that is reinventing business financing for small-and-medium enterprises) and Operating Advisor at Monk’s Hill Ventures (a partnership of seasoned entrepreneurs who have built and backed global companies based both in Silicon Valley and Asia).
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Written by German Accelerator
Florian Otto (Cedar) | Necessity is the Mother of Invention – A German Entrepreneur’s Journey From Curing One Patient at a Time to Healing an Entire Healthcare System in the U.S. (Part 1) How does someone go from becoming a maxillofacial surgeon in Freiburg to founding a successful patient payment and engagement platform for hospitals and health systems in New York City? In part one of this German Accelerator Coffee Session, Florian Otto, Co-Founder & CEO of Cedar, talks to Christian Busch, Program CEO of German Accelerator New York, about his entrepreneurial journey and how healing one patient at a time just wasn’t enough for him.
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Written by Judith Sterl
A Conversation About Leather Bags, COVID-19, The Importance of Sharing, Social Impact, Education in Pakistan, Crowdfunding, And Tips For Young Founders. We love to see our German Accelerator companies go far and grow fast. One of our alumni, Buckle & Seam from Berlin, doesn’t just offer personalized premium quality leather goods, they have a clear purpose for their brand and business – to inspire their customers to break boundaries, share their experiences, take action, and write their own success story.
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Written by Edgar-John Vogt
After witnessing the wave of the pandemic and consequences in Germany, we were curious to find out how startups in the Life Sciences industry are managing through these times. Is expansion into other markets still on the table, or would these companies be forced to rethink their business model and pivot? How does the virus affect their daily business like running clinical trials and so on? Find out what our Life Sciences company scout Edgar learned in his conversations with German Life Sciences startups.
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Written by German Accelerator
A total of 30 German startups who are current and former participants of German Accelerator’s Southeast Asia and Next Step programs took part in our first-ever virtual German Startup Night – Asia Edition.
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Written by Lauren Desrosiers
As part of the German Accelerator “Pass The Mic” Series, we hosted a virtual fireside chat with leaders of biotechnology industry organizations from Germany and Massachusetts to speak about the current trends and challenges from a global perspective. Horst Domdey (BioM) from Germany and John Hallinan (MassBio) from Massachusetts were joined by investor Mike Serrano-Wu (Sprout BioVentures) to comment on how the pandemic has lit a fire under the whole healthcare industry in terms of collaboration and virtual adoption.
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Written by Lauren Desrosiers
As the race to fight COVID-19 is underway, the pandemic is profoundly impacting the FDA approval processes and ongoing clinical trials. In an effort to prioritize COVID-19 diagnostics and treatments, the FDA has allowed for changes to ongoing clinical trials and has introduced new procedures, such as Coronavirus Treatment Acceleration Program (CTAP), to reduce approval waiting periods.
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Written by Eva Meier
Want to set up your own virtual event or webinar? We have some good tried-and-true tips on how to succeed in today’s “new normal” way of event organization.
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Written by German Accelerator
We sat down with Hanna Marie Asmussen (founder and CEO of Localyze) and German Accelerator mentor Daniela Caserotto-Leibert (Head of Business Development USA at Speedinvest) to talk about their experience of working together and their best practices on how to get the most out of any mentoring relationship.
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Written by German Accelerator
Our very first joint and fully virtual New York & Silicon Valley German Startup Night is in the books. German Startup Night features pitches from best-in-class German startups that have completed the German Accelerator U.S. program. Attendees were provided with the opportunity to listen to the pitches of thriving high-potential German startups.
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Written by Lauren Desrosiers
In a very short time, COVID-19 has had a dramatic effect on all aspects of our lives, and this certainly extends to include new adoption of promising technologies and a more challenging fundraising environment. As the trend for remote monitoring and virtual care continues, the need for healthcare innovation is only going to increase and the lessons derived from the current crisis will make for a better “new normal”.
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Written by Lauren Desrosiers
As part of German Accelerator’s “Pass The Mic” series, we hosted a virtual fireside chat to provide insight on how to optimize your digital marketing efforts in 2020 while keeping your brand relevant and your audiences engaged. #GAmentor Kevin Indig (VP SEO & Content, G2) share learnings and resources based on previous recessions and #GAalumni Nicolas Leonhardt (CEO & Co-Founder, Wagawin) provided practical observations based on his B2B company’s experiences.
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Written by Franziska Rammel
Expanding a business to a new international market is a big challenge to tackle for any company. Depending on which market your startup wants to enter, you will not only face new business challenges but also cultural differences that can lead to further hurdles. The endeavor requires a lot of commitment and many dedicated resources. The good news is, that you’re not the first one starting this undertaking so you can benefit from the learnings, experiences, and best practices of companies that already expanded internationally.
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Written by Lauren Desrosiers
For the most recent German Accelerator “Pass The Mic” series, we hosted a virtual fireside chat with a diverse group of investors to hear how the current health and economic crisis is impacting corporate venture capital’s (CVC) investment strategies. With a global perspective and different types of organizations represented, Meredith Fisher (Partner, Mass General Brigham), Rohan Ganesh (Principal, Venture Capital, Verily, an Alphabet company), and Joey Mason (Head of Life Sciences Fund, M Ventures) provided insight on the current corporate venture capital environment from multiple perspectives.
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Written by Franziska Rammel
Dr. Alexander Lemken, co-founder of ioxp, talks about the steep learning curve on their international expansion journey, and how the German Accelerator program in Silicon Valley has helped them accelerate their business development efforts, and get ready for U.S. success. Their lead mentor, Daniela Caserotto-Leibert, also shares how she experienced working with ioxp, and what potential she sees for ioxp in the U.S. market.
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Written by Lauren Desrosiers
As part of German Accelerator’s “Pass The Mic” series, we hosted a webinar to address how to manage sales and keep customers for B2B companies during tough times. #GAmentors Joshua Amrani (CEO, The Amrani Group and one of our #GAalumni) and Brandon Atkinson (CEO & Principal Consultant, 46 Summits Consulting) provided actionable insights on how companies can navigate the COVID-19 environment.
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Written by Lauren Desrosiers
As part of our “Pass the Mic” series, we recently hosted a virtual fireside chat to update startups on how COVID-19 is impacting the 2020 investment landscape and highlighted what these changes could mean for young German companies seeking to raise money in the U.S. Angel Investor and our Program CEO Christian Busch and #GAmentors Charlie Cameron (HUB Angels) and Morgan Lai (Foundation Capital) shared their insights on the current investment dynamics.
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Written by German Accelerator
For entrepreneurs, the coronavirus pandemic is not the time to stay still. Here are the 23 German startups who are taking the bold step forward and preparing for international expansion with German Accelerator’s virtual programs.
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Written by German Accelerator
In this edition of our Coffee Sessions, Andreas Hofmann, Program CEO German Accelerator Silicon Valley, interviewed Chinese born German founder Han Jin, who launched Lucid, the world’s first AI-powered 3D vision platform, without a cent in his pocket. Read the full interview with Han – who is also one of our dedicated Mentors – to find out how Judo and Chinese war strategies helped him succeed, and much more!
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Written by German Accelerator
In the third episode of “Startup Stereo”, Dr. Oliver Uecke of Lipotype and Daniel Mark of Spindiag share how their companies are involved in tackling the #coronacrisis, the impact of the situation on their business, and how they both perceive the “gold rush” in life sciences field at the moment. #ProudSupporter
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Written by Sheena Cheong
Why Startups Should Still Think About Internationalization and How to Best to Make Use of the Current Situation | Given the current crisis, should startups still internationalize or focus on existing markets? Are there ways startups can make the most out of this situation? We post these questions to our #GAmentors, Jordi Castello (Letgo), Dr. Bert Grobben (Budding Innovations), Samer Hamadeh (Zeel), and David Segura (Angel Investor and Serial Entrepreneur) to get their insights.
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Written by German Accelerator
As we publish this blog post, some countries have initiated a cautious reopening of their economies, while others have extended their lockdowns. The fight against the virus is not yet over, and German Accelerator companies continue to get involved as tech supporters and resource providers.
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Written by Lauren Desrosiers
#GAmentor Anula Jayasuriya shares her insights from personal experience in the pharmaceutical industry and venture capital world. We sat down with her to speak about the barriers of entry into the VC world for women, the importance of organizations which support female entrepreneurs, and her investments in women’s health.
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Written by German Accelerator
In German Accelerator’s Startup Stereo Episode #02, we talked to Anna Yona, Co-Founder of Wildling. As a mother of 3 and Co-Founder of Wildling, she shares how to manage a family and a successful business under one roof.
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Written by German Accelerator
Kati Schmidt, a Münster native, Director of Growth at Course Hero, Entrepreneur and German Accelerator mentor, talks about working for global disruptor Airbnb, winning a green card, and her experiences of founding and folding a company in Silicon Valley.
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Written by German Accelerator
Munich Startup hat nachgefragt, wie der German Accelerator und betroffene Startups mit der aktuellen Situation umgehen. Das Ziel des German Accelerator bleibt auch in der Corona-Krise gleich: Startups bestmöglich bei ihrer internationalen Expansion zu unterstützen.
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Written by Franziska Rammel
Not only in times of the coronavirus crisis but in general we feel the urge to be available for anyone, anywhere, at any time. We asked Natalie Sennes, business woman, founder, and mindfulness coach, for her advice on how we can cope with the pressure, her essential tips on how to reduce screen time, and how she personally manages to detach.
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Written by German Accelerator
The coronavirus has definitely turned our lives upside down. Our German Accelerator companies have stepped up and offer special support during this crisis by sharing their expertise, knowledge, and resources to help others get through this new and uncertain situation.
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Written by German Accelerator
The coronavirus is challenging businesses globally, but German Accelerator companies are not sitting still. Many have joined the fight against the virus with new ideas, technologies, platforms, and medical services.
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Written by German Accelerator
The very first episode of German Accelerator’s podcast “Startup Stereo” is live! In episode #01, Jenny von Podewils, Co-Founder of Leapsome, a platform for people enablement, shares her insights on the importance of feedback and how meaningful reviews can serve as rocket fuel for both learning and a healthy company culture.
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Written by Lydia Koh
It’s 2020, and the “old boys’ club” in venture capital should be a thing of the past. Only that it isn’t, especially in Asia. Monthida McCoole, Investor and German Accelerator Mentor, shares her experience on what it’s like to be (at most times) the only woman in the room and raising funds in Asia.
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Written by Annika Pierson
The constant exposure and consumption of news during these uncertain times can be draining and scary. Psychotherapist, business & life coach, author, and entrepreneur, Miriam Junge actively shares her tips on how to cope with stress, be mindful and balance your and your company’s needs.
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Written by Sheena Cheong
Navigating the Repercussions Caused by the Coronavirus (Covid-19) Outbreak. Nicolas Keravec, Managing Director of Asia Pacific Internet Holding Group & #GAmentor, shares his experiences and advice to help startups navigate through the current economic uncertainty due to the widespread impact of the coronavirus (Covid-19). Here are his top five risk mitigation strategies for startups around the globe to consider.
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Written by German Accelerator
Why are we promoting #Fempreneurs? Because there aren’t enough and we feel we all need role models and inspirational stories! Check out our infographic to learn more about the female entrepreneurship landscape in Germany and around the globe.
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Written by German Accelerator
“The entrepreneurial journey is an exciting journey. It’s a rollercoaster with many ups and downs – be prepared, stay excited, and enjoy the ride.” Anne Cocquyt, serial entrepreneur and German Accelerator mentor, shares what it’s like to work in a male-dominated world and how she founded the GUILD, a global networking platform for female innovators and entrepreneurs.
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Written by Lydia Koh
According to the World Economic Forum’s 2020 Gender Gap report, it will take 257 years to close the economic participation gap. We had a look at the companies and communities in Singapore that seek to close the gap.
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Written by Judith Sterl
A Male Feminist and Executive Search Consultant on Glass Ceilings and Gender Disparities
Harald Fortmann is a digital expert, executive search consultant, entrepreneur, and author who chooses to support and write about female leaders and new work topics. This interview gives us a male perspective on gender bias and concrete tips on how men can support women in business.
Written by German Accelerator
Sophie Chung, MD (Qunomedical) | Democratizing access to high-quality healthcare (Part 2) “The time to start a company has never been better for female founders.” In part 2, Qunomedical founder Sophie Chung talks about managing the challenges of a multicultural team, getting away with 3-4 hours of sleep and what pattern recognition and intuition have to do with fundraising.
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Written by Judith Sterl, Franziska Rammel
There is lots of research and studies analyzing female entrepreneurship, women in business, and the gender gap in today’s working world. We asked Nadine Chochoiek, Doctoral Candidate & Head of Teaching at Max Planck und LMU EC, about the potential reasons and the scientific perspective on this topic.
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Written by Marie Klemme-Lacus, Judith Sterl
Strong, innovative, purposeful. The women in our current German Accelerator classes around the globe are on a mission to scale their business internationally. Here’s what they have to say:
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Written by German Accelerator
Sophie Chung, MD (Qunomedical) | Democratizing Access to High-Quality Healthcare (Part 1) What happens when an ambitious medical doctor and stem cell researcher quits her job, goes into management consulting and then works for a digital health startup? This #GAcoffeesession tells the founder story of Sophie Chung and her mission: Qunomedical.
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Written by German Accelerator
Felix Plog (foodpanda) | Scaling to 40 Markets in Two Years (Part 2) In part two of this #GAcoffeesession interview, foodpanda co-founder and angel investor Felix Plog spills his secrets around fundraising and shares an insider take on the non-profit mentality in the U.S.
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Written by German Accelerator
If you think India is only attractive as a location for an outsourced IT or back office function, think again. Claus Karthe answers 4 questions about Next Step Asia, German Accelerator’s latest launch pad that empowers German startups to enter the fast-growing Indian market.
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Written by German Accelerator
Felix Plog (foodpanda) | Scaling to 40 Markets in Two Years (Part 1). “We embarked on a crazy expansion that took us to 40 markets in two years”. In round two of our #GACoffeesessions, foodpanda co-founder Felix Plog talks to German Accelerator about scaling like no tomorrow.
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Written by Judith Sterl
“Bei FlixMobility leben wir eine Fehlerkultur. Fehler sind erlaubt, denn aus ihnen ziehen wir immer wieder neue Erkenntnisse.” Wir haben dem Mitgründer und CIO von FlixMobility Daniel Krauss 5 Fragen zu seinen Gründungserfahrungen, Ratschlägen und Zukunftsplänen gestellt.
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Written by Preston Locher
German Accelerator alumnus Christian Götz, CEO and Co-Founder of HiveMQ, shares his top 5 learnings and unveils the biggest challenge he faced during his 3-month program in Silicon Valley.
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Written by Andreas Hofmann
“There is an outstanding value of Silicon Valley’s spirit, top-notch network, and access to funding.” Program CEO German Accelerator Silicon Valley, Andreas Hofmann reveals 3 major advantages of Silicon Valley and why they remain unmatched.
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Written by Christian Busch
Philippe von Borries (Refinery29) | From German Exchange Student to Media Entrepreneur (Part 2). “I do things that push me out of my comfort zone all the time.” In Part 2, Philippe von Borries shares the advice he would give his 20-year-old self and a sneak peek into what’s next for Refinery29.
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Written by Gloria Chou
Not sure how to best strategize your PR activities? Startup PR strategist Gloria Chou hosted a PR workshop, where she shared her top five PR tips for startups.
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Written by Christian Busch
Philippe von Borries (Refinery29) | From German Exchange Student to Media Entrepreneur (Part 1). German Accelerator talked to Philippe von Borries, Co-Founder of Refinery29, about how he and his team built and sold one of the fastest-growing media brands in the U.S.
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Written by German Accelerator
Seven German startups are kicking off the start of a new decade with plans to accelerate their expansion into Southeast Asia.
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Written by German Accelerator
Johanna Joch of Speechagain participated in our New York program and wrapped it up by winning the Best Pitch Award during German Startup Night. Back then, the trained speech therapist spent several hours working with one of our pitch coaches. End of 2019, she became a coach herself and we and picked her brain about her top workshop takeaways.
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Written by German Accelerator
Have a look at the companies that joined one of our programs in 2019.
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Written by German Accelerator
2019 has almost come to an end and we are happy that we were able to share some of our great #GAalumni companies with you during the 24 days of advent.
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Written by German Accelerator
We sat down with CEO and Co-Founder of Wagawin, Nicolas Leonhardt, to talk in more detail about their time during the five-month Southeast Asia program, future plans, and why they applied for a program extension.
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Written by German Accelerator
The countdown to Christmas is on! To make your holidays less stressful, we have collected a perfect variety of treasures from our German Accelerator portfolio companies that will be loved by your family and friends.
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Written by Geoff Baum
Thirty years ago, Michael Meirer came to the U.S. Our former CEO of German Accelerator Silicon Valley talks about his life, career, and what he has learned on his journey.
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Written by Marc Filerman
Marc Filerman, CEO of German Accelerator Life Sciences, shares seven tips on what it takes to become a successful entrepreneur.
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Written by German Accelerator
Finishing our series on Asian Business Culture by taking a closer look at the last four key differential elements from a German perspective.
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Written by German Accelerator
Hannah Schwär von Business Insider Deutschland fragt drei unserer erfahrenen German Accelerator Mentoren, wie man im Silicon Valley erfolgreich gründet.
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Written by German Accelerator
Taking a closer look at the first four key differential elements of Asian business culture from a German perspective.
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Written by German Accelerator
At the beginning of October, twelve young companies arrived from Germany in the United States to start their expansion journey with the help of German Accelerator. What have they been up to during their first few weeks in the program?
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Written by German Accelerator
We’ve compiled some helpful tips to learn more about Asian (business) culture from a German perspective that will also benefit your communication skills at home. The tips are split into three academy articles.
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Written by German Accelerator
Startups gibt es viele. Die Zahl der Neugründungen in Deutschland lag, je nach Definition, 2017 bei 60.000. Die meisten Startups planen, auch international zu expandieren – und das nicht nur innerhalb der EU (95%), sondern auch darüber hinaus. Mit knapp 39% ist Nordamerika hier das am häufigsten genannte Ziel, gefolgt von Asien mit ca. 25%2.
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Written by Kenny Schmidt
Get some helpful tips if you are planning to scale in Southeast Asia.
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Written by German Accelerator
CEO of German Accelerator Southeast Asia, Claus Karthe shares his personal insights on how Next Step Asia supports German startups with the right starting point in their Asia expansion.
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Written by German Accelerator
Das hat das Auswahlkomitee des German Accelerator seit der Gründung des Programms in 2012 noch nicht erlebt: In der finalen Runde dürfen die Unternehmer ihre Startups per Videochat dem internationalen Team präsentieren, und diesmal meldet sich einer der Gründer aus einer Strandhütte in Costa Rica.
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Written by German Accelerator
Munich Startup spricht mit unserem CEO über das German Accelerator Programm und dessen Rolle am High-Tech-Standort München.
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Written by Miguel Encarnacion
By now, we all know what a startup Unicorn is, thanks to the digital revolution of the last decade
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Written by German Accelerator
Our portfolio company, Reactive Robotics, recently presented their innovative very early mobilization robotic assistance system VEMO to German Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel.
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Written by German Accelerator
German Accelerator launches its new one-month, Silicon Valley-based program JumpStart. By expanding its portfolio, German Accelerator now takes German early-stage founders on a journey to one of the world’s startup hotspots and the epicenter of digital innovation: Silicon Valley.
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Written by German Accelerator
Werthstein was part of German Accelerator Southeast Asia’s inaugural class in Spring 2018. The company operates a digital wealth management platform. Bastian Lossen talks about his overall experience with the immersive five-month German Accelerator program in Singapore.
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Written by German Accelerator
The “Für Gründer” magazine ranked our alumni companies COMPREDICT GmbH and Toposens as one of the top 50 Startups of 2018. We also want to congratulate Celonis and Hydrogenious Technologies. They are part of the former Top 50 startup ranking.
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Written by German Accelerator
The Hundert, a startup print magazine, rewarded the best 100 German startups. We are proud that nine of our alumni made the cut. Congrats to i2x, KINEXON, Mesaic, Mitte water, Opinary, Replex, Silexica, SMACC, and Stoyo!
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Written by German Accelerator
We are proud of our alumni VirtualQ, VMRay, camunda, and uberall, who made it into “Gründerszene”’s top 50 growing German startups. It’s always a great joy to hear about our alumni’s continued success – it means everyone gave their best and it’s paying off.
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Written by German Accelerator
Startup Guide, the lonely planet for entrepreneurs, is a series of city-focused entrepreneurial guides on the local startup ecosystem. Each book is packed with useful information and tips, exciting founder stories and insightful interviews with local experts.
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Written by German Accelerator
AMBOSS empowers healthcare professionals around the world to perform to the highest evidence-based medical standards. The company’s knowledge engine is built on the latest medical research and cutting-edge technology. A group of young physicians launched AMBOSS in 2012 as a one-stop medical education platform that promotes best-in-class outcomes.
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Written by German Accelerator
With a full European banking license, state-of-the-art technology, and no branch network, N26 is redesigning banking for the 21st century. N26 is launching its banking app in the U.S. in 2019.
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Written by German Accelerator
At RE’FLEKT, 60 augmented and virtual reality experts from 20 nations develop the leading content platforms for enterprises.
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Written by Lydia Koh
A curated list of articles on why Southeast Asia should be your next destination for international expansion.
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Written by Jerry Tan
A few practical consideration points and an incorporation guide for Singapore.
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Written by German Accelerator
Scopis is a medical device company that was founded in July 2010 out of Charité and Fraunhofer in Berlin. The company designs surgical navigation systems that use augmented reality (AR) technology, where real-world imaging data from the surgical environment is enhanced by integrating computer-generated imaging data.
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Written by German Accelerator
Founded in 2006 and based in Mannheim, Germany, Movilizer empowers enterprises to connect and orchestrate their field operations. In March 2016, Movilizer was acquired by American Fortune 100 industrial giant Honeywell.
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Written by German Accelerator
iNDTact’s precision sensor systems in the IoT field saw traction in the Singapore market in under 5 months. Despite the longer sales cycle for B2B businesses, iNDTact secured key clients and partners in Singapore in the areas of smart buildings and railways.
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Written by German Accelerator
Protembis is an Aachen, Germany based medical device startup. It develops a novel catheter-based filter device for use during cardiac interventions. The device is designed to minimize the risk of stroke and other neurological injuries during these interventions – particularly during catheter-based heart valve implantations.
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Written by Jason Finkelman
For foreign nationals seeking to live and work in the United States, obtaining a visa is one of the most challenging barriers to overcome for a successful entry into the country. Generally speaking, there are limited visa options for German entrepreneurs.
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Written by Paul Venokur (EA, Principal at Tarlow & Co. )
Before starting your international expansion in the U.S., it is crucial to have a basic understanding of your businesses’ U.S. tax obligations. Your tax compliance requirements will depend on the type of entity you form. This is the essential first step when planning operations in the U.S.
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Written by Eric Erli
New York City is no stranger to visitors. There are multiple ways to get around in the greater New York City area, and plenty of resources available to ensure that commuters know what to expect. We have briefly detailed some of the most popular and convenient ways to get around in the world’s fastest-growing tech hotspot.
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Written by German Accelerator
“If you want to make it in the States, you need to have an inspiring vision. Germans are just too honest, too realistic, too modest. When we tell Americans about our big vision, most likely they will tell us that it is not big enough.”
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Written by Rita Chung (International Tax Partner at Citrin Cooperman & Company LLP)
Transfer pricing has become a key area of focus for tax authorities around the world. Maintaining appropriate documentation to support a company’s transfer pricing policies mitigates the risk of a potential tax adjustment during a transfer pricing audit and eliminates the risk of potentially substantial penalties.
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Written by Samer Hamadeh, Adam Dinow
Every company has a board of directors – but few founders and entrepreneurs give the matter of board composition much thought. This piece is aimed at U.S.-based startups who are, or are intending to incorporate, as C-Corp companies.
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Written by Sarah Ames (Partner Quarles & Brady LLP)
When planning to come to the U.S., a foreign national will have to either register online for ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) in order to travel to the U.S. under the visa waiver program (without a visa) or apply for a visa. This article will give an overview of the necessary steps to either register for ESTA or obtain a non-immigrant work visa.
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Written by Geoff Baum (German Accelerator Mentor in Silicon Valley)
PlagScan is a Cologne-based plagiarism detection service for academic institutions and businesses. The company participated in German Accelerator as part of the Class of Fall 2014 in Silicon Valley. In this interview CEO and co-founder Markus Goldbach, who was trained as a neuroscientist, recounts Plagscan’s founding story and how what started as a hobby turned into a fast-growing technology company.
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Written by Christian Jorg (CEO of Opentopic, German Accelerator Mentor in New York)
Understanding your audience is critical when perfecting your sales approach. When you start selling your product in a new market, it also means you’ll have to adapt your sales strategy to an entirely new audience.
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Written by Eric Erli
Establishing a U.S. office is a crucial initial step when expanding your business to the U.S. This is because an American business address is needed for many tasks that require documentation. Having a U.S. office address is a good way to show that your company is on the ground and committed.
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Written by Eric Erli
In the U.S., finding someone to fill a vacancy is easy, but finding the right person to fill a vacancy is hard. Having a strong team can determine the success or failure of a company. The most common way to find talent is to post open positions on online job boards.
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Written by German Accelerator
The Munich-based startup, ProGlove, develops smart gloves that enable manufacturing and logistics staff to work faster, safer, and easier. Last January they joined German Accelerator New York Class of Spring 2018. Munich Startup reached out to German Accelerator and sat down with founder and COO Jonas Girardet to get an update on how things have fared for ProGlove in the U.S. market.
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Written by Sally Schönack
Franka Emika entered the German Accelerator program in Silicon Valley. Munich Startup interviewed founder and CEO Philipp Zimmermann on his expectations about the program, the company’s first steps in the U.S., and the biggest challenges they are facing as a robotics business.
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Written by Kevin Indig
Roughly 8 years ago, B2B marketing changed at its core. What was handled by eager salespeople got replaced by the Internet? In the enterprise segment, Salespeople are still necessary to close deals. But nowadays, customers have become very allergic to cold outreach and would rather do research by themselves.
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Written by German Accelerator
As one of Europe’s fastest growing retail banks, N26 already has more than 850,000 customers across 17 European markets. Nicolas Kopp, U.S. CEO of N26, recently sat down with Samer Hamadeh, CEO of on-demand mobile wellness startup Zeel and German Accelerator mentor, to talk about plans for introducing N26 to the U.S. market
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Written by Silja Bienert
Afraid of getting lost in Singapore? Here are some survival tips for first-time travellers to the little red dot in Southeast Asia.
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Written by German Accelerator
Celonis, a spin-off from the Technical University Munich, was founded in 2011 and joined German Accelerator Silicon Valley in 2013. The signs that Celonis would stand out among other startups were there right from the start: Profitable from its very beginning and in 2011, it was ranked as Germany’s fastest-growing technology company in 2015.
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Written by German Accelerator
Labfolder offers a well-designed productivity and collaboration platform for research teams, supporting scientists in their quest to make groundbreaking discoveries. The software as a service makes it easier to record, retrieve, share, discuss, and validate research data as a team, helping researchers save time and to make analysis more effective.
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Written by German Accelerator
By developing industrial wearables and analysis tools, ProGlove connects the human workforce with the Industry 4.0. The Munich-based company was founded in December 2014 by Thomas Kirchner, Jonas Girardet, Paul Günther, Manuel Bönisch and Alexander Grots after winning the Intel “Make it Wearable” Challenge in Silicon Valley.
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Written by German Accelerator
In October 2017, the Munich-based Startup, ProGlove was selected to participate in German Accelerator New York program. Munich Startup interviewed the founders.
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Written by Klaus-Peter Statz (German Accelerator Mentor in New York)
Hiring interns is a great way to ease a startup’s workload while giving a young talent the chance to experience an exciting work environment. However, the onboarding can become challenging for German companies in the U.S. if they are not yet incorporated.
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Written by Sally Schönack
This article helps understand whether to take a car, carpool, shared car, Uber, Lyft, Bart, or public transportation in San Francisco and Silicon Valley.
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