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STEP USA New York Program Sept. 26 – Oct. 1, 2021 (Saxony Startups only)

September 26, 2021

STEP USA = Venture Capital | Investorenmeetings | Kundenmeetings | Workshops U.S.-Markteintritt

STEP USA ist ein 5-tägiges Startup Reiseprogramm, welches deutschen Startups den Markteintritt in die USA erleichtert. Es wurde bislang 26x veranstaltet, das Alumni-Netzwerk umfasst mittlerweile 360 Startups aus ganz Deutschland, 65 U.S.-Firmengründungen sind daraus hervorgegangen und über 30 Startups erhielten ein Series A / B Investment in den USA. Seit August 2020 gibt es auch das STEP USA Virtual Programm, welches wir 3x erfolgreich durchgeführt haben.

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Die Reise umfasst ein 5-tägiges Startup-Programm in New York.  In dieser Zeit erhalten die Teilnehmer einen faszinierenden Einblick in das dynamische New Yorker Startup Ökosystem. Ziel ist, sie mit passenden U.S. Venture Capital Investoren, amerikanischen Kundenund Experten rund um das Thema Markterschliessung zu vernetzen und den Unternehmen einen entscheidenden Vorteil zu geben.

In passgenauen Workshops werden diese Themen behandelt (Auswahl):

          1. Wirtschaftlicher Überblick USA – Chancen für Startups während Corona 
          2. Erfolgreich U.S. Venture Capital einwerben: Best Practices
          3. Rechtliche Grundlagen des U.S. Marktaufbaus
          4. Insights zu den Startup-Ökosystemen New York, Boston & Silicon Valley
          5. Wirkungsvolle PR- und Marketingmaßnahmen, die in den USA funktionieren
          6. Erfolgreiche Vertriebsstrategien & Product Market Fit

Ergänzt wird das Programm um:

          1. Netzwerk Events mit passenden VC – Investoren
          2. Startup Insights: in New York erfolgreich etablierte Startups geben einen Einblick in ihre Geschäftsstrategien
          3. Fireside Chats mit etablierten Partnern im New Yorker Startup Ökosystem
          4. Besuche von Acceleratoren und wissenschaftlichen Einrichtungen vor Ort

Upgrade: Intros zu passenden Geschäftskontakten:

           1. Shortlist mit bis zu 10 Firmenkontakten zu passenden US-Geschäftspartnern (Basispreis + EUR 250)
           2. Zwei passend arrangierte Treffen mit US-Geschäftspartnern vor Ort (Basispreis + EUR 500)

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Basispreis: EUR 3000,- (zuzüglich Flug, Verpflegung und Unterkunft)

Ort: New York City

Maximale Delegationsgröße: 15 Startups (pro Startup dürfen 2 Personen teilnehmen)

Voraussetzungen: skalierbares Geschäftsmodell, klare internationale Ausrichtung

Anmeldung: HIER

Anmeldeschluss: 30.6.2021

Rückfragen: Andrea Diewald, adiewald@gaccny.com

Tagged With: business, GACC NY, innovation, international, internationalization, networking, startup, STEPUSA, VC



STEP USA Virtual Program: Dec. 7 – 11, 2020

December 7, 2020

STEP USA Virtual: 5-day boot camp on how to enter the U.S. Market 

Get a head-start on your future U.S. market expansion!

Register here: http://www.stepusa.io/registration

The German American Chamber of Commerce New York introduced the STEP USA program in 2014. Since then, more than 300 companies participated in the program and are now part of our Alumni Network. Following the proven track-record of STEP USA, we created STEP USA  virtual, a 5-day immersion program for startups and entrepreneurs uniquely designed and adapted in direct response to the current needs of startups to enable companies to join and work from anywhere.

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Your package includes:

Participation in the basic 5-day virtual program (up to 2 people from one startup) from Dec. 7 – 11, 20

STEP USA VIRTUAL program participation fee: EUR 750,- per company

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STEP USA VIRTUAL Agenda at a Glance:

December 7 – 11, 2020

 

Monday
15:00 – 16:00 Welcome & Founder Introductions 
16:00 – 16:30 U.S. Economic Update
This session will provide insights and a snapshot of changes in the current U.S. economy.
16:30 – 17:30 Legal, Employment & U.S. Incorporation
A holistic view of the fundamentals of doing business in the U.S. and important factors to consider.
17:45 – 18:45 Insights into U.S. Tech Ecosystems: Boston, New York & Silicon Valley
Regional experts will discuss top innovation outposts in the U.S. and share insights on how these world-class startups thrive.
Tuesday
14:45 – 15:00 Daily Check-in
15:00 – 16:30 Power of Messaging & Storytelling
Learn to develop a clear and direct message and achieve a well-crafted sales, marketing and fundraising pitch.
16:30 – 18:00 IP Law: How to protect your product / service in the U.S.
17:45 – 18:45 Founder Networking & Best Practices Exchange
Wednesday
14:45 – 15:00 Daily Check-in
15:00 – 16:30 Sales & Productivity Market Fit
Get expert advice on your product and if it’s delivering the needs of your target customers.
16:45 – 18:00 Why Startups need PR?
Thursday
14:45 – 15:00  Daily Check-in
15:00 – 16:15 Investor Insight and Current State of Funding & Raising Capital
Deep dive into how international companies raise money from U.S. investors and current investment landscape from expert investors.
16:30 – 18:00 Networking with U.S. based founders & industry experts 
Friday
14:45 – 15:30 Daily Check-in & Wrap-up
15:30 – 16:45 Entrepreneur Fireside Chat & Company Insight
Engage with accomplished entrepreneurs and deepen your understanding of what founders need to shape a successful blueprint for their companies.
17:00 – 18:00 Networking with German Founders in the U.S.

Please note that the agenda is subject to change and will be adapted to the needs of the participants. All times are in German time zone. 

Tagged With: business, GACC NY, innovation, international, internationalization, networking, STEPUSA, VC, webinar

STEP USA Sachsen: VIRTUAL & NEW YORK Program

October 4, 2020

********** ANGEBOT NUR FÜR IN SACHSEN BEHEIMATETE STARTUPS **********

Gemeinsam mit der Internationalisierungsoffensive Sachsen (IOSax) führen wir zum ersten Mal ein gefördertes, zweiteiliges STEP USA Startup Programm durch.

Anmeldung: HIER

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STEP USA = Venture Capital | Investorenmeetings | Kundenmeetings | Workshops U.S.-Markteintritt

STEP USA ist ein 5-tägiges Startup Reiseprogramm, welches deutschen Startups den Markteintritt in die USA erleichtert. Es wurde bislang 26x veranstaltet, das Alumni-Netzwerk umfasst mittlerweile 300 Startups aus ganz Deutschland, 58 U.S.-Firmengründungen sind daraus hervorgegangen und über 30 Startups erhielten ein Series A / B Investment in den USA.

Das Package beinhaltet:

     1. Teilnahme am virtuellen Theorie-Teil zum U.S.-Markteintritt vom 4. – 9. 10. 2020
     2. Teilnahme am 5-tägigen Startup-Reiseprogramm nach New York vom 28. 2. – 5.3. 2021
     3. BONUS Ticket im Wert von US$ 325,- zur Teilnahme am virtuellen New Yorker Tech Day  am 23.10.2020

Beide Programmteile bauen aufeinander auf und werden als Paket angeboten. Sie sind nicht individuell buchbar.

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Teil 1: “STEP USA VIRTUAL“

Zeitraum: 4. – 9. Oktober 2020, täglich 15 – 18 Uhr CET

Der erste Programmteil deckt die theoretischen Grundlagen des U.S.- Marktaufbaus ab. Über den Zeitraum von 5 Tagen werden von 15-18 Uhr Webinare live aus New York gesendet, in denen Experten folgende Themen behandeln:

          1. Wirtschaftlicher Überblick USA – Chancen für Startups während Corona
          2. Erfolgreich U.S. Venture Capital einwerben: Best Practices
          3. Rechtliche Grundlagen des U.S. Marktaufbaus
          4. Insights zu den Startup-Ökosystemen New York, Boston & Silicon Valley
          5. Wirkungsvolle PR- und Marketingmaßnahmen, die in den USA funktionieren
          6. Erfolgreiche Vertriebsstrategien & Product Market Fit

Die Webinare enthalten auch zahlreiche 1:1 Sessions mit Experten, die sich täglich Zeit für die Fragen der sächsischen Startups nehmen und individuell beraten.

Teil 2: “STEP USA – New York Program”

Zeitraum: 28. Februar – 5. März 2021

Der zweite Programmteil umfasst 5 Tage Startup-Programm in New York.  In dieser Zeit erhalten die Teilnehmer einen faszinierenden Einblick in das dynamische New Yorker Startup Ökosystem. Ziel ist, sie mit passenden U.S. Venture Capital Investoren, U.S. Kunden und Experten zu vernetzen und den Unternehmen einen entscheidenden Vorteil zu geben.

Inkludierter Bonus: 1 Ticket für die Teilnahme am virtuellen New Yorker Tech Day am 23. 10. 2020 (Wert US$ 325,-)

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Kosten: für beide Programmteile EUR 700 (zuzüglich Flug, Verpflegung und Unterkunft)

Ort: Home Office (Teil 1); New York City (Teil 2)

Maximale Delegationsgröße: 10 Startups (pro Startup dürfen 2 Personen teilnehmen)

Voraussetzungen: skalierbares Geschäftsmodell, klare internationale Ausrichtung

Anmeldung: HIER

Anmeldeschluss: 31. 8. 2020

Rückfragen: Andrea Diewald, adiewald@gaccny.com

Tagged With: business, förderprogramm, förderung, innovation, international, internationalisierung, sachsen, startup, virtual, webinar

STEP USA Virtual Aug. 31 – Sept. 4, 2020

August 31, 2020

STEP USA Virtual: 5-day boot camp on how to enter the U.S. Market 

Get a head-start on your future U.S. market expansion!

Register here: http://www.stepusa.io/registration

The German American Chamber of Commerce New York introduced the STEP USA program in 2014. Since then, more than 300 companies participated in the program and are now part of our Alumni Network. Following the proven track-record of STEP USA, we created STEP USA  virtual, a 5-day immersion program for startups and entrepreneurs uniquely designed and adapted in direct response to the current needs of startups to enable companies to join and work from anywhere.

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Your package includes:

1. Participation in the basic 5-day virtual program (up to 2 people from one startup) from Aug. 31 – Sept 4, 20

2. Up to 2 tickets for the virtual New York TechDay Founders Summit on Aug. 14, 20

STEP USA VIRTUAL program participation fee: EUR 750 per company (includes up to 2 Founders Summit passes)

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STEP USA VIRTUAL Agenda at a Glance:

August 31, 2020 – September 4, 2020

 

Monday
15:00 – 16:00 Welcome & Founder Introductions 
16:00 – 16:30 U.S. Economic Update
This session will provide insights and a snapshot of changes in the current U.S. economy.
16:30 – 17:30 Legal, Employment & U.S. Incorporation
A holistic view of the fundamentals of doing business in the U.S. and important factors to consider.
17:45 – 18:45 Insights into U.S. Tech Ecosystems: Boston, New York & Silicon Valley
Regional experts will discuss top innovation outposts in the U.S. and share insights on how these world-class startups thrive.
Tuesday
14:45 – 15:00 Daily Check-in
15:00 – 16:30 Power of Messaging & Storytelling
Learn to develop a clear and direct message and achieve a well-crafted sales, marketing and fundraising pitch.
16:45 – 17:45  IP Law: how to protect your service / product in the U.S.
17:45 – 18:45 Founder Networking & Best Practices Exchange
Wednesday
14:45 – 15:00 Daily Check-in
15:00 – 16:30 Sales & Productivity Market Fit
Get expert advice on your product and if it’s delivering the needs of your target customers.
16:45 – 18:00 Why Startups need PR?
Thursday
14:45 – 15:00  Daily Check-in
15:00 – 16:15 Investor Insight and Current State of Funding & Raising Capital
Deep dive into how international companies raise money from U.S. investors and current investment landscape from expert investors.
16:30 – 18:00 Networking with U.S. based founders & industry experts 
Friday
14:45 – 15:30 Daily Check-in & Wrap-up
15:30 – 16:45 Entrepreneur Fireside Chat & Company Insight
Engage with accomplished entrepreneurs and deepen your understanding of what founders need to shape a successful blueprint for their companies.
17:00 – 18:00 Networking with German Founders in the U.S.

Please note that the agenda is subject to change. All times are in German time zone. 

Tagged With: business, GACC NY, innovation, international, internationalization, networking, startup, startups, step, STEPUSA, VC

“The STEP USA program gave us important insights at the exact right moment – saving money and time”

July 1, 2020

 

About STEP USA:

STEP USA is a 5-day startup boot camp launched and organized by the German American Chamber of Commerce New York (GACC NY). A highly successful program, it focuses on facilitating U.S. market access for young innovative companies and takes place 4 times a year. It also exists in a virtual format. STEP USA prides itself on having created a network of roughly 300 STEP USA alumni, more than 60 U.S. incorporations and 35 investment rounds. It is tailored to the needs of startups who intent to scale their business internationally. 

The GACC NY is featuring selected STEP USA Alumni, calling these founders “STEP USA Ambassadors”.

“The STEP USA program gave us important insights at the exact right moment – saving money and time”

STEP USA Ambassador Naomi Owusu is the CEO of Tickaroo GmbH. The company was founded in 2011 and employs 31 people. Located in Regensburg, Bavaria, Tickaroo provides software as a service solutions (SaaS) for news and sports live storytelling. It also offers software development services for the German market, including designing, prototyping, development, and maintenance of the software.

Today Naomi Owusu talks with us about Tickaroo’s achievements, the importance of the U.S. market, and her insights on the STEP USA program.

GACC NY: Naomi, it’s a pleasure talking to you! How is Tickaroo getting through these economically challenging times?

Naomi Owusu: It’s good talking to you, too! I remember joining the STEP USA program in September 2017 and how excited I was to travel to New York. So much has happened in the meantime. The Corona crisis has had some effects on Tickaroo as well. Large sports events for example were not taking place which is a tough situation for our business. We lost significant budgets. As a consequence, we are extremely busy acquiring new customers in other segments such as public sector institutions and broadcasters as well as putting a lot of effort into supporting medium-sized businesses with digital transformation with our new brand madeby.tickaroo.com.

Needless to say, this means a lot of restructuring, reorganizing, and rescheduling in very, very short turnaround times. That can be stressful sometimes…

GACC NY: Yes, that sounds challenging indeed. But tell me, are there also things going well for you right now, maybe even better than you expected?

Naomi Owusu: I am happy how well everybody is working from home and how effective we can still be as a team. What we do to keep our business up and running is to really focus on our cash cows. We reflect on our actions more than ever to make sure that we use our resources in the best way possible. To keep in mind that every decision has an impact on your company’s success is an insight we all take to heart.

GACC NY: What do you consider the greatest success in your company’s history?

Naomi Owusu: I guess it is not the one ‘big thing’ that makes Tickaroo successful. I value all the small steps leading to success – ranging from excellent teamwork, interacting successfully with investors, using our networks and skills wisely. Every step leads to another step. Looking back, however, I am proud that we were able to expand our product range and offer more services to our clients. It took us some time to develop different products, but what we are offering is of great benefit to our customers. That’s really a satisfying feeling.

GACC NY: Looking back, are there things that you would have handled differently – a lesson learned that you can share with us?

Naomi Owusu: Absolutely. As a founder, you have to find the right path that works for you and your team. In the beginning, we focused our efforts on the development of our products and did not spend a lot of time or budget on marketing and sales. Looking back, I would change that. It’s important to find experts who talk about your product. My advice is to expand your brand and customer base on the market AND talk about it. Let people know why they need your product, get them engaged at an early point.

GACC NY: Thanks for sharing this, Naomi. Please tell us why the U.S. market is important for you?

Naomi Owusu: The U.S. market is one of the largest markets worldwide and we have developed products such as the Tickaroo Liveblog and our Tickaroo live sports Software as a Service. This is an extremely interactive real-time Cloud-CMS for high traffic media, sports, and broadcasting cooperations.  These 2 products are now at a point that they can be sold in the U.S. Furthermore, we have identified several relevant sources of revenue for Tickaroo over there.

GACC NY: Is that why you joined our STEP USA program in September 2017? What were your most valuable takeaways from this 5-day boot camp in New York?

Naomi Owusu: Yes, absolutely! I heard about the STEP USA program through my network and it was recommended to me. I must say that it exceeded my expectations by far. New York is an absolute hotspot for business and tapping into an existing network such as the GACC New York was extremely helpful. It was the guidance and well-organized meetings that made all the difference. It simply was the perfect opportunity to learn more about the U.S. market in a very short time.

My biggest take away from the STEP USA program? We learned how to start our business in the U.S. What was most insightful was how to approach investors and potential business partners with the information they want to hear. Marketing and sales start right there. This, I found, works quite differently from what we are used to in Germany. It was a true and important eye-opener!

GACC NY: In your opinion, what do startups generally underestimate when coming to the U.S.?

Naomi Owusu: It is expensive to start a business over there. I guess what is underestimated the most is to put aside a budget for entering this huge market. As an already busy founder, you need to be prepared that your attention shifts from doing business at home to doing business in a foreign market on top of everything else. When we realized that, we decided to wait a bit because we have a fast-growing business in Germany and still lots of potential to grow our revenue at home.

GACC NY: Makes sense! Can you share a success story that has its roots in the STEP USA program?

Naomi Owusu: Sure! During the individual pitch training that we received as part of the STEP USA program, we improved and streamlined our original pitch deck a lot. We completely restructured it by focusing on the key benefits our clients have when using Tickaroo. We always tended to be very modest and careful when talking about our success, our numbers, or our pretty impressive partner and client network. It seems we were constantly more focused on getting things done and less ready to communicate what we have achieved over the years. After the STEP USA program, we really started TALKING and SHOWING what we have accomplished. That is an important part of being successful in business and I am very happy to call this one of the biggest take-aways from the STEP USA program.

We also completely worked our marketing and sales strategy over and that opened some important doors for us in Germany. I feel that with this fresh approach, we were on the winning side because we managed to close some valuable accounts for Tickaroo!

GACC NY: Glad to hear! So, what are your next steps in the U.S.?

Naomi Owusu: We are looking for more business contacts in the U.S. and we would love to get more marketing and sales training focused on SaaS and B2B business. At the moment, we are hiring: we are also looking for excellent salespeople in the U.S. That is what we need most right now.

GACC NY: Naomi, it was great catching up with you! Thanks so much for taking the time for this interview and all the best for Tickaroo!

Filed Under: Interview, News, STEP USA Ambassador, Success Stories Tagged With: alumni stories, business, GACC NY, innovation, international, internationalbusiness, internationalization, networking, pitch, startup, step, STEPUSA, success, usmarketentry, VC

International Startup Summit Frankfurt 2019

September 17, 2019

Don’t miss our International Startup Summit in cooperation with KPMG on September 17, 19 from 2pm to 8pm in the KPMG offices in Frankfurt/Main!

INTERNATIONAL STARTUP SUMMIT ON SEPT. 17, 2019

Free of charge: Pitches, networking, yummy food & beer!

We offer a really exciting program and expect around 150 guests consisting of a great mix of startups, investors and corporates all active in the field of growth and innovation.

12 startups will get on stage and pitch! The winning startup of the evening will win a free ticket for the December 2019 STEP program to New York City.

If you are a startup interested in one of our 12 pitch slots, pls fill out this form.
We will get back to you with an interim answer quickly. The 12 pitch candidates will be chosen in mid August 2019.

[cherry_button text=”Apply for Startup Pitch Slot” url=”https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe-L-ZOYx-PqrNE2gAdQG2KolP8KCmZzIES25iuuRIlckIXAw/viewform” centered=”yes” target=”_blank” class=”btn_1″]Sign up here.[/cherry_button]

If you wish to participate as a visisting guest, pls register here.

[cherry_button text=”Register Now Guest” url=”https://www.eventbrite.de/e/international-startup-summit-win-a-free-step-usa-ticket-to-nyc-tickets-61786733784″ centered=”yes” target=”_blank” class=”btn_1″]Sign up here.[/cherry_button]

Jury:

Christian Hoppe, CEO Silicon Valley Bank Germany
Eligiusz Skwara, CEO Concepts2Capital
Markus Bold, Head of Chemovator GmbH
Dr. Christian Ellrich, CEO Jesinghausen & Ellrich Partnerbeteiligungs GmbH

Agenda:

2:00pm: Registration and Welcome Coffee
2:30pm:  Welcome by KPMG and GACC New York
2:45pm: Keynote Speech: Robert Velten (CEO at Velten Asset Management GmbH): Challenges of Capital Markets and their impact on the internationalization of German startups
3:15pm: 6 pitches by international startups (6 min each)
3:55pm: Networking Break
4:30pm: 6 pitches by international startups (6 min each)
5:10pm: End of pitches
6:00pm: STEP USA ticket winner announcement
8:00pm: End of event

Tagged With: event, innovation, international, KPMG, meet us in germany, networking, pitch, startup, step usa

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