STEP USA

Interview

The STEP USA program has opened many doors for us!

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 four times a year in New York. It also exists in a virtual format. STEP USA prides itself on having created a network of more than 360 STEP USA alumni, around 65 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 has opened many doors for us!”

Located in the heart of Hamburg, Nitrobox GmbH was founded in August 2012 and currently employs 40 people. In February 2020, the successful fintech company won Porsche Ventures and NeueCapital Partners as investors, raising a first institutional investment. Nitrobox is growing rapidly and has just won the Deloitte Technology Fast 50 Award – being one of the Top 10 growing software companies in Germany. In March 2019, CEO Henner Heistermann joined us for our STEP USA program in New York. Today he talks with us about their U.S. market plans and their most valuable take-aways from the STEP USA program in New York.

GACC NY: Henner – congrats on your investment! Tell us about what Nitrobox does and what makes you so successful?

Henner Heistermann: Good seeing you again – it’s been a while since we were in New York. Generally speaking, we are a fintech company located in Hamburg. We develop a SaaS solution that enables our enterprise customers to monetize digital business models such as subscriptions or pay-per-use very quickly. Nitrobox is a smart technology that combines all the necessary functions in a central platform and thus enables companies to handle their digital revenue and accounting processes from anywhere in the world – almost in real-time and very cost-effectively. Customers love about our product that they can integrate our software into their existing systems. We use state-of-the-art API interfaces that make it possible to quickly extract and process the necessary data from existing financial systems and providers.

GACC NY: How are things working out for Nitrobox in the current economic crisis?

Henner Heistermann: The Corona pandemic is taking its toll on all of us, both in our private and business lives – no doubt about that. In the beginning, our greatest concern was what impact the crisis would have on our customers. Because if they were affected, so would we. Some of our most important customers are well-known automobile manufacturers and mobility providers. And as we all know – the crisis had a massive impact on this industry. On the other hand, however, the crisis has boosted many digital projects in the automotive world.

GACC NY: Are there things going better for you than you expected?

Henner Heistermann: Oh yes, this also surprised us at first. Our customers’ digital projects, in which we had already been involved in the planning and expansion, all of a sudden experienced a real boost. Even additional projects such as online car sales were brought forward so that the crisis did by no means have a negative impact on our business. We are of course very pleased about this.

GACC NY: That’s really wonderful to hear. What do you consider the greatest success in your company’s history?

Henner Heistermann: About two years ago, we won Porsche as a new customer. Porsche recognized the importance of digital business models early on and saw our solution as a strategic building block for their company. During the initial talks, it very quickly became clear that we share the same ideas and visions. The implementation of various projects went very smoothly. It’s a great feeling that such a renowned company has chosen our product, believes in our vision and continuously handles further digital business models via our platform. In early 2020, Porsche together with a US venture capital fund invested in our company This is, of course, a fantastic success for the Nitrobox and a tremendous vote of confidence.

GACC NY: Looking back, is there ‘a lesson learned’ that you can share with us?

Henner Heistermann: Sure! For our product, we initially had a completely different target group in mind. At first, we didn’t offer our solution to the large enterprise companies that we count among our customers today. We were very active in the midmarket segment. But that was not as successful as we had hoped, because our solution suits large companies much better. Our product-market fit was simply not ideal. When we realized that, we had to completely realign our marketing and sales processes. That was a tremendous challenge, which we, fortunately, managed to master in a short time. In retrospect, we should have focused on large enterprises right from the start. That was an important learning experience for us.

GACC NY: Thanks for sharing this! Can you please tell us why the U.S. market is important for you?

Henner Heistermann: Well, in Germany, many companies are very reluctant to adopt new business models – although they should do so particularly right now. They still tend to rely more on so-called “good old German engineering”.

Companies in the U.S., however, are generally more open to new ideas. This is probably due to the fact that they recognized early on that new business models will establish themselves very quickly because customers are increasingly demanding flexible digital services. The most important thing on the US market is 100% customer happiness, a unique selling proposition that every company strives for: returning, happy customers who are then also willing to buy more.

Companies like Uber, Netflix, and Amazon are excellent examples of what the subscription economy has produced and made successful. We at Nitrobox are going a step further. We are enabling “pay by use” business models. Conventional American software products in that segment tend to usually be cumbersome, often too expensive, not very flexible, and designed for only one use case. Nitrobox, however, can be used worldwide in any language, in any currency, and with high flexibility to adapt – for any new business model. The best part is that there is no need for lengthy and cost-intensive adaptations to the client’s existing software systems.

As a result, we help our clients save up to 75% of their costs in the order-to-cash process – money they can invest in new digital business models. Many American companies are quick at starting innovative projects. In my estimation, Germany still needs about one to two years in this process.

GACC NY: Is that why you joined our STEP USA program in March 2019?

Henner Heistermann: Yes, absolutely. When we heard about the STEP USA program, my co-founder Sven and I were immediately thrilled. Within that one week I spent in New York, we got an excellent overview of the U.S. market. In the course of the STEP USA program, we got important introductions to potential partners and investors. When we came to New York, we already had the first customers using our product in the U.S. and it was clear to us that we wanted to enter the world’s largest market for business software in the medium term.

GACC NY: What is your most valuable takeaway from the STEP USA program as an entrepreneur?

Henner Heistermann: The STEP USA program was a great experience for us as entrepreneurs. We had the chance to learn firsthand what is important when establishing a subsidiary in the States, where the special challenges lie, and where to get support. A real highlight was the STEP USA Pitch Night at the “Deutsche Bank Labs” directly on Broadway in New York. As a comparatively young start-up from Germany, we had the unique opportunity to put all the experience and input we gained from participating in the STEP USA program directly into practice in order to convince potential partners and investors at the pitch. And, this much I can say, exciting discussions and contacts have developed, which now need to be intensified. We are therefore very confident about our business activities in the U.S. market.

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

Henner Heistermann: I am convinced that the best way to be successful as a German company in the U.S. is by having a sustainable network with good local partners. I think that is underestimated by many entrepreneurs at the beginning of their U.S. business start. In all industries, the companies there are very well connected and form alliances to benefit from each other. As a German company, it is often not easy to find the right “door opener”. In addition, as a non-American, you first have to learn and understand the market, the culture, and the way of doing business. The U.S. market has many rules of its own and many unwritten laws that you have to know and understand. A local business partner can be very helpful and save you from unnecessary harm.

GACC NY: Is there a success story that has its roots in the STEP USA Program?

Henner Heistermann: Whenever we talk to potential customers from the U.S. today, the knowledge from the STEP USA program is of great benefit to us. In the course of the program, we have learned a lot of practical tools that work very well, such as: How do you pitch your company to an American investor? How does a conversation with an interested American business partner work? What legal hurdles could there be? This knowledge in the back of our minds helps us a lot in business conversations today and has already opened the door for more projects. I believe that without this important experience from the STEP USA program, we would have learned things the hard way much more. We are very grateful for this.

GACC NY: Wow, that’s wonderful to hear! So, what are your next steps?

Henner Heistermann: We have many plans for the upcoming year. Among other things, we will focus more strongly on the U.S. market. To this end, we are planning on opening an office in New York City. This is of course a big step for Nitrobox. Besides Hamburg, Stuttgart, and Cracow, New York would be our fourth location. That’s a big deal for us, and one in which we could certainly use some know-how and support. We also looking into strategically expanding our network in the United States, creating awareness for our company and our smart solution. We appreciate very much having the opportunity of being part of the STEP USA Ambassador Club. Thank you – that makes us very proud.

GACC NY: Henner, thanks so much for taking the time for this interview and all the best for Nitrobox!

“Change – it’s a chance, not a threat!”

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 four times a year. It also exists in a virtual format. STEP USA prides itself on having created a network of more than 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”.

“Change – it’s a chance, not a threat!”

STEP USA Ambassadors Claas Blume and Thomas Vorsatz, both co-founders of Berlin-based Clous GmbH, join us for this interview on their current business situation. Being a Fraunhofer spin-off, Clous GmbH was founded in November 2019 and currently employs 6 people. In December 2019, Claas and Thomas joined us for our STEP USA program in New York. Today they talk with us about their U.S. market plans and their most valuable take-aways from the STEP USA program.

GACC NY: Claas and Thomas – it’s great talking to you! How are things working out for Clous in the current economic crisis?

Claas Blume: Nice being in touch again! It’s hard to believe that it has been almost a year since we joined the STEP USA program in New York. So much has changed in the mean-time. The mechanical engineering industry around the globe is suffering enormously from the COVID crisis. For us, as a newly founded company, it is already difficult as such to win new clients. But the fact that many of our potential customers have empty order books themselves makes our situation even more challenging. However, to end on a positive note, we expected raising venture capital for our growth phase to be more difficult at this time, but our investor relations work very well – even during this lockdown. This is definitively a good sign.

GACC NY: Thomas, what does Clous exactly do?

Thomas Vorsatz: The core of Clous is our technology, which automatically fragments complex CAD designs into smaller and independently solvable tasks and reassembles them after successful processing. This way, we open up completely new perspectives, especially for medium-sized companies in mechanical and plant engineering. A new type of collaboration makes it possible to optimize internal processes, to seamlessly integrate service providers from all over the world, and also to meet the new requirements for remote work.

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

Claas Blume: The sum of the many small successes is certainly our greatest success. We were able to create a great product and convince investors of our idea despite tough circumstances. We are particularly pleased that we were able to win APX, one of the leading accelerators, for our company.

GACC NY: Looking back, is there ‘a lesson learned’ that you can share with us?

Claas Blume: Absolutely! At the beginning of Clous, we trusted every spoken commitment given by investors or clients. Meanwhile, we have learned it the hard way that a commitment is only a commitment when the ink on the contract is dry.

GACC NY: Thanks for sharing this! Can you please tell us why the U.S. market is important for you?

Thomas Vorsatz: There are several reasons for that. First of all, the mechanical engineering industry in the U.S. is very strong and the market size is immense. And the industry is facing the need to digitize business as well. It is not a secret that the mechanical engineering industry is quite conservative, especially here in Germany. Even though the industry understands that something has to change, many companies refuse to see the need to adapt their business models. We feel that companies in the U.S. are much more open to new technologies and are seeing change as a chance, not as a threat.

GACC NY: Is that why you joined our STEP USA program in December 2019?

Claas Blume: Yes, absolutely! It was the perfect opportunity to get to know the U.S. market in a compact way, to make first contacts, and to develop a strategy for a future market entry.

GACC NY: What is your most valuable takeaway from the STEP USA program as an entrepreneur?

Claas Blume: Our biggest takeaway from the STEP USA program is the number of valuable contacts we gathered. We now know where to turn to if we want to found a U.S. subsidiary or if we have tax-related questions. We also met with investors, enjoyed U.S. pitch training, and learned a lot on how to shape our U.S. product-market fit.

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

Claas Blume: It depends on many factors, but in general I would say that the sheer size of the market and its competitiveness can be overwhelming in the beginning. It’s hard to get enough visibility if you only have a limited budget.

GACC NY: So, what are your next steps?

Claas Blume:  Our next big milestone is to expand business within Germany and get through the COVID crisis in good shape. We are also continuing to implement our market entry strategy. This means we are entering a specific market segment – the tool and die makers in Germany – providing them with great added value. If we have a certain relevance there and also get a 5/5-star rating, we will grow into broader markets. In addition, we are planning to get another business angel on board in March 2021 in order to leverage great financing from Landesbank Berlin (IBB).

GACC NY: Last question: On Nov. 7, 2020, Joe Biden won the election as the 46th U.S. President. Does that have any implications for your business?

Claas Blume: I hope that the election of Biden will improve the transatlantic relationship and above all that the U.S. as a deeply divided country will be able to overcome their current challenges. Stability, a reliable legal framework, and intact business relations are important factors for us once we are ready to take the step into the U.S. market.

GACC NY: Claas, and Thomas, thanks so much for taking the time for this interview and all the best for Clous!

“Forget Silicon Valley! New York is the best place for German startups to start their business in the U.S.”

 

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 four 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”.

“Forget Silicon Valley! New York is the best place for German startups to start their business in the U.S.”

STEP USA Ambassador Dimitri Gärtner is the CEO of Framen GmbH. The company was founded in 2018 and currently employs 8 people. Located in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, Framen offers a geo-local and context-sensitive software thus enabling customers to hyper-target their clientele. In March 2020, just before the outbreak of the Corona pandemic in the U.S., Dimitri Gärtner joined us for our STEP USA program in New York. Today he opens up about his U.S. market plans, his most valuable take-aways from the STEP USA program, and has a word of advice on raising money in the early days of being a founder.

GACC NY: Dimitri, it’s great to see you again. How is Framen dealing with the effects of the current economic crisis?

Dimitri Gärtner: As you know we were part of the last STEP USA program in March this year – just before the borders were declared shut. We made it back to Germany at the very last moment, that was quite an unusual experience. Just like many other companies, we are working hard to keep our business up and running in these difficult times. One of our greatest challenges is that our customers postponed promotion campaigns and we cannot generate the revenue we are used to. However, the upside is that many restaurants, bars, gyms, and hotel chains request our solution exponentially – to display public information to their guests and thus generating revenue with their screens.

GACC NY: What does Framen exactly do?

Dimitri Gärtner: Our company schedules advertising campaigns on TV screens of hotels, co-working spaces like WeWork, bars, or gyms. Framen specializes in targeted advertising through screens in semi-public venues. Moreover, we work with many business partners, such as hotels, restaurants, offices, coffee bars, fitness studios, etc. Our purpose is to develop hyper-targeted advertising tools to connect with the matching audiences more efficiently and enhance sales.

GACC NY: It’s really impressive that you were able to get WeWork as one of your customers. Tell us how you managed to get them on board.

Dimitri Gärtner: Back in the third quarter of 2019, we started the first conversations with WeWork’s European management. We have proven the win-win-win for more infotainment and relevant offers for the members, more revenue for WeWork, and access to the screens through our software.

GACC NY: Is that what you consider the greatest success in your company’s history?

Dimitri Gärtner: Yes, we are very proud of this success. But I am also really happy to have met my co-founders Alexander Gärtner, Sveatoslav Podobischi, and Magdalena Pusch. As a team, we function so well and are able to tackle the challenges we have. It is uplifting to have people around you who take our business as seriously as I do. And to have some fun too, when our work is done. I am absolutely convinced that only if you have a firm fundament, you can build a stable business on it. With regards to recent success, we are super happy that during the Corona time, a hotel chain bought our solution for their TV screens as well. We love enabling our customers to grow their business.

GACC NY: Looking back, is there ‘a lesson learned’ that you can share with us?

Dimitri Gärtner: Absolutely. In our early days, we were looking for an investor and talked to several ones. We came across a business angel who wanted to give us EUR 100.000 for 30% of our company. My advice to founders in the first phase is to bootstrap as long as you can and to think twice which investor or business angel you want to take in. Consider your options carefully. Don’t go for the first offer that comes along, unless it’s a fair deal for both sides.

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

Dimitri Gärtner: We are always looking for new clients and ways to bring our software to life. I absolutely wanted to check out Times Square in New York and contact as many New York-based hotel chains as possible. And since WeWork is our customer and we believe in the scalability of our product, we felt it was about time to target the biggest market in the world. However, we just did not quite know which steps to take when. It is a major decision to start a business in the U.S.  On the one side there are so many opportunities, on the other side, it can go wrong big time if you want too much too fast.

GACC NY: Is that why you joined our STEP USA program in March 2020? What were your most valuable take-aways from this 5-day boot camp in New York?

Dimitri Gärtner: Yes, absolutely! Taking part in the STEP USA program was a no-brainer for us, as we were approached by the German American Chamber of Commerce New York directly. Being located in Frankfurt, we were able to receive a 50 % funding from the federal state of Hessen. That was truly helpful. At this point, I want to say a big “thank you” to the IHK Frankfurt and the Wirtschaftsministerium in Wiesbaden! I hope that many more Hessen-based companies will make use of this funding option.

My biggest take-away from the STEP USA program is that New York is the perfect spot to start out your American business. So many times, founders think that only Silicon Valley is the place to be, but New York offers it all: an excellent investor environment, a city full of potential clients, business opportunities everywhere and exciting cultural scene as well as the “proximity” to Europe by being only six hours behind German time. That helps tremendously with doing business. It’s a very mature and fast-paced world and ideal to scale your business fast – if you have done your homework.

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

Dimitri Gärtner: I guess our cultural differences are underestimated. It’s quite interesting to see that Americans tend to be very enthusiastic when talking to you directly. For a German founder, it sounds promising and like an ‘easy sale’. But in actual fact, this is how Americans treat you in a polite and nice way, nothing more.

Another thing to keep in mind is that investment rounds in the U.S. are usually much bigger than in Germany. The reason for that is twofold: First of all, there is more venture capital in the market, and in general American investors seem to be ready to take more risks. And second, building up your business in the U.S. is very expensive. You just need more money, because rents, salaries and the costs of living are quite high.

GACC NY: Could you share a success story that has its roots in the STEP USA program?

Dimitri Gärtner: Sure! I was very satisfied with the meetings the German American Chamber of Commerce had set up for us in New York. Still to this day, we are positively surprised by their impressive business network. The scheduled meetings with German media agencies in New York proved to be a real success. We are still in touch with them and are planning our first joint projects.

GACC NY: That sounds great! So, what are your next steps in the U.S.?

Dimitri Gärtner: We are looking for more business contacts over there and would love to get more introductions to suitable partners. Once the travel situation allows for it, we want to be back to meet these leads in person. Of course, one day, we are also planning on opening a subsidiary in New York as well.

GACC NY: Dimitri, thanks so much for taking the time for this interview and all the best for Framen!

This interview helps startups get information on how to #scale #business #internationally. #STEPUSA #GACCNewYork #superchargeyoursales #b2bsales # b2bleadgeneration #leadgeneration #sales #scaling #usmarketentry #newyork #boston #b2b #networking #bestpractices

 

Interview with STEP USA Ambassador Benjamin Zaczek, CEO of Salesviewer: “Contact is king!”

About STEP USA:

STEP USA is 5-day startup bootcamp 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 in 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”.

 

“CONTACT IS KING”

STEP USA Ambassador Benjamin Gregor Zaczek is the CEO of SalesViewer®, a sales-intelligence company located in Bochum, North Rhine Westphalia. Benjamin and his colleagues participated in the STEP USA program in September 2019, visiting New York and Boston.

SalesViewer® identifies anonymous website visitors and redefines the way of strategic business development. Companies worldwide want to know who is visiting their websites in order to target potential clients and find out about their specific needs. Zaczek and his team have developed a digital solution and introduced their product to the European market in 2011, enabling sales representatives to dig deeper and reach out to new leads.

Today Benjamin Zaczek opens up on his plans for the U.S. market, sharing his insights on the STEP USA program and why he believes in the power of networks.

GACC NY: Benjamin, great to see you again! How are you holding up in these economically challenging times? What are the greatest difficulties for SalesViewer® at the moment?

We have planned many (non-digital) activities in Germany and abroad for 2020, which have now been cancelled due to the corona crisis. These include trade fairs, speeches, customer trainings and other activities with face-to-face contact. Since a part of our business is based on face-to-face-contact, we also had to rethink our previous activities and find other ways of personal contact. I think that this was a spontaneous challenge, which our team nevertheless managed very well. On the other hand, we wanted to focus more on our US expansion in 2020, which we are now partially shifting to 2021.

GACC NY: Are there things also going well for you right now, maybe even better than you expected?

We have been very lucky in the past few months because many companies are currently looking for new ways to acquire new customers because of the crisis. And SalesViewer® provides a perfect solution for this need. Since the website is currently one of the few channels to get information about companies and service providers, SalesViewer® fits perfectly into the current situation. We were able to increase our customer growth significantly in the last months.

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

Well, first of all, we are extremely happy to have successful business relations and serve international customers like Stepstone, Linde or Statista.

After starting our business in 2011, we were able to secure market shares in diverse European markets such as Austria, Switzerland, United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Poland.

And of course, we are very proud to have received several international awards and recommendations such as “OMR company to watch 2019”, “Newcomer of the year 2019” in New York or a listing in the official Google training materials as “Google recommended company” because of our innovative approach and international activities.

GACC NY: Why is the U.S. market important for you?

The U.S. market is one of the largest markets worldwide and, from our point of view, the most innovative market for digital products. It offers almost unlimited opportunities for companies like SalesViewer® and is a powerful growth engine for becoming a world leader of website visitor identification. After receiving more and more inquiries from companies in the U.S., we felt that the time had come to reach out and learn the ins and outs of that huge market.

GACC NY: Is that why you joined our STEP USA program in September 2019? What were your most valuable takeaways from this 5-day boot camp?

First of all, it was great that we could visit two amazing startup ecosystems – New York and Boston – in one trip, helping us establish contacts to new international business partners in both locations. Taking STEP USA, we had many important learnings about the U.S. market and the U.S. startup ecosystem. It was helpful to get compact information on the whole topic of how to really do business with American customers. Knowing the U.S. from vacationing there and doing business are two different things. STEP USA helped us understand the DNA of American decision-makers, American clients, and what to take into consideration in order to succeed there. We wanted to find effective strategies on moving forward in that promising market and luckily, we did. The GACC New York proved to be a strong partner.

The legal information provided was extremely valuable and will help us when we are ready to found our own U.S. subsidiary.

We were also surprised by how fast American clients react when they are interested in your product. They are much more willing to take risks or invest in something than their counterparts in Germany.

Furthermore, we were impressed with the mentors that gave workshops during our stay. They were full of energy and inspiration and that brought our business at home to a whole new spirit. We are still in touch with some of them.

And lastly, visiting MIT in Boston and several top-notch accelerators in both Boston and New York were highlights. We loved the STEP USA pitch night when we were given the opportunity to pitch SalesViewer® to a big New York audience at Hudson Yards on the 56th floor while overlooking a sunset over Manhattan…

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

I would say it is underestimated how hard it is to acquire new customers. Contact is king, that is what we can say! Tapping into existing networks, reaching out to neutral business facilitators is a game-changer.

What is also underestimated are the legal regulations around the topic of HR. Human resources are handled quite differently in the States. It was interesting to learn how to hire the people correctly, and to understand the differences in employment law for example.

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

Absolutely! We are super excited that we were able to win many new customers in the U.S. since taking part in the STEP USA program. We achieved this by presenting Salesviewer® during several organized networking events, got on stage and said who we are, what we can do for clients and what our goals are in the U.S. It was like a chain reaction and several interesting business contacts got in touch with us. Even in these economically challenging times, we are able to drive 5-digit revenues in the US each month.

The trick is to do your follow up after the trip. That is one thing I highly recommend: Follow up on leads – continuously! Make sure you get the introductions that you were promised. GACC NY: Do you want to tell us about the Newcomer of the Year award in New York?

That is a great result of STEP USA as well! After the STEP USA program in the fall of 2019 we were surprisingly nominated for the “Newcomer of the year award” in New York which we won on November 6th last year! It’s an award organized by the GACC New York, but an independent jury of economic experts makes the decision on who wins. We are immensely proud of that and feel that we have invested our energy and resources in the right way. It seems – with the right kind of preparation – our business activities in the States over the past 12 months can be called highly successful.

GACC NY: What are your next steps in the U.S.?

We are definitively planning on opening a U.S. office once the Corona crisis is over and the U.S. economy has recovered. During the past 2 years, we have checked out several locations in the U.S., looking at Silicon Valley, the Atlanta area, and the East coast. We are now focusing on New York – it is an excellent starting point because it offers one of the world’s most exciting startup ecosystems. And the density of clients is breath-taking. What we also like about the East coast is that the time difference to Germany is only 6 hours compared to the West coast with 9 hours.

GACC NY: Benjamin, lots of success for your endeavors and thanks so much for taking the time for this interview!