Recent testimonials of program participants

German Accelerator is a free (no fees or equity) acceleration program designed specifically to support German startups quickly evaluate U.S. market opportunities and enter the American market. It provides startups with extensive, hands-on mentoring from some of the tech industries most experienced entrepreneurs, and office space at its locations in Silicon Valley, San Francisco and New York City.

Sebastian Schulze — CEO FitAnalytics (Q1/2017)
The amount of concentration it takes to become even slightly successful in today’s technology market can result in a very myopic focus. We all constantly struggle to stay close to our core competencies. That can be good, but it can also be very limiting.

The GA helped us achieve the short-term small wins we needed, while simultaneously challenging us to think bigger for the long run. The program enabled us to realize that we weren’t just a company that built great technology to solve a small set of divisional problems. They helped us realize that we were actually a data-driven customer intelligence platform that could address a wide variety of critical business issues for really big companies.

My experience at the GA reminds me of this famous Bob Proctor quote: “A mentor is someone who sees more talent and ability within you, than you see in yourself, and helps bring it out of you.” That’s what the GA did for Fit Analytics and me.

Percy Stocker — COO Ubimax (Q3/2017)

The German Accelerator pushed us out of our comfort zone. We’ve had a lot of success with European customers, but we found out that messages that might work in Germany, for example, don’t necessarily resonate with US companies.

The GA mentors forced us to adopt a customer-centric approach and bigger vision that is better aligned with US customers’ interests. They took a hands-on approach to help us reshape our positioning and identify and emphasize the competitive advantages that matter in this market.

Ultimately, what’s impressed me most, however, is the relationships I’ve established with the GA mentors and other startups affiliated with the program. I didn’t expect to develop this type of network so fast in the US. These are connections that will help us succeed in the US.

Daniel Raschke — CEO Picalike (Q2/2017)

The German Accelerator was a truly eye-opening experience that went far beyond entering the US market. The GA’s expert mentors constructively challenged our plans and helped us re-evaluate our strategy. They worked with us to sharpen our value propositions and improve our ability to execute.

After three tough, but rewarding months, we finished the program as a better, more focused company. And I left the GA as far better entrepreneur with the confidence and training to address the type of obstacles I face on a daily basis running an early-stage, fast-growing startup looking to expand into the US market.

Thomas Hohenacker — CEO Cleverciti (Q3/2017)
If you want to launch and market your products in the US, you need to understand how this country works. There is no better way to learn how clients and investors think in the US than the GA program. The network of the coaches and mentors is excellent and we got a great variety of new business connections that will accelerate our growth here. If you want to pitch to US Investors, this the the best training ground one can image.

Before coming, we calculated the value of the GA program — mentoring, accelerating our entry into the US market, office space, access to customers, partners, and investors — at between $250k and $500k. Since the program is free — no fees and no equity — it was an absolute no-brainer to participate. Now that we’re here, we know we made the right decision.

Felix Ewald — CEO DyeMansion (Q3/2017)
I’ve never learned so much so fast in my entire entrepreneurial career. I’m not going to lie, The German Accelerator isn’t easy. The mentors challenge us every day to confront obstacles to growth and identify the best ways to address those barriers.

We arrived in the US with assumptions based on our success in Europe. The mentors didn’t tell us we were wrong. Instead. they provided the training and framework to develop a customer-centric approach that is helping us evaluate our strategy and identify product/market fit in the US. This is stuff that we will be able to use the rest of our careers.

Without the GA, we would have wasted months chasing a market that is significantly different than the European market and that needs a completely different approach.

I have been gathering a lot of knowledge about the German start-up ecosystem over the last couple of months. The following will be an ever-growing list of stuff that I find relevant. Enjoy!

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