German Accelerator

U.S. Program Prep Call

German Accelerator U.S. Team Members

U.S. Program Team U.S. Marketing Team

Marie Klemme-Lacus
Christian Jorg Kiran Cartolari
Director of Marketing
COO Program Manager
marie.klemme-lacus@@start2.group
christian.jorg@start2.group kiran.cartolari@@start2.group

Mel Wong Zabrina Rue-Zusman Yuki Olbrich

Director of Programs Program Manager Content & Comms Manager

melinda.wong@start2.group zabrina.rue@@start2.group yuki.olbrich@@start2.group

Kelly Lindberg
Sr. Program Manager

kelly.lindberg@start2.group

Marco Addezio
Sr. Program Manager

marco.addezio@start2.group
The Custom Program Experience Consists Of...

Tailor-made support from an expert team consisting of mentors and the German Accelerator team based on the
individual needs of each startup (Lead Mentor, Expert Mentors, U.S. Managing Partner & Operating Partner, Program
Director, Marketing, Alumni, etc.)

Individual one-on-one sessions with experts from our global mentor network assigned by the German Accelerator
team built on need and relevant expertise

Clear program roadmap with workstreams and milestones to allow startups to plan ahead and get the most from
their program experience

Group workshops for optimal peer learning and exchange of information and experiences

Slack community to enable exchange with current and former participants as well as the German Accelerator team
The Purpose of the Deep Dive

Deep Dives are among the most important sessions of the program and will determine the rest of your experience, from Lead
Mentor selection to program goals. They give German Accelerator a proper understanding of your company and how we can help you
succeed throughout the program. It is not a mentoring session but an opportunity for you to bring the German Accelerator team and
key mentors up to speed on where you are as a company. We want to learn about your target market, the problem you are
solving, what you have achieved, the challenges you face, and what you hope to accomplish in the program.

Deep Dive Deck

We ask that you prepare a presentation to act as a guide for an open dialogue where we will ask questions and give feedback.

The Main Topics Covered Include: Participants:

• Problem
• Solution / Value Proposition • Startup Team
• Product Description • 1-2 German Accelerator Mentors/Additional Experts
• Market • The German Accelerator U.S. Team
• Business Model
• GTM Plan
• Competition
• Founding Team
• Traction
• German Accelerator Goals
SMART Goals

Example of a SMART goal: Prepare for product launch in the U.S. by developing & finalizing our product
launch checklist of localization activity, feature updates, and customer user testing and drive approval
by all internal stakeholders by June 1, 2024
Recommended Workstream Categories & Action Items
Conduct Market Validation for
U.S. Expansion
• Assess U.S. target market(s)
to Identify BHM
• Analyze market size and growth
potential for each segment.
• Develop ideal customer profiles
• Perform customer discovery
• Conduct a competitive analysis
• Articulate & enhance U.S. value
proposition
Plan & Execute a U.S. GTM
Strategy
• Create buyer personas / ICPs
• Engage in customer development
• Craft & refine key messaging
• De-risk business plan
• Refine business model for the U.S.
• Align pricing model to the U.S.
• Identify distribution channels
• Identify strategic partnerships
Tailor Communication
Strategies for a U.S. Audience
• Master pitching & presentation
• Improve narrative / storytelling
• Clarify company vision
Design & Implement a U.S.
Marketing Strategy
• Understand the buyer journey
• Identify marketing channels
• Develop product messaging
strategy
• Improve growth & performance
• Improve SEO & website
• Create social media campaign
• Enhance content marketing
• Strengthen Brand Management
• Perform PR & media outreach
Design & Implement a U.S. Sales
Strategy
• Develop enterprise sales strategy
• Develop consumer sales strategy
• Understand Buyer Personas
• Improve messaging & materials
• Develop sales pitch / playbook
• Improve Customer Acquisition/CLV
• Initiate lead generation /fill funnel
• Strengthen business development
• Learn to close & negotiate deals
• Establish and convert paid pilots
• Enter into licensing agreements
• Build a U.S. sales team
Manage & Optimize U.S.
Business Operations
• Coordinate Supply Chain
& Logistics (inbound / outbound)
• Establish manufacturing set-up
• Integrate Warehouse
Management Solutions
• Optimize internal processes
• Measure & improve performance
Adapt & Localize Product
Strategy for the U.S.
• Develop U.S. Product Roadmap
• Collect Market Research and
User Insights
• Define product marketing strategy
• Define longitudinal data strategy
• Develop, test, and launch MVP
Prepare for U.S. Investor
Readiness
• Build out U.S. financial strategy
• Create an investor pipeline
• Strengthen messaging & investor
materials
• Perform investor outreach
• Define exit strategy
Organize HR & Facilitate
Hiring in the U.S.
• Cultivate company culture
• Employ tactics for strategic
hiring
• Understand U.S. employee
benefits, salaries, and
regulations
Establish Legal
Foundations for U.S.
Business Activities
• Incorporate a U.S. legal
entity
• Localize business
for specific location/region
• Establish a U.S. bank
account
• Manage Tax & Accounting
requirements
• Ensure compliance
with regulations
• Protect & manage
Intellectual Property
6
Program Roadmap and Workstreams

Example: Airbnb
Airbnb Workstreams and Action Plan
Workstream
[Insert Category From Slide 4]
I. Conduct Market Validation
for U.S. Expansion
II. Adapt & Localize
Product Strategy for the U.S.
III. Prepare for U.S.
Investor Readiness
Example Only
Action Plan Deadline /
[Insert Action Items from Slide 4 & Add Personalization] Team Owner
• Assess U.S. target market(s) to Identify BHM starting with leisure travelers, business ▪ End of
travelers, families, and couples. May 2024
• Analyze market size and growth potential for each segment including key ▪ Mel Wong
demographics, and behavior of potential customers in each segment.
• Develop ideal customer profiles covering (age, income, location), psychographics
(lifestyle, interests), behaviors (booking habits, preferences) specific needs and motivations
such as property maintenance, guest management, and rental income optimization.
• Perform customer discovery and better understand their pain points, preferences, and
what they value most in a vacation rental or long term stay
• Articulate & enhance U.S. value proposition that considers price positioning,
convenience, exceptional customer service and innovative technology solutions.
• Collect Market Research and User Insights for the West Coast through surveys, ▪ End of June
interviews, and data analysis to identify specific needs of customers in this region. 2024
• Divide West Coast user base into relevant segments based on factors like location, behavior, ▪ Mel Wong
and preferences. + Kelly L.
• Tailor product features to address the needs of each target segment.
• Strengthen messaging & investor materials by updating existing investor deck, pitch ▪ End of
deck, and financial projections to effectively convey Airbnb's value proposition, market April 2024
potential, and growth strategy. ▪ Mel Wong +
Kiran C.
8
Expert Mentor Connections

Topic Mentor Outcome / next steps Allotment (hrs.)

Lead Mentor TBD TBD

TBD TBD TBD

TBD TBD TBD

TBD TBD TBD

Workshops

• A virtual workshop will take place every Tuesday at 8am PT / 11am ET / 5pm CET
starting the week after in-person Immersion Week.

• Each Workshop is 90 min long and hosted by a different German Accelerator

Mentor

• Individual calendar holds will be sent to your email and will

include the corresponding workshop information and a zoom link.

• Please forward invites to anyone on your team.

Program Expectations
• The program team will assign your Lead Mentor(s) after the Deep Dive. Please, DO NOT contact any mentors
and ask them yourself.

• During the program, ALL Expert Mentor connections must be made through a Program Manager. Do not wait
for them to guess, make sure you let them know the types of mentors you want to be connected with.

• Please DO NOT assume/expect that the Mentors will make introductions to their personal network, and do
not ask them to generate leads.

• The program team will arrange the first Lead Mentor call after the Deep Dive. After this call, all startups are
responsible for coordinating/scheduling weekly strategy sessions with their Lead Mentor(s) for the duration
of the program.

• Startups are expected to meet with their Lead Mentor(s) weekly for 1 hour.

• A founding team member or C-Level Executive must Participate in the Program. No Exceptions.

• In-person participation for Kickoff and Bootcamp Week are required at the START of the program.

• In-person participation for Startup Pitch Night is required at the END of the program.
U.S. Market Access Class 2024-1
Required In-Person Events

In-Person Bootcamp
New York, NY April 15-18, 2024
Pitch Night for Graduating Cohort

July 2024 In-Person Bootcamp

Palo Alto, CA
Exact Date TBD Pitch Night for 2024-1 Cohort
Office Space Locations
→ Startups have access to German Accelerator's office spaces in Palo Alto and New York while in the program.

Silicon Valley
325 Forest Ave
Palo Alto, CA 94301

Point of Contact
Kelly Lindberg
kelly.linberg@start2.group

New York
Cubico
46 Howard Street
New York, NY 10013

Point of Contact
Kiran Cartolari
kiran.cartolari@start2.group
Communications Package

All startups will receive a communications package shortly after program acceptance with important
information around when and how to communicate your participation in the program.
It includes the following:

➔ Date of official class announcement – please hold off on publicly

sharing your participation until we have officially announced you on
our social media channels
➔ Information on German Accelerator logo usage
➔ Assets available for you to use on your social media and website
(social media visuals & program participant badge)
➔ German Accelerator company profile with latest numbers – please
only use information found in the comms package
Questions?