TRANSATLANTIC ENTREPRENEUR PARTNERSHIP
Welcome to
New York City!
From Soft Landing to
Scaling Businesses
E
A
s the G er man Consul
General in New York City,
it is my pleasure to support
and promote topics of transatlantic understanding and learning.
Entrepreneurship, science, innovation, and the digital transformation
have become increasingly important - and successful - in New York
City and enable us to connect in
new, dynamic ways for the benefits
of both nations.
When we started our TEP collaboration five years ago we talked
about why these topics matter and
for whom. Due to the tremendous
progress we have made together
with all the TEP partners, this is no
longer the question. The German
Accelerator in New York City has
hosted its first batches of German
startups, New York- and Germanbased industry accelerators are collaborating, and German startups
have raised money in New York
City, paving the way for others
alike.
What you learn at the TEP
Conference this week should help
to increase the chances for your
success in the City, the U.S. and in
Germany. I wish you all a productive week in NYC.
Brita Wagener
Consul General of the Federal
Republic of Germany
ach ye ar, the Transatlantic
Entrepreneur Partnership connects digital hubs from around
the world to enable faster and cheaper expansion for entrepreneurs. On
September 14-17, 2015, for the fifth
time, the private initiative under the
patronage of the American Council
on Germany and the German Consul
General in New York has developed a
three-day program to connect experts,
learn from each other, and strive for impact. The program combines a series
of panel discussions, working sessions,
NYC-based startup visits as well as
time to network. The program is followed by a one-day International Day
event which has expanded this year to
enable eleven global tech hubs to present themselves. In addition, over forty
startups will showcase their concepts.
As one of the trade commissioners said,
“We’re creating the United Nations of
entrepreneurship in Brooklyn.”
The objective and vision of the conference has remained focused. By enabling ideas and entrepreneurs to expand faster and cheaper, cities and societies will benefit. While there is still
a long road to achieving that vision, a
lot of progress has been made; mainly
the growing understanding among city
leaders and policy makers that startup collaboration across borders will
increase the economic benefit for all.
“Entrepreneurship – Made in the USA”
has become the focus of international
studies and collaborations, and New
York City has developed into the number one urban hub for applied science.
The 2015 conference will focus on
new ways for startups to gain traction
and achieve success and how cities and
policy makers can support that. The
issues of doing business in NYC have
changed for entrepreneurs coming here
from international hubs; it is no longer
about defining the right legal structure, finding investors, or finding office
space. While these issues (especially immigration) remain important, it is crucial today to demonstrate the chances
for success early by choosing the right
strategy, being effective the American
way, and demonstrating confidence,
progress, and commitment to the US
market. In other words, from soft landing to hard business. Additionally, it is
no longer a one-way street into the US,
as NYC-based startups are increasingly
looking into expanding their business
beyond NYC and the US. International
Day will feature eleven global startup
hubs and provide the opportunity for
global expansion starting with a subway
ride to Brooklyn.
Again in 2015, the TEP conference
and International Day aim at nothing
less than building the perfect stage for
startups and city leaders to find the silver bullet for international expansion
and collaboration. As in the past, this is
only possible because of the TEP partners and their tremendous support.
Welcome to the 2015
Transatlantic
Entrepreneur
Partnership Conference!
A
s one of the organizations
that helped launch this annual conference in 2011,
the American Council on Germany
is delighted to partner again this
year with the German Consulate
General, New York International,
and Berlin Partner to make this
event possible.
We live in a rapidly changing
world, and it is essential for our business leaders, government officials,
and society as a whole to adapt to
the increasingly interconnected and
complex global environment. Think
about the world in which the next
generation of leaders is growing up;
Uber, the world’s largest transportation service company, owns no vehicles; Facebook, the world’s most
popular media owner, creates no
content; Alibaba, the world’s most
valuable retailer, has no inventory;
and Airbnb, the world’s largest accommodation provider, owns no
real estate.
The Transatlantic Entrepreneur
Partnership Conference underscores the ties between our two
countries—particularly the startup
communities in Berlin and New
York. This year’s conference boasts
an impressive roster of speakers and
site visits. We wish all of the TEP
participants a successful conference!
Dr. Steven E. Sokol
President
American Council on Germany
T-3