Accelerating German-American Business: Interview with Oliver Hanisch 

Oliver Hanisch is a German entrepreneur, business developer, and consultant based in the San Francisco Bay Area. He is also Vice President of Business Development & Operations of the German Silicon Valley Accelerator (GSVA), an initiative that provides three months of intensive support and mentoring programs for selected German ICT start-ups in Silicon Valley. In this GCRI interview, Oliver discusses GSVA's approach to enhancing German-American business relationships, entrepreneurial cultures in Germany and the U.S., key ingredients for a successful start-up, and the impact of university-industry collaboration on entrepreneurship. To read the interview, click here.

Oliver has founded several companies and launched numerous initiatives and projects, such as the Founder Institute Berlin, a training and mentorship program for entrepreneurs. He was co-founder and CMO at SnipClip, a social applications and games company, and Director of Business Development at Red Herring, a Silicon Valley-based publisher providing products and services for the start-up and venture capital community. 

GAIN TEN - Transatlantic Entrepreneurship Network

The German Academic International Network (GAIN) is a flourishing network of German scholars and scientists in North America. GAIN was created in 2003 to improve the flow of information on career opportunities at German universities, research institutions, and in the private business sector. The annual convention, frequent workshops, and a monthly newsletter form the basis for cooperation and exchange, on both a professional and personal level.

Former GAIN Advisory Board member Dr. Andreas Schmidt, a molecular and cell biologist, co-founder and CEO of AyoxxA Biosystems, initiated the idea of creating an entrepreneurial network for GAIN members in 2008. Since then, the GAIN Transatlantic Entrepreneurship Network (TEN) has supported German researchers interested in founding their own start-ups by introducing academics to entrepreneurs, investors, and mentors; by providing entrepreneurship and funding workshops; and by enabling research opportunities at small bio- and biotech companies. In 2010, GAIN TEN added the Transatlantic Entrepreneurial Breakfast to GAIN's annual conference program, where researchers, investors, representatives of Germany's leading funding organizations, and German government officials discuss ways to kick-start, promote, and support innovative entrepreneurial projects. In September 2011, the German Center for Research and Innovation and GAIN TEN provided German researchers and members of the German Parliament with the opportunity to experience the world of entrepreneurship firsthand with a field trip to Silicon Valley, where they were introduced to Silicon Valley-based start-ups and support programs, such as the German Silicon Valley Accelerator.  

Insights from a German Entrepreneur in New York

• Speak the language, but don't be embarrassed to say you don't know a word or phrase. Nobody will judge you for it, and it will prevent future problems and misunderstandings.
• Longer elevator rides don't mean longer elevator pitches. There are 10 million people in NYC alone, and getting people's attention can be challenging. Perfect your elevator pitch. The first impression will help you get your foot in the door.
• As this is the global capital of money, everyone in the city knows his/her value and you need to be aware of yours, too. Whether it is the valuation of your business or the appropriate bonus for your sales reps, we are all coin operated some way or the other.
• Get used to business breakfasts and networking meetings over coffee. People are busy, and meetings may happen in off-work hours.  So be prepared to extend your day by holding early breakfast gatherings or late-night dinner meetings.
• Embrace the subway! If it's good enough for the mayor, it's good enough for you. And knowing your way around the trains is like a rite of passage in NYC; it's part of what makes you a local.