STEP USA University Program 2026

The STEP USA University Program is a three-day program that helps German university startups and spin-offs explore and scale their business in the United States. The program provides customized workshops, meetings with investors and mentors, and visits to incubators to learn about US market entry, legal requirements, pitching, sales strategies and investor engagement. Eight startups are selected to participate in the trip to New York City. The program is organized jointly by the German Center for Research and Innovation (DWIH New York) and the German-American Chambers of Commerce, Inc. (GACC New York).

Program fees covered; three days of customized workshops on US market entry, legal requirements, pitching, sales strategies; meetings with angel investors and mentors; visits to incubators and networking with US investors.

Open to university-affiliated startups and spin-offs from German research institutions and universities; applicants must provide proof of being a university spin-off and have a business model suitable for internationalization. Applications from start-ups affiliated with institutions in the DWIH supporter network are especially encouraged.

Send a brief pitch overview in English (max 5 pages) including startup description, business model and internationalization plans, development status, and benefit of participation to Dr. Jan Lüdert (luedert@dwih.org) and Susanne Johnson (sjohnson@gaccny.com).