Our German Accelerator Journey: From Germany to Silicon Valley & New York
Updates| December 11, 2025
We’re proud to have been selected for the German Accelerator US Market Access Program — one of the most competitive programs for German startups. Only six companies per cohort, three cohorts per year. A small group, big ambitions.
Over several months, we worked closely with leading mentors, industry experts, and fellow founders. The program pushed us to refine our strategy, sharpen our positioning, and prepare ZILEX for the U.S. market.
Silicon Valley: Immersion Week #1
In July, we traveled to Silicon Valley, where innovation moves fast and visions scale even faster.
Highlights included:
- A visit to the SAP Headquarters
- Exchanges with experienced operators and ecosystem leaders
- Firsthand insight into what it takes to build a category-leading tech company
The Valley showed us how big ideas grow when surrounded by the right mindset and network.
New York City: Immersion Week #2
Our second immersion week took us to New York City, where our CEO Musa Smakaj pitched ZILEX in the heart of Manhattan — in front of investors, partners, and ecosystem leaders.
We also visited Capgemini, Celonis, and connected with founders and partners from NYC’s fast-paced tech landscape. The interest in our vision confirmed:
AI-driven engineering innovation has global potential.
Looking Ahead
The German Accelerator journey strengthened our U.S. market strategy, expanded our network, and reinforced our mission:
to redefine how engineering teams design complex thermal systems — faster, smarter, and powered by AI.
A big thank you to the German Accelerator team, our mentors, and everyone we met along the way.
This is just the beginning.
If you want, I can make it even shorter, more story-like, more formal, or more energetic — just say the word.
