The Organization, its Events & the People Behind it

Share knowledge. Gain insight. Expand connections.

Who we are…

• GABA is a member-driven non-profit organization that fosters transatlantic knowledge sharing and networking among German-American and Californian business and tech communities.

• The GABA programs address critical business, technical and leadership issues, with specific industry programs focused on mobile, software, life science, entrepreneurship and venture capital, semiconductor & IT, among others.

In essence, GABA promotes:

• German-American business and trade activities• Extensive US/German network of industry professionals• Extended platform to build industry specific relationships• Local networking events with high visibility

Share knowledge. Gain insight. Expand connections.

GABA Facts

• Non-profit organization, founded in 2003• Financed by membership and event fees, sponsorship income,

and donations

Structure

• 400 paying members• Corporate as well as individual members• Mailing list of over 10,000 contacts

Members

• Large Affiliate Network within California• Collaboration with German Government Institutions• Affiliated with the German American Chamber of Commerce (GACC)

Supporters

• More than 60 events per year• Over 3,500 attendees per year• Outstanding panel speakers and moderators• Monthly social meetings (“Stammtisch”) in San Francisco,

Palo Alto, San Jose, Santa Cruz, Sacramento and Alameda

Events

• 4 Part-time staff members• 18 Board members• 5 Advisory Board members• 20 Industry Experts, who volunteer as Interest Group Chairs• 15 Local Chapter Board members• Countless volunteers

People

The GABA Organization

GABA Board of Directors

Katharina Rock, Senior Vice President, SAP (Chair)

Jens Horstmann, Partner, Crestlight Ventures (Co-Chair)

Stefanie Bastian

Linda Cleary, Sr Manager Demand Generation at DNN Corp.

Wolfram Doelker (Southern California Chapter)

Gunther Hofmann, VP, The Brenner Group (CFO)

Barbara Holzapfel, Chief Marketing Officer, Taulia

Uschi Joshua (Munich Chapter)

Ulli Kohl (Berlin Chapter)

Thilo Koslowski, VP Automotive Research, Gartner Group

Michael Metzger, Covert & Co.

Dirk Michels, Partner, Ballard Spahr LLP

Thomas Neubert, VP Business Development, Deutsche Telekom

Caroline Raynaud (GABA Executive Director)

Uwe Wagner, Principal, Tiburon Consulting

Daniel Zimmermann, Partner, WilmerHale

Caroline Raynaud, Executive Director

Yiman Liu, Membership Director

Yvonne Dietrich, Event Director

Yvonne Schwab, Business Development Director

GABA Staff

GABA Advisory Board

Andy Bechtolsheim (Co-Founder Sun Microsystems, early Investor in Google)

Sebastian Thrun (Founder Google X and CEO Udacity)

Margit Wennmachers (Partner at Andreessen Horowitz)

Stefan Schlueter (German Consul Generale)

Dirk Kanngiesser (CEO German Accelerator)

GABA Interest Groups

AutomotiveThilo Koslowski, Porsche

Life ScienceUlrike Ruppelt, Ticular Strategies

Katrin Jakob,

California Business Associates

Edda Mihaescu

Bayer HealthCare

Media & EntertainmentAchim Hoelzle, FeldbergPacific

Florian Brody, Envizio

MobileThomas Neubert,

Deutsche Telekom

Petra Vorsteher, Smaato

Women in BusinessStefanie Bastian, Yahoo!

Linda K. Cleary, Dell

Mandy Herrmann, Balsam Brands

Regine Staufenberg, SM Library

InnovationSteffen Bartschat,

CEO Hill88

Human ResourcesE.J. Dieterle, YES Partners

Jennifer Vessels, Next Step

Clean TechOlaf Groth, Hult Business School

Tracey Grose, Bay Area Council Economic

Cyber SecurityUwe Wagner,

Tiburon Consulting

Eric Trabold,

Avira

GABA Events:Industry specific topicsExcellent speakersUp to date information

from experts

InternationalAngelika Blendstrup,

Blendstrup & AssociatesYoung Professionals

Jan Jettel, Speakeasy

Christina Westphal

VC & Entrepreneurs

Oliver Hanisch, German InnovatorsGunther Hofmann,

Armanino

Software/Big DataTim Bussiek, Saama

Roland Wartenberg, Genband

Michael Hoch, Sodascope

NewcomersKatharina Lehmann,

Google

GABA Events

• All GABA events are organized by the GABA Industry Group Chairs. These volunteers are leading experts in their business industry and are helping GABA to recruit outstanding panel speakers and moderators.

• In the San Francisco – Bay Area alone GABA organized 60+ events last year and attracted approx. 3,500 people to these events. On average 60 to 100 people attend a GABA industry focus event.

Past Event Highlights

Virtual and Augmented Reality: Moving Beyond Gaming

Financial Outlook at the German Consulate in San Francisco

Speakers: Venrock, Software AG, Sharespost 100 Fund & SP Investments Management, Propel(x)

Host: German Consulate, San Francisco

Speakers: Avegant, Boost VC, Seebright Inc., Innovation Center America, SAPHost: SAP

Cyber-Security - The European and US Approach to a Common Challenge

Speakers: TeleTrusT - IT Security Association Germany, Infineon Technologies, Citrix Systems, Symantec, National Institute of Standards and Technology

Connected Cars – Technologies and Trends

Speakers: BFFT of America, Inc., Vinli, Gartner, Inc., SAP, Ford Motor Company, Robert

Bosch LLC

Host: SAP

Event Topics

Signature events:•GABA Gala Dinner (January)•GABA Sommerfest (June)•GABA Rising Stars (August)•GABA Financial Outlook (December)

Industry specific events:•Cyber Security – A German and American Perspectiveof Common Challenges•The Future of Social Networks•Connected Vehicles•Autonomous Vehicles – Are We There Yet?•Wearable Devices – Where Have All The Computers Gone?•International Expansion: What Every Startup Needs to Know•The Second Coming of the Internet of Things•Expats: Financial & Immigration Solutions Business•Computers That Learn – What will be the Impact?

Networking events:•GABA Newcomer event•European Networking•Young Professionals Mixer

GABA Gala

Annual Gala Dinner to honor achievements in German-American business

Location: St Francis Yacht Club San Francisco

Guests: More than 200 high profile guests

of the German American business

community in the Bay Area

Awardees: Hartmut Esslinger &

Patricia Roller (2017)

Margit Wennmachers (2016)

Hasso Plattner (2015)

Sebastian Thrun (2014)

Andy Bechtolsheim & Gerhard Casper (2013)

GABA Rising Stars AwardAnnual Reception to honor German-American Startups

Location: Fogarty Winery

Date: Last Thursday in August

Guests: More than 100 high profile guests of the German American startup

community in the Bay Area

Awardees: Datameer & Taulia (2016)

Smaato & ParStream (2015)

GABA Testimonials“I worked with GABA to promote the opening celebration of rheingold's US office in San Francisco. As we are a company with German heritage, I particularly enjoy the cross-cultural "flair" GABA emits in everything they do. The whole process of partnering for our event went very smoothly and was perfectly organized. Caroline Raynaud and her team are extremely professional and handle projects with a great sense of needs of their partners. I am looking forward to upcoming events and will certainly take advantage of future opportunities to partner with GABA.”

Patricia Sauerbrey Colton, Research Director, Rheingold USA

“Wir haben erstmalig mit der GABA zusammengearbeitet für die Organisation einer Veranstaltungsreihe in Palo Alto und San Francisco im Dezember 2009. Wir waren über den Veranstaltungssupport sehr zufrieden. Die Organisation war exzellent und die Zusammenarbeit hervorragend. Wir werden auch künftig mit der der GABA kooperieren.”

Michael Witte, Fraunhofer Heinrich-Hertz-Institut (HHI), Head Dept. Strategic Marketing

“GABA can be proud of itself for all the great events. The topics are very relevant, thoughtfully organized, fun to attend, and the atmosphere is always upbeat. I always go home inspired, and every time I met someone interesting. Last year, I met the CEO of GreenAnalysis at a GABA event at SAP and got a contractor position with GreenAnalysis.”

Cornelia Jarica

“Wir Questico-Gruender (2 Deutsche, 1 Oesterreicher, 1 Amerikaner) lernten uns im Valley ueber GABA kennen, beschlossen dort, zusammen eine Firma zu gruenden, schrieben einen Businessplan, gingen dann nach Deutschland zurueck und erhielten Venture Capital, machten letztes Jahr knapp 60MEUR Umsatz.” Ulli Kohl, CTO and Co-Founder Questico

GABA Members and Supporters

GABA members represent all facets of the international professional business community including high-tech and life science firms, trade specialists, bankers, venture capitalists, insurance, government officials, attorneys, translation firms, marketing firms, consultants, and entrepreneurs.

Membership LevelsLevel Benefits Annual Fee

Entrepreneur/Basic Corporate(For companies with 1-5 employees only)

• Your company name will be listed in the Corporate GABA Directory, incorporating a web link to your website.

• Reduced event entrance fees for one designated company representative.• Invitation to exclusive member events.• You will receive the GABA eNewsletter and can post company news updates.• Possibility to offer service or product discounts to GABA members.• You can post job openings on the GABA website and in the GABA newsletter

$350 (renewal $300.00)

Corporate

All Basic Corporate benefits PLUS…• More prominent positioning than at lower level of membership• Your listing will include full contact information, e-mail, and a web link to company website allowing easy access with just one click.• Reduced event entrance fees for up to three company representatives

$700 (renewal $600.00)

Premium Corporate

All Corporate benefits PLUS…highest level of visibility on the GABA web site:•Your company listing will also show your logo and a description of your company and services, thus making it easier to see.•Your logo will be displayed along with our other Premium members in the Premium Corporate / Sponsorship section on the GABA homepage.• Also: GABA free event admittance to your company representatives.

$1950 (renewal

$1800.00)

Individual

Reduced event entrance fees•Invitation to exclusive member events•Monthly GABA eNewsletter•Your name will be listed in the Individual GABA member directory

$120 (renewal $100.00)

Student Same as Individual member benefits•Proof of student status required

$60.00

Status: January 2017

The GABA Network

GABA has built an extensive network among partner associations, German government related organizations and other Government Organizations:

German Government Organizations

• German Consulate, San Francisco

• German American Chamber of Commerce (GACC)

• German Accelerator• GTAI Germany Trade & Invest• Invest in Bavaria• Berlin Partner• German State of Hessen• NRW.Invest • Heidelberg Economic

Development Agency (HEDA)• Hamburg@Work• Frankfurt Rhine Main• And more…

• Churchill Club• TiE (The Indus Entrepreneur)• MIT Alumni Club• SV Forum• Silicon Vikings• Bay Brazil• CITD (Centers for International

Trade Development) • TechLab• CSPA (Chinese Software

Professionals Organization)• SIPA (Silicon Valley Indian

Professional Association)• And more…

GABA Affiliate Network

Other Government Organizations

• French American Chamber of Commerce

• British-American Business Council

• Swiss American Chamber of Commerce

• Business Association Italy America

• California Spain Chamber of Commerce

• Swedish American Chamber of Commerce

• And more…

The GABA Online Community

GABA utilizes a number of different online communities in order to enable all GABA members and beyond to connect and network. These online communities are also an important marketing tool for GABA

GABA Stammtisch

Virtual German community and listserv with 2,000 members

GABA FacebookOver 4,500 members/likes

GABA LinkedIn

Exclusive Business Networking Group with over 1,400 members

GABA Xing

German Business Networking Group with 1,100 members

GABA Mailing ListThe GABA mailing list comprises members and subscribers;The database contained over 10,000 contacts

GABA Chapters

GABA California Chapters:

Northern California Chapter & HeadquarterSilicon Valley / San FranciscoContact: Caroline Raynaud, Executive Director

Southern California ChapterLos AngelesContact: Wolfram Doelker

GABA Germany Chapters:

Berlin ChapterContact: Ulli Kohl

Munich ChapterContact: Uschi Joshua

Contact us

German American Business Association of California

775 Glenborough Drive, #101, Mountain View, CA 94041, USA

Phone: +1 (650) 386-5015

Fax: +1 (415) 276-2375

Caroline Raynaud, Executive Director

E-mail: craynaud@gaba-network.org

To learn more about GABA Membership and Sponsorship Opportunities and our Events, please visit the GABA website: http://www.gaba-network.org

Share knowledge. Gain insight. Expand connections.