WEVE Acceleration
WEVE Acceleration is a company.
Financial History
Leadership Team
Key people at WEVE Acceleration.
WEVE Acceleration is a company.
Key people at WEVE Acceleration.
WEVE Acceleration is NYC's premier acceleration program for international startups expanding into the US market, formerly known as NUMA New York.[1][2] With over 20 years of global experience from its NUMA roots, it delivers a 10-week US soft-landing accelerator featuring targeted curriculum, 1:1 mentorship, and warm introductions to US investors, corporates, and entrepreneurs, having supported over 120 startups from 25 nationalities since opening its NYC office in 2017.[1][2][4] Its mission centers on enabling global market access and business growth for innovators through world-class knowledge, connections, and resources, while also offering customized programs for international governments, corporates, and investors.[1][2]
The program serves non-US startups (early- and growth-stage), international governments seeking to boost their tech ecosystems, corporates via innovation expeditions, and investors accessing deal flow, with additional bootcamps and learning experiences.[1][2] It impacts the startup ecosystem by facilitating US market entry, leading to outcomes like Series A/B funding raises and B2B sales exceeding $700K for alumni.[4]
WEVE Acceleration traces its roots to NUMA, one of the world's oldest accelerator brands, founded nearly 20 years ago in Paris to support global entrepreneurs.[1][2][4] The New York office launched in 2017 as NUMA New York, evolving into WEVE Acceleration to focus on US market expansion for international startups, building on two decades of expertise in introducing promising ventures to major markets.[1][2][4] Since then, it has accelerated nearly 50 companies from 17 nationalities in its first three years of NYC operations alone, marking pivotal growth through successes in funding rounds and major sales deals.[4]
Leadership includes CEO and Managing Director Frances Simowitz, COO Giulia Imperatrice, and Program Director Shai Tamary, steering its operations from its base at 119 W 24th St in New York.[2][3] This evolution from a Paris-born global network to a NYC-centric soft-landing specialist humanizes its role as a bridge for international innovators facing US entry barriers.[1][4]
WEVE Acceleration rides the wave of global startup internationalization, capitalizing on the US as the world's largest market amid rising cross-border expansion needs post-pandemic.[1][4] Its timing aligns with surging demand for "soft-landing" programs, as international founders seek localized networks to navigate regulatory, cultural, and funding hurdles in NYC's vibrant ecosystem.[2][4] Market forces like remote work enabling global talent flows, government-backed innovation initiatives, and corporate hunger for diverse tech (e.g., fintech, healthcare) favor its model, which has diversified 25 nationalities into the US.[1][3]
It influences the ecosystem by democratizing US access—previously gatekept for non-US founders—driving alumni funding, sales, and tech transfer, while empowering governments and corporates to scale ecosystems collaboratively.[1][4] This positions WEVE as a key enabler in a fragmented global tech landscape trending toward hyper-connected innovation hubs.[2]
WEVE Acceleration is primed to expand its hybrid virtual/in-person offerings, potentially scaling alumni numbers beyond 120 amid AI-driven globalization and renewed US venture appetite.[1][2] Trends like government-corporate alliances for tech sovereignty and investor hunts for international alpha will shape its trajectory, with customizable programs likely proliferating for emerging markets.[1][4] Its influence may evolve from niche soft-lander to ecosystem orchestrator, deepening NYC's role as a global gateway—reinforcing its core mission of making the world smaller for innovators, one startup at a time.[2]
Key people at WEVE Acceleration.