I have recently been bouncing an idea around of a German Trading League that manages to establish colonies in the Americas. So I decided to avoid the primary pitfall and distance the challenge from the Hansa. Your challenge is to create this German Colonial Trading League, either from the Hansa or completely from scratch, acting on behalf of either a single German state or several who are pooling their resources. It must also be successful, managing to maintain its colonies in the America's and further afield. Think of it being like the British East India Company in the Americas, speaking German.
Where the colonies are and which German minors participating in the League is flexible. The only limitations are that the PoD is not allowed to be earlier that 1200 AD and no later than 1600 AD and that this League is not allowed to be tied to the HRE. So these colonies and the League do not owe loyalty to the Emperor.
What can you come up with?