CARL HÄRTLEIN

Carl Härtlein is a venture capital advisor and cross-border investment strategist specialising in bridging Asian and European investment ecosystems. As Founder and Managing Partner of Saint Clair Advisory & Capital, he has pioneered the innovative "Capital Diplomacy" framework, facilitating strategic partnerships and fostering global capital mobility.

Carl's expertise centres on cross-border fund structuring and capital allocation strategies, facilitating partnerships between Asian and European VCs and LPs through groundbreaking global fund initiatives. His approach combines deep cultural intelligence with practical implementation support, enabling sustainable investment relationships across diverse regulatory and cultural environments.

Drawing from over 30 years of entrepreneurial experience as a former startup founder, Carl brings authentic understanding of the challenges facing growth-stage companies. His academic research on "Soft Due Diligence in the Venture Capital Investment Process" explores the human factors that drive investment success beyond traditional financial metrics, contributing to a more empathetic and effective approach to venture capital decision-making.

In his professional career, Carl serves as Partner at several VC funds, while actively mentoring entrepreneurs across four continents. He advocates for repositioning Europe as a stable bridge for Asian ecosystems, championing strategic European-Asian partnerships to address global challenges through cross-border innovation and capital deployment.