Theresa Böttger

I design financial structures that deploy capital for systemic change and regenerative value creation, including organizational and financing models such as steward ownership.

My work is not only about what gets financed, but how financial markets must be designed to enable a viable future for people, society, and the planet.

Topics
* What would our world look like if profit maximization was not the primary goal of investment?
* How can companies raise capital without mission drift?
* What if investments were required to serve people, society, and the planet?
* What would an economy look like if regenerative business were the norm?
* How can capital become part of the solution, not part of the problem?

Panel Discussion Themes:

* Investing for Systems Change: The Rise of Systemic Strategies in Venture Capital
* From Profit to Purpose: The Capital and Ownership Revolution
* How Steward Ownership Plays a Key Role in Systemic Investing
* The Role of Capital in Regeneration: Designing Non-Extractive Fund Structures, Processes, and Incentives
* When Capital Flows Differently: Following Values, Not Valuations
* Investment as a Means for Transformation, Not a Mechanism for Control

Theresa is Managing Director and Co-Founder of Karma Capital, a steward-owned venture capital fund that deploys capital as a lever for systemic change and regenerative value creation. Her work focuses on rethinking impact investing and designing financial structures that enable a fair, climate-positive, and inclusive economy.

Since October 2023, she has been responsible for Karma Capital’s operations, including fund structuring and risk analysis, fundraising, and the analysis and allocation of impact-driven portfolio companies. Prior to this, she completed the OnPurpose Leadership Programme, where she helped build new business areas as Team Lead Sales and worked with TapTree (FinTech in steward ownership) and Solandeo (renewable energy).

From 2015 to 2022, Theresa worked at DWS, the asset management divison of Deutsche Bank as Senior Sales for impact equity funds, overseeing impact strategies with more than EUR 5 billion in assets under management. There she served as Lead Client Portfolio Manager for impact equity funds, supporting institutional investors in integrating sustainable investment strategies.

She began her career in risk controlling at BayernLB in Munich and New York, followed by roles at Roland Berger Strategy Consultants in Financial Services and at Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich. She completed her vocational training as a banker at BayernLB in 2007.

In addition to her professional work, Theresa is a frequent keynote and panel speaker on systemic investing, steward ownership and innovative roles of capital.