VC + POLICY
This platform explores how to better bridge the VC, policy, and entrepreneurial innovation worlds. In an increasingly complex landscape where tech becomes regulated and geoeconomics plays a larger role, we need a new approach to handling cutting-edge innovation.
Serving as an agile repository of conversations and articles, it features insights from people passionate about the intersection of capital, politics, and digital innovation. These contributors share a dedication to finding better ways to scale innovation responsibly.
By showcasing ideas across these domains, this platform seeks to foster a more collaborative ecosystem that can navigate the challenges of regulated tech markets while driving groundbreaking innovations. My goal is to spark dialogue and contribute to shaping a future where venture capital, policy, and entrepreneurship work better together to advance responsible technological progress to build amazing things.
This is a personal project. All views are my own.
ABOUT
PAUL FEHLINGER
There are three things I'm passionate about: bridging policy, capital, entrepreneurship and tech; building big things from scratch; and scaling high-performing ecosystems where actors advance thorny issues at the intersection of business and responsible innovation.
I currently serve as the inaugural Director of Policy, Governance Innovation & Impact of Project Liberty, a USD 500M initiative, where I spearhead global initiatives spanning policy, tech, and capital markets for responsible data and AI. Previously, I co-founded the Internet & Jurisdiction Policy Network, pioneering for more than a decade international multistakeholder collaboration on cross-border digital markets and compliance. I scaled the innovation ecosystem to engage over 400 key entities across 70+ countries, including governments, Intergovernmental Organizations, the world's largest technology companies with a combined market cap of USD 10T, civil society, and top universities. Under my leadership, it was formally endorsed by the G7, OECD, and UN.
I'm a frequent speaker at international policy and tech conferences ranging from the United Nations over Collision of the Web Summit to FRAME of VentureESG and a commentator on the future of the digital economy. This has included The Economist, The New York Times, Politico, Council on Foreign Relations, France24 or ImpactAlpha, as well as Mary Meeker’s Internet Trends Report, Finland’s Innovation Fund Sitra, and Oxford University Press. I have served on various advisory groups including for the World Economic Forum, the Global Commission on Internet Governance, and other international bodies and organizations.
With a global network and strong transatlantic footprint, I am also a venture capital and policy-focused Affiliate at Harvard University in the US and a Senior Fellow at the Hertie School of Governance in Europe. I hold a master's from Sciences Po and a BA from Maastricht University. I'm also an alumnus of the London Business School, LocalGlobeVC, and HSBC Innovation Banking Newton Venture Program.
Before all of that and a very long time ago, I worked in journalism, which is why I especially enjoy this personal VC + Policy project.
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