Karin Larsen

Director
Ambata Capital US

Karin is a Director at Ambata Capital, focusing on advisory opportunities across clean technology and sustainability. [Ambata Capital is a global investment and advisory firm specializing in clean energy and sustainability, with a strategic focus on the Middle East and Africa. Ambata has assembled a world-class team of more than 25 professionals based in South Africa, the UAE and the US.]

She joined Ambata from the Masdar Initiative, where she was Masdar City’s US Representative, originating business development opportunities across the US, notably in green building materials, energy efficiency, water, and solar. Previously, she was a Vice President at Gulf Capital Private Equity in the United Arab Emirates, where she managed investment opportunities and due diligence activities in solar cell manufacturing, new media, and energy services. Previously, she established i2i Capital in Hong Kong, a boutique venture placement and investment firm serving Asian SMEs. In the cleantech sector, she worked with companies active in coal gasification, plastics recycling, nanomaterials, biofuels and water filtration. Karin began her career in Hong Kong with JPMorgan Chase’s Global Mergers & Acquisitions team and in London with General Electric’s Private Equity group.

Karin holds a BA with Honors from Duke University, an MBA in Finance with Honors from Edinburgh Business School, and an MPA in International Development Economics from Harvard University. She was a Fulbright Scholar in India, a published author, speaks Spanish and Portuguese having lived in South America, and has a basic knowledge of Mandarin, Indonesian, and Hindi after spending many years in Asia.

Karin is a member of the Harvard and Duke Clubs of San Francisco and is the founder and sponsor of the Environmental Leadership Award, a financial and recognition award given each year to a high school senior from her alma mater who has demonstrated leadership in the area of environmental protection and awareness.