Christian Wartig

Master of Science in Management with expertise in venture corporate partnering, strategic planning, and startup ecosystem development. Experienced director with focus on establishing corporate venture clienting activities and driving measurable business impact through startup collaboration.

Director Venture Corporate Partnering at CO-PACE GMBH – The Startup Organisation of AUMOVIO SE (formerly known as CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE) (2026-01 – Present)

Act as central interface between Business Areas and the startup ecosystem to establish and scale venture clienting activities. Focus on aligning strategic priorities with startup-driven innovation and setting up structures to enable measurable business impact.

• Build and strengthen relationships with Business Areas and senior stakeholders
• Translate strategic priorities into initial opportunity and problem statements for startup collaboration
• Identify and structure first collaboration use cases and pilot initiatives
• Support definition of KPIs and frameworks to measure startup collaboration impact
• Contribute to shaping strategic focus areas across Business Areas
• Collaborate with Ecosystem Management to align on startup scouting priorities
• Develop and establish governance structures and processes for venture clienting
• Established foundation for corporate venture clienting across Business Areas
• Initiated first collaboration opportunities and pilot discussions with startups
• Defined initial structures and processes to enable scalable startup engagement
• Strengthened alignment between innovation activities and business priorities

Head of Strategy & Communications at CO-PACE GMBH – The Startup Organisation of AUMOVIO SE (formerly known as CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE) (2023-11 – 2025-12)

Lead and align on Strategic focus areas of every Continental business unit to inspire/generate problem and opportunity statements. Develop and execute Strategic Plans for co-pace. Enhance Internal and External Communication activities to market co-pace as the startup organization of Continental. Responsible for special Top Management projects such as AUMOVIO X.

• Strategic planning for the creation of a corporate venture capital (CVC) fund with focus on mobility
• Successful CVC investment and partnership with DeepDrive
• Built up AUMOVIO X - scalable platform for new business
• Collaboration Manager for Business Area User Experience & Autonomous Mobility

Senior Strategic Communication & Chief of Staff at CO-PACE GMBH – The Startup Organisation of AUMOVIO SE (formerly known as CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE) (2022-10 – 2023-10)

Develop and execute strategic communication plan and support co-pace strategy and implementation. Serve as key advisor for the managing director and drive cross-functional alignments. Build up network in startup ecosystem.

• Gaining experience in startup ecosystem (partnering and venture capital)
• Install Venture Client model at co-pace
• Coaching and mentoring of employees

Head of Product Management Product line ADCU at CONTINENTAL AG - ADC AUTOMOTIVE DISTANCE CONTROL SYSTEMS GMBH (2021-03 – 2022-09)

Worldwide responsibility for defining the global ADCU product strategy including product portfolio and roadmap, and execution of projects to develop customer independent products. Responsible for Business Case creation and profitability tracking for ADCU products throughout the product life. Responsible for Base Project Managers and Technical Project Leads for ADCU projects in acting role. Responsible for Budget Management and Head Count Planning within ADCU Product Line.

• Gaining experience in leadership as department head within Product Line ADCU
• Coaching and mentoring of 15 employees
• Task Force Manager for Premium OEM ADCU project

Product Family Manager Autonomous Driving Systems at CONTINENTAL AG - ADC AUTOMOTIVE DISTANCE CONTROL SYSTEMS GMBH (2020-02 – 2021-02)

Drive product portfolio / roadmap and define product scope for Autonomous Driving Base Projects. Lead strategic cooperations and product make-or-buy decisions.

Project Manager Senses For Safety at CONTINENTAL AG - ADC AUTOMOTIVE DISTANCE CONTROL SYSTEMS GMBH (2019-07 – 2020-01)

Program for Young Professionals with Executive Potential to support Business Unit Management.

• Drove and contributed to the ADAS R&D Reorganization Project (Engineering Change Project)
• Gained experience in Business Unit project work and received various insights into activities on BU Management level

Product Family Manager Autonomous Driving Systems at CONTINENTAL AG - ADC AUTOMOTIVE DISTANCE CONTROL SYSTEMS GMBH (2017-11 – 2019-06)

Drove product portfolio / roadmap and defined product scope for Autonomous Driving Base Projects. Led strategic cooperations and product make-or-buy decisions.

• Nomination for Continental Gold Award 2018 for winning First LOI Highway Assist with Volkswagen Group
• Contributed to strategic cooperation with Nvidia

Sales Manager for BMW Group at CONTINENTAL AG - ADC AUTOMOTIVE DISTANCE CONTROL SYSTEMS GMBH (2016-10 – 2017-10)

Led Sales Acquisition for various ADAS products.

• Contributed to business growth in Sales with BMW for new Radar applications (LTS > 150 Mio €)
• Excellent Network within BMW

Customer Manager for Daimler / French OEMs & Support J-OEMs at CONTINENTAL AG - ADC AUTOMOTIVE DISTANCE CONTROL SYSTEMS GMBH (2015-10 – 2016-09)

Responsible for Project and new Customer acquisition as well as business development activities in newly founded Business Segment Surround View.

• Acquired biggest Series Award in ADAS with Daimler Passenger Vehicle in 2017 (LTS > 300 Mio €)

Customer Manager for VW Group & BMW Group at CONTINENTAL AG - ADC AUTOMOTIVE DISTANCE CONTROL SYSTEMS GMBH (2012-03 – 2015-09)

Responsible for key acquisitions and execution of change management.

• Won First Series Award for System Business "Surround View" with Volkswagen AG (LTS> 150 Mio €)
• Introduced a new series project in a new Conti plant
• Rolled-out successful existing sensor business to additional platforms

Employee in Finance / Banking at SPARKASSE MEMMINGEN-LINDAU-MINDELHEIM (2006-09 – 2009-09)

Dual education at the cooperative university with focus on banking & finance.

• Internship for Trading Banks in Shanghai, China with Bayerische Landesbank

Oxford Entrepreneurship in Venture Finance Programme – University of Oxford / Said Business School (2023-01 – 2023-03)

Master of Science in Management – Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg (2009-10 – 2012-03)

Exchange semester in International Business – Grande Ecole Angers (ESSCA Angers, France) (2010-09 – 2011-01)

Bachelor of Arts in Finance – University of Cooperative Education Ravensburg (2006-09 – 2009-09)