Elemental Excelerator

Elemental Excelerator is a not-for-profit fund established in 2017 by Dawn Lippert. With $26 million of funding, the organization focuses on investing in for-profit businesses that aim to mitigate climate change while embedding equity and social justice into their solutions. 

The fund faces a dilemma in selecting the last companies for its 2023-2024 cohort of climate tech businesses. With only one or two slots remaining, Elemental must decide how to balance its portfolio. Options include prioritizing technologies in the electric power and transportation sectors favored by the Inflation Reduction Act, or continuing to diversify in buildings, agriculture, and industry, sectors with few sustainable climate solutions. Another consideration is whether to focus on companies that already attract venture capital or support those overlooked by investors.  Yet another concern is balancing sustainability with social justice. Six very different companies are presented as finalists.