The Clean Tech News
Apply your sustainable idea in the Elemental Excelerator

Humanity has caused a lot of damage to our planet: unsustainable practices, pollution, deforestation… the list goes on. But the damage does not have to. Elemental Excelerator supports sustainable ideas and lifts them into life.
In “Are you a Catalyst for Change?” Joi Ito, director of MIT Media Lab said: “We’re screwing [the Earth] up – and it’s really hard to screw it up! Just as hard as it is to screw it up, it’s going to be that hard to get rid of the problems that we’ve caused”.

Yet many have risen to the challenge and Elemental Excelerator is looking to support the next big ideas which will impact our planet for the better.

Accelerator or excelerator?
An accelerator is a fixed-term programme which offers mentorship and education to participants in a particular field.

Elemental Excelerator is an accelerator which was founded in 2013 and is based in Honolulu, USA.

The accelerator claims:

Each year, we find 15-20 companies that best fit our mission and fund each company up to $1 million to improve systems that impact people’s lives: energy, water, food & agriculture, mobility, and the circular economy.”

Here are some of their past success stories:
Energy
Based in New York, EthoseGen transforms waste heat into “cost-effective and carbon-free electricity”.

Water
On a planet where 2.1bn people live without access to safe water, Zero Mass Water uses sunlight and air to create clean drinking water.

Food and agriculture
GrubTubs takes food waste and uses it for animal feed. This prevents the waste from turning into methane gas in landfill and helps out financially stressed farmers.

Mobility
The clear skies caused by the Covid-19 pandemic have been a summer highlight for many, and Los Angeles-based Ampaire wants that to continue with their electric aircraft. The Ampaire ethos is to build craft which is: “Safe, clean, quiet, and less costly to operate”.

The circular economy
Whatever residents of Brisbane, California have hidden in their “treasure trove”, startup Trove would like to have a go at giving unused items a second life. The goal is to “Reduce the amount of new products society needs by 25%” and support the popularity of second-hand sales.

Read about all of the Elemental Excelerator companies here.

Are you a Catalyst for Change? Do something extraordinary…
If you have an idea that needs a nudge, there is still time to apply to Elemental Excelerator.

The company does not fund consulting firms, marketing agencies, Nonprofits, acquired startups (or those without a prototype), groups with less than two members or those selling third party products.

If your idea fits outside of these realms, check out the applicant resources page to decide what track you want to take:

Demonstration Track
The core parts of this track are technological developments and access to new customers and partners, as well as a grant of up to $1m.

Equity and Access Track
A SAFE of up to $1m, designed around Equity In (from diverse hiring to a responsible supply chain) and Equity Out (strong community partnerships and access to products).

Go-to-Market Track
A grant of up to $200,000 and coaching in Market Intelligence, Sales and Growth and Operational Scale-ups.

Speaking of Elemental Excelerator, Andy Karsner, Managing Partner Emerson Collective, said: “[It] has taken off like wildfire… Be on the right side of the revolution.”

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