Elemental Impact Launches the Data Center Innovation Initiative with Amazon, Google, Meta, and Microsoft

New investment initiative to accelerate deployment of next-generation technologies for more sustainable infrastructure

HONOLULU, May 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Elemental Impact, a nonprofit investor focused on scaling innovative technologies with deep environmental and local impact, today announced the launch of the Data Center Innovation Initiative (DCII), a deployment-focused investment initiative designed to accelerate next-generation energy and materials technologies. The DCII is designed to test and validate critical technologies in data center environments or demonstration sites, creating potential pathways for future adoption across broader energy and industrial sectors.

The initiative brings together leading technology companies—Amazon, Google, Meta, and Microsoft—alongside philanthropic partners such as Breakthrough Energy Discovery, Builders Vision Philanthropy, Salesforce, and the Stolte Family Foundation, as well as legal partner Wilson Sonsini. Additional corporate and environmental organizations will also participate to share in the learnings.

"We see this historic buildout of data centers as a way to pull forward important innovations that we've been investing in for many years—across energy, materials, and water," said Dawn Lippert, CEO and Founder of Elemental Impact. "By collaborating with Amazon, Google, Meta, and Microsoft, we can help accelerate how these entrepreneurs are deploying—commercializing technologies that reduce emissions and deliver more positive impact for communities, including affordable, reliable energy."

A Pivotal Opportunity to Scale Next-Generation Technologies 

With the rise of artificial intelligence, data centers are emerging as one of the largest drivers of infrastructure development—creating significant demand for power systems, materials, and industrial infrastructure. At the same time, corporate clean energy procurement reached a record high last year and the pace continues to accelerate.

Through the DCII, Elemental will invest $500,000–$5 million per project in up to 10 technology startups through 2027. The initiative will also provide specialized expertise—from financing and deployment strategies to workforce development—to help entrepreneurs navigate complexities and scale projects faster. Amazon, Google, Meta, and Microsoft will play a hands-on role in the DCII by helping to identify priority technology areas, providing strategic input during the diligence process, supporting project deployment opportunities, and sharing project outcomes to accelerate adoption across the industry.

The DCII will invest in a broad range of technologies, including energy storage to enable reliable, clean power; advanced electrical systems to improve efficiency and resilience; novel industrial cooling solutions to reduce energy and water use; and low-carbon materials to lower the footprint of new construction. Each technology will be tested in existing data centers or demonstration sites with the goal of scaling these solutions to improve local energy availability and reliability, enable more efficient use of materials and land, and reduce emissions at scale. 

By documenting and sharing results, the DCII aims to reduce risk for future adopters and accelerate integration into new data center builds and retrofits. In doing so, data centers can serve as a critical launch point for entrepreneurs, helping unlock broader market adoption for new technologies.

Accelerating Broader Market Adoption for Entrepreneurs and Startups

This moment is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to shape how energy and industrial systems are built. Data centers offer a key starting point, creating unprecedented demand and momentum for entrepreneurs building new technologies. These technologies can extend far beyond data centers, powering schools and hospitals, supporting efficient manufacturing, and expanding access to affordable energy.

As it does across its broader portfolio, Elemental will work closely with selected companies to support early collaboration with local stakeholders, clear articulation of project benefits, and investment in workforce development. In fact, 98% of current Elemental portfolio companies report that community partners have been critical to their success.

By taking this approach, infrastructure growth can accelerate deployment of critical technologies while also delivering measurable environmental and economic benefits in communities. When shaped intentionally, this growth can help build more resilient, affordable, and low-carbon systems for decades to come.

Partner Quotes:
"Sustainable data center design represents one of the fastest-growing opportunities for new technology adoption today. That's why Microsoft has joined with Elemental Impact to convene industry leaders and innovators across the ecosystem in pursuit of promising technologies to reduce emissions. Our focus is on helping scale solutions to deliver reliable, clean power and sustainable materials, while improving efficiency and resiliency in the communities where we operate." – Melanie Nakagawa, CVP and Chief Sustainability Officer, Microsoft

"At Google, we've long believed that no one can solve climate change alone, and that true leadership is built through partnership. This initiative with Elemental Impact complements our third decade of climate action and builds on our long-term track record of helping to accelerate and create markets for clean energy and sustainability solutions. We are proud to work with these collaborators to pilot and scale the next generation of energy and material technologies, supporting our shared ambition to build a more resilient and sustainable future for everyone." – Kate Brandt, Chief Sustainability Officer, Google

"Amazon has shown leadership in energy and water efficiency across our data center infrastructure for two decades, and the Data Center Innovation Initiative lets us put that operational expertise to work alongside entrepreneurs solving challenges in carbon-free energy, advanced cooling, and lower-carbon materials. Our goal isn't just to prove these technologies work at scale - it's to create a shared playbook that accelerates adoption across the industry and delivers real benefits to the communities where we operate." – Kara Hurst, Chief Sustainability Officer, Amazon

"Data centers are uniquely positioned to serve as catalysts for clean energy and sustainable building materials. What excites us about the DCII is the focus on advancing emerging technology projects, building on Meta's commitment to designing, building and operating sustainable and innovative data centers. By sharing what we learn together, we can support entrepreneurs to scale faster and move these innovations to real-world impact." - Nat Sahlstrom, VP of Energy and Sustainability, Meta

"Scaling next-generation energy and material technologies requires both capital and a clear path to market. We are proud to partner with Elemental Impact to validate emerging solutions within the demanding environment of hyperscale data centers. By de-risking deployment today, we can accelerate viable infrastructure innovations needed for a more resilient and sustainable future." - Amanda Goldberger, Head of Strategy, Philanthropy at Builders Vision Philanthropy 

"At Salesforce, we believe realizing AI's potential means investing in sustainability and community benefit alongside technological innovation. We're proud to support Elemental Impact's Data Center Innovation Initiative, which recognizes the AI-driven infrastructure boom as an opportunity to scale clean energy and low-carbon technologies that support local communities." - Sunya Norman, SVP of Impact, Salesforce

"The Data Center Innovation Initiative comes at a pivotal moment for energy and infrastructure systems, as AI-driven growth continues to drive unprecedented demand for power and accelerate the need for scalable solutions. In our experience, many technologies fail to scale not on technical performance, but in the transition to early deployment capital. DCII is a practical, collaborative model to address that gap, bringing hyperscalers, investors, and innovators together to de-risk first-of-a-kind and early commercial projects and accelerate their path to deployment. Wilson Sonsini's involvement reflects our work advising companies and investors across energy innovation, infrastructure scale-up, and complex project financing." - Bob O'Connor, a partner at Wilson Sonsini and co-founder of the firm's energy and climate solutions practice.

About Elemental Impact
Elemental Impact is a nonprofit investor with 17 years of experience advancing innovative technologies with deep environmental and local impact. Elemental is supported by 40 funders and its portfolio includes 160 companies that have catalyzed $11.8B in additional funding and created more than 18,100 jobs. Elemental works to address market failures for first-of-a-kind and early commercial projects by providing catalytic capital and specialized expertise—from policy engagement to workforce development.

SOURCE Elemental Impact