Elemental Impact, a nonprofit investor, launched the Data Center Innovation Initiative on Tuesday with Amazon $AMZN +1.68%, Google $GOOGL +0.59%, Meta $META -0.39%, and Microsoft $MSFT -1.05% as partners, aiming to accelerate the deployment of clean energy and materials technologies in data center environments.
Funding for individual projects will range from $500,000 to $5 million, with the initiative targeting as many as 10 startups before the end of 2027. Startups working in areas such as energy storage, low-carbon materials, advanced electrical systems, and industrial cooling are among those the initiative seeks to support. Validated solutions would then be candidates for broader deployment across energy and industrial sectors, with testing conducted at operating data centers or purpose-built demonstration facilities.
The four tech companies are expected to contribute throughout the process — from flagging which technology areas deserve attention, to advising on deals, to facilitating deployment opportunities and publishing learnings so the broader industry can move faster, the company said. Philanthropic partners include Breakthrough Energy Discovery, Builders Vision Philanthropy, Salesforce $CRM -0.47%, and the Stolte Family Foundation. Wilson Sonsini is serving as legal partner.
