Hawaii-based Elemental Excelerator recently received a $500,000 grant from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, or CZI, officials with the company announced Thursday.
The grant comes as part of $44 million in funding being disbursed by CZI to develop and scale "promising technologies to help address climate change," according to officials. The grant is also part of CZI’s $500 million commitment to support organizations building just and sustainable systems that advance racial equity, diversity, and inclusion.
Last year, Elemental Excelerator helped launch EDICT — which stands for Empowering Diverse Climate Talent — an internship program that helps students and recent graduates from traditionally-excluded backgrounds explore careers at climate organizations.
The Chan Zuckerburg Initiative, which was founded in 2015 by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerburg and his wife Priscilla Chan, funds programs with the goal of helping to "solve some of society’s toughest challenges — from eradicating disease and improving education, to addressing the needs of our local communities." According to the company's website, CZI's mission is to "build a more inclusive, just, and healthy future for everyone."
Other companies that received grants from CZI include:
- Twelve (An Elemental portfolio company)
- University of California, Los Angeles Institute for Carbon Management
- Charm Industrial
- Freres Lumber
- The International Small Group and Tree Planting Program
- Mission Zero
- Oregon Biochar Solutions
- Running Tide
“Scaling carbon removal to a consequential level will require massive advances in technology and innovation,” said Chan and Zuckerberg in a joint statement. “That’s why we’re supporting companies and researchers through a variety of financing methods. We also partnered with Watershed to purchase carbon removal credits from several companies to help scale promising technologies.”
