Funding Opportunities
We invest in exceptional entrepreneurs who are building technologies across energy, industry, food and agriculture, nature, water, and transportation.
What We Offer
Catalytic capital that’s flexible and built for now.
Our approach combines:
- Catalytic capital: the right capital at the right time—both initial and follow-on investments—to unlock progress where and when it’s needed the most
- Project expertise: hands-on coaching and support from a team that’s deployed over 150 projects
- Local partnerships: an approach to build and prioritize relationships with communities to help de-risk projects
- Investor mobilization: an engaged network of aligned investors to help you scale
How We Invest
Projects
Deploy a first-of-a-kind or early commercial project across the U.S. and beyond through Elemental’s Project Track.
Strategy
Build early customer traction and refine your business model via Elemental’s Strategy Track.
We typically back 15-20 Pre-seed to Series C companies annually, and continue to invest catalytic capital and hands-on guidance as our portfolio companies grow.
What Our Founders Say
Fervo Energy
“Elemental’s early support helped Fervo scale with intention. That’s had a lasting impact on how we grow. They’re a one-of-a-kind investor and a long-term partner.”
Glacier
“Elemental is a community in the truest sense of the word. Being a part of the portfolio has been formative for our company's growth.”
Twelve
"Elemental has been with us from the very beginning. They’ve been more than an investor; they’ve been a true partner in our growth, elevating our brand and connecting us with a community of innovators who push each other forward."
SunFi
“The Elemental team supported us on everything from refining our core message, setting us apart from competitors to providing a follow-on investment that helped us secure additional capital to scale.”
Project Track
Deploy a first-of-a-kind (FOAK) or early commercial project
Our Project Track supports companies that are scaling impactful climate solutions through through small and large-scale FOAK and early-of-a-kind commercial facilities, early commercial projects with distributed assets, and expansion into new geographies.
Designed for Series A and beyond, this track provides coaching and catalytic capital tailored to help companies achieve concrete project development and deployment milestones that are essential to their commercialization roadmap.
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OUR WORK IN ACTION: Elemental’s investment capitalized Bedrock Energy’s first commercial demonstration system in Austin, TX and was paired with strategic coaching on Bedrock’s communications and policy strategy. After deployment, Bedrock successfully raised a Series A, expanded to new geographies, and grew their team with a dozen new hires to advance key technical milestones.
Strategy Track
Build early customer traction and refine your business model
Our Strategy Track is designed for early-stage companies—typically Pre-Seed or Seed—with at least three full-time team members and bold plans to grow. We support companies taking on critical business initiatives like market expansion, new product launches, and go-to-market strategy development.
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OUR WORK IN ACTION: Elemental made its first of two investments into Nth Cycle and their solution for bringing mineral production closer to home. Elemental’s initial investment and coaching helped to accelerate their timeline by 6-8 months, expand their customer pipeline, grow their workforce, and ultimately secure a successful $12.5M Series A the following year.
With funding opportunities open year-round and new investment structures designed to fit your unique needs, we’re moving forward—so innovators can, too.
More Than Funding
Our coaches work alongside you to move from breakthrough to bankable projects
We’re not just investors—we’re long-term partners. Now more than ever, exceptional founders with critical solutions are being asked to do more with less.
Entrepreneurs excel at technology innovation, yet often tell us that constructing and financing a startup’s first set of commercial installations requires a high degree of project development expertise that their team may not yet have. We match each company with specialized support—from stakeholder engagement and financing to policy and communications—helping move critical projects forward, faster.
Our Coaching and Service Offerings
Fundraising and Co-investment
Build a fundraising strategy that meets the moment with venture and project finance coaching, tailored investor connections, and high-impact event exposure
Market Intelligence
Unlock market opportunities with strategic coaching that deepens ecosystem knowledge, targets ideal customers, and hones your value proposition
Policy and Regulation
Navigate regulatory hurdles with expert support—from securing permits to engaging policymakers and speeding project success
Project Development
Work through complex project development milestones–identifying opportunities, assessing feasibility, and creating detailed project plans
Sales
Enhance your company's growth by implementing proven sales strategies, building effective sales teams, and developing essential tools and playbooks
Stakeholder Engagement and Local Partnerships
Craft powerful narratives and moments that resonate with investors, customers, and key stakeholders
Storytelling and Communications
Craft powerful narratives and moments that resonate with investors, customers, and key stakeholders
Workforce Development
Design and implement workforce development strategies that meet your evolving talent needs and strengthen project partnerships
Our Founder Network
Connections and Community
A community of CEOs and founders
Building a company and leading a team is a demanding journey. When you join Elemental’s portfolio, the good news is you don’t have to do it alone.
We host CEO and Leadership Summit for ~100 entrepreneurs in the Elemental portfolio. Together, we dive into honest conversations, swap valuable market intel, create moments of recharge and reflection. One CEO said, “Elemental’s events continue to be the only place where I feel like I have a genuinely safe space to share openly about the difficulties of being a founder and running an early-stage business with others who will be wholly supportive and can equally empathize.”
In addition, we create opportunities throughout the year to collaborate, ask questions, and help one another through critical business decisions.
Our Investor Network
An engaged network of active investors and partners
We unite over 2,000 investors, insurers, financiers, and customers in our network to foster the collaborative ecosystem needed to scale successfully.
Core to Elemental’s bridge-building is bringing later-stage investors and project financiers closer into the missing middle through unpacking real projects. We do this through annual convenings, like Elemental Interactive and hosting curated live deal convenings, like Traversing the Scale Gap. We work to bring real projects to life, drive investment into companies, and forge new partnerships.
FAQs
Who is eligible to apply?
We will consider funding for for-profit, stand-alone companies with a novel business model or technology that enables deep environmental and local impact. Applicants must have at least 3 full-time employees and at least an operating prototype.
We will not consider funding for consulting firms, nonprofits, or acquired startups.
Companies that submit strong applications tend to have demonstrated product-market fit, a specific project or initiative that Elemental’s funding and services can accelerate, and a team that’s passionate about growing a business that delivers positive environmental and local impact.
How is Elemental’s investment typically structured?
Strategy Track: Typically SAFE, convertible note, or direct investment with payments linked to one or more performance milestones.
Project Track: Typically SAFE, Development-SAFE (“D-SAFE”), convertible note, or direct investment, with payments linked to one or more performance milestones. However, Elemental looks to fill gaps in the market and is continuously exploring additional funding structures.
As a nonprofit organization, any proceeds from our investments go to supporting future entrepreneurs.
How does Elemental evaluate and select its portfolio companies?
We evaluate companies on a range of factors from commercial viability to the acceleration of environmental and local impact through our investments. The primary criteria we consider when evaluating potential investments are as follows:
1. Environmental impacts unlocked by our investment, including the scale of net reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and local environmental benefits such as the reduction of other pollutants, waste reduction, food security, biodiversity, and/or the development of clean water infrastructure.
2. Local impacts that are or will be created by the company’s operations, such as job creation, localized economic development opportunities, reduced energy burden, or improved health outcomes.
3. The business impact of Elemental’s investment and support services – we want to invest in mission critical business initiatives or projects that are truly unlocked, accelerated, or de-risked by our involvement.
4. The strength and values of the company’s team. We are looking for teams that are coachable, aligned with Elemental’s values, passionate about creating environmental and local impact, and able to scale their business based on their expertise and/or unique lived experiences.
5. Overall alignment with Elemental’s mission, strategic priorities, and existing portfolio.
What is the time commitment for portfolio companies?
Portfolio companies commit to working with Elemental to develop and execute a bespoke scope of work tied to one or more business or project objectives.
Strategy Track is roughly a 9-month active engagement. Companies can anticipate two to four hours per week of customized, 1:1 coaching, workshops and implementation work for the CEO and relevant team members.
For Project Track companies, projects typically last 12-18 months and the time commitment varies based on the status and management requirements of each project. Elemental’s team and roster of coaches will be paired with each company based on their current needs, so hours vary based on scope.
Portfolio companies participate in regular (typically monthly) check-in calls with Elemental to share updates on the engagement and identify any opportunities for support. Elemental team members often engage as board observers and members of the leadership team are expected to join the events described above.
Once the Strategy or Project Tracks are complete, companies typically stay engaged, taking advantage of quarterly strategy calls with the Elemental team, additional coaching and follow-on funding opportunities, event participation and a host of warm introductions.
Can a company apply to multiple tracks, or switch which tracks it’s applying to?
We ask companies to identify the single best track based on their stage and needs. In some cases, we may advise switching to a better-fitting track depending on company stage and goals.
How does Elemental decide its investment amount and type?
The investment structure, terms, and amount offered by Elemental will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and will consider equity, debt and hybrid structures. Companies may be invited to present additional material for the team and undergo a more in-depth diligence process to determine funding award amounts and structure.
Is relocation and/or travel required to participate?
Elemental funds companies from all over the world and relocation is not required to participate in the program. We do come together throughout the year for our marquee events noted above. CEOs and at least one other leadership team member will be required to participate in all elements of the program for the first two years as a portfolio company.
You’re an investor. Why does Elemental have an application form on its website?
We believe some of the most impactful climate solutions won’t come from the most obvious places—or the warmest introductions. Our open application helps us find and support founders beyond our immediate networks, including those who may not have traditional investor access. It’s part of our commitment to uncover breakthrough technologies that might otherwise go overlooked. You can refer companies by emailing apply@elementalimpact.com.
