US non-profit investor Elemental Impact has launched a new data center-focused initiative with Amazon, Google, Meta, and Microsoft to accelerate energy and materials technologies.

The Data Center Innovation Initiative (DCII) will test and validate critical technologies in data center environments or demonstration sites, which the organization claims will create pathways for future adoption across broader energy and industrial sectors. In addition to the hyperscale partners, the initiative will also involve leading philanthropic organizations, including Breakthrough Energy Discovery, Builders Vision Philanthropy, Salesforce, and the Stolte Family Foundation.

"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."

Through the initiative, DCII will invest between $500,000 to $5 million per project in up to 10 tech startups through 2027. The initiative will support the companies through a range of measures, including financing and deployment strategies. The hyperscale partners will play a direct role in the selection process, identifying priority technology areas, providing strategic insights during due diligence, and sharing project outcomes to support broader market adoption across the sector.

“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," said Kate Brandt, chief sustainability officer, Google.

The initiative will target a broad range of technologies, including energy storage, advanced electrical systems, novel cooling systems, and low-carbon construction materials. All of the selected projects will be tested in existing data centers or demonstration sites with the goal of scaling these solutions.

"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," added Melanie Nakagawa, CVP and chief sustainability officer, Microsoft.