Dawn Lippert
About Dawn Lippert
Dawn Lippert is the Founder and CEO of Elemental Excelerator, a climate technology accelerator based in Honolulu, Hawaii. She has extensive experience in climate investment and policy, serving in various leadership roles across multiple organizations focused on climate solutions.
Work at Elemental Excelerator
Dawn Lippert serves as the Founder and CEO of Elemental Excelerator, a position she has held since 2017. Under her leadership, the organization has secured over $200 million in government and philanthropic funding for climate technology projects. Elemental Excelerator's portfolio companies have collectively raised $8 billion in follow-on funding and are active in all 50 states and 101 countries. The portfolio directly employs nearly 5,000 individuals across various sectors, including energy, mobility, food, nature, carbon, and industrial.
Education and Expertise
Dawn Lippert holds a Bachelor's degree in Environmental Studies from Yale University, where she studied from 2002 to 2006. She furthered her education at the Yale School of the Environment, earning a Master of Environmental Management (MEM) in Energy Systems and Markets in 2007. Her academic background supports her extensive expertise in climate technology investment and policy.
Background
Before founding Elemental Excelerator, Dawn Lippert worked at Booz Allen Hamilton as a Senior Consultant from 2007 to 2009 in the Washington D.C. Metro Area. She also served as the Independent Board Director at Climate Real Impact Solutions (CRIS II) from 2021 to 2022. Additionally, she has held roles as a Board Observer at ZeroAvia and Vesta, PBC, and currently serves as a Senior Climate Advisor at Emerson Collective since 2017.
Achievements
Dawn Lippert has been recognized for her leadership in climate policy and innovation. She has played a key role in mobilizing public and private investment for climate projects and has been involved in initiatives that blend public and private funds for climate solutions. As a Founding Partner at Earthshot Ventures, which spun out in 2021, she has backed over 20 entrepreneurs in the climate change sector, managing a $90 million venture fund.
Current Roles and Contributions
In addition to her role at Elemental Excelerator, Dawn Lippert has been a Board Observer at Nth Cycle since 2024. She advises on climate initiatives at Emerson Collective, focusing on investing, philanthropy, communications, and policy. Her work emphasizes scaling climate solutions with community impact and prioritizing benefits for historically underserved communities.