The Shell GameChanger Accelerator Powered by NREL (GCxN) has selected three additional startups to participate in the program. The new companies are focused on creating electrochemical systems that can help reduce carbon emissions in hard-to-decarbonize sectors and represent the program’s fourth cohort. GCxN provides promising cleantech startups with technical resources to accelerate product commercialization while de-risking investment.

The selected startups are using electrochemistry to sustainably restructure the development of society’s most widely-used chemicals, materials and fuels. The fourth GCxN cohort includes:

• Air Company (Brooklyn) – Transforming carbon dioxide captured from the air into impurity-free alcohols for spirits, fragrances, sanitizers and a variety of consumer industries, as well as for carbon-negative fuel in the long-term.

• Ionomr Innovations (Vancouver, B.C.) – Developing ion-exchange membranes (IEM) and polymers used for electrochemical applications in order to reduce the use of cost-prohibitive and toxic materials. Applications include green hydrogen production, hydrogen fuel cells and carbon capture and utilization (CCU).

  Produced using hydrocarbon materials and a new polymer structure, Ionomr’s polymer-based solutions avoid a range of environmental problems associated with the production, use and disposal of fluorine-containing polymers predominantly used in clean technologies today.

  Ionomr Innovation recently announced that it completed the installation and commissioning of a new in-house pilot coating line. The new coater will help reduce time to market of the materials as well as enable closer collaborations with partners to provide unique and custom derivatives of IEM solutions.

• Versogen (Wilmington, Del.) – Versogen is developing an electrolyzer technology that uses water and renewable energy to produce green hydrogen at scale in a reliable and affordable way.

  
  

  Versogen’s systems are built around its patented anion exchange membranes (AEM) and earth-abundant materials. This hydrogen-generating solution will substantially reduce industrial carbon emissions and lay the foundation for a sustainable energy future.

GCxN startups are nominated by the program’s network partners—more than 60 cross-industry cleantech incubators, accelerators and universities—before undergoing in-depth review by Shell and NREL. Participating companies benefit from NREL’s research capabilities, receive up to $250,000 in non-dilutive funding, and have access to networking opportunities through NREL’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center. Participating startups have raised more than $52 million of funding to date, representing a $21 leverage ratio for each dollar of GCxN funding. Portfolio companies have also hired 51 new employees since GCxN program onboarding.