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Alaska Airlines Launches Investment Arm Focused on Net Zero Carbon Emissions

By Staff Writer | October 21, 2021
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Alaska Airlines has established a new investment arm focused on advancing technologies that can help meet its net zero carbon emissions goals. (Alaska Airlines)

Alaska Airlines has announced the formation of a new LLC, Alaska Star Ventures, to advance emerging technology that will accelerate the airline’s progress toward net zero carbon emissions, according to an Oct. 18 press release.

Alaska Star Ventures first inaugural investment has come through a partnership with UP.Partners, an early-stage investor in sustainable, multi-dimensional mobility technologies, Alaska Airlines said in the release.

“To live our purpose and create an airline people love, we must operate every day in a way that cares for both people and the environment,” Alaska Airlines CEO Ben Minicucci said in a statement. “To do that, we are seeking technologies that will accelerate our mission to build a more sustainable future for the aviation industry.”

The move to establish the new LLC comes following Alaska’s commitment announced in April to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2040 using a five-part strategy, that includes research around the development of electric aircraft and increased adoption as well as research and development of sustainable aviation fuels.

Alaska Airlines has also started using Flyways, an artificial intelligence and machine learning software that supports their flight dispatchers’ route optimization efforts. The adoption of Flyways inspired the pursuit of additional technologies to accelerate our path to net zero, and the launching of the new LLC.

“We’re proud of our ambitious targets and our legacy of being pioneers, but we also know we can’t fundamentally decarbonize and achieve net zero carbon emissions alone,” Diana Birkett Rakow, Alaska Airlines’ vice president of public affairs and sustainability said in a statement. “That’s why we’re focused on discovering, partnering with, and enabling technologies that will allow us to take real and meaningful steps on our five-part path to net zero now and in the years ahead. We’re thrilled to partner with UP.Partners on our first project and are fortunate to have aviation veteran Pasha Saleh leading corporate development to successfully launch and grow this initiative.”

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