ELA MADEJ

Ela Madej stands as a prominent figure in the venture capital landscape, serving as the Managing Partner and co-founder of Fifty Years. This pioneering firm is distinguished by its unwavering commitment to investing in founders who are building companies designed to solve the world's most critical problems through technological innovation. Under Madej's leadership, Fifty Years has cultivated a unique investment thesis centered on impact-driven deep tech and science-backed solutions, aiming to generate both significant financial returns and profound societal benefits.

At Fifty Years, Ela Madej plays a crucial role in identifying and nurturing early-stage startups that are tackling grand challenges across various sectors. Her investment focus areas are broad yet deeply strategic, encompassing climate tech, biotech, sustainable materials, and other frontier technologies. She actively seeks out companies developing solutions in areas such as carbon capture, alternative proteins, synthetic biology, and advanced computing, all with the potential for massive scale and positive global change. Her keen eye for disruptive innovation and her dedication to supporting mission-aligned entrepreneurs have positioned Fifty Years as a leader in the impact investing space.

Madej's journey to becoming a leading venture capitalist is rooted in a rich entrepreneurial background. Prior to co-founding Fifty Years, she was a serial entrepreneur, having successfully built and scaled several technology companies. Notably, she co-founded Applicake, a company that was later acquired by Google, providing her with invaluable first-hand experience in the startup ecosystem from inception to exit. This deep understanding of the entrepreneurial journey allows her to provide empathetic and strategic guidance to the founders in Fifty Years' portfolio, helping them navigate the complexities of building world-changing companies.

Through Fifty Years, Ela Madej has been instrumental in backing a diverse portfolio of companies that are making tangible progress on global issues. While specific individual investments are often attributed to the firm, Madej's influence is evident in the firm's support for groundbreaking ventures like Solugen, which is revolutionizing chemical manufacturing with sustainable processes, and Upside Foods, a pioneer in cultivated meat. These investments exemplify her commitment to fostering innovations that promise a more sustainable and equitable future. Her work at Fifty Years continues to shape the future of impact investing, proving that purpose and profit can indeed go hand in hand.