Boom Supersonic has big plans to change the way people travel, and now it has a big chunk of change that it can use to continue pursuing those plans. The Colorado company, which, since 2014, has been developing a commercial airliner that will carry 45 passengers at Mach 2.2, just completed a $100 million investment round that includes $56 million in new funding and raises the total in its coffers to more than $140 million.

The biggest investment came from Emerson Collective, the company that Laurene Powell Jobs founded in 2004 to advocate for policies concerning social justice, immigration reform, education, and other issues. In a press release issued by Boom Supersonic that announced the investment, Emerson Collective managing partner Andy Karsner said, ?Boom has the leadership, values, and potential to accelerate many advances?lightweight carbon composites and greener fuels?that will reduce the climate impacts of aviation.? Karsner heads up Elemental, the Emerson Collective affiliate that invests in the clean-energy industry. According to Boom, its aircraft, dubbed Overture, is being designed to accommodate next-generation sustainable alternative fuels. Boom also says that when Overture uses traditional aviation fuel, its carbon footprint will be similar to that of a subsonic airliner traveling the same distance.Because of the aircraft?s fuel efficiency, Overture?s ticket prices also will be similar to those of an airliner?a business-class seat on an airliner?and that?s...