Could Berkeley become even more of a hub for R&D?

BERKELEY STARTUP CLUSTER HIGHLIGHTS

Berkeley's "innovation sector" fuels economic recovery

On March 22, the City of Berkeley’s Office of Economic Development shared the 2021 Citywide Economic Dashboard with Berkeley City Council. The upshot? Berkeley's economy is recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Notably, despite the citywide ground floor commercial vacancy rate increasing to 8.3% (just outside the rate of normal market churn) and sales tax revenues remaining below their 2019 levels, during the second year of the pandemic:

the number of Berkeley startups exceeded 350, more than ever before 66 innovation companies raised $1.5 billion new R&D facilities opened average office rents held steady at ~$3.5 per square foot

Listen to the Office of Economic Development's presentation at the Council meeting (webcast timestamp 3:58:28 - 4:30:34) or download the report from the OED website.

City Council R&D land use definition update passes

Photo courtesy of Meghnath Dey/The Daily Cal

On March 22, Berkeley City Council voted to update the City of Berkeley zoning definition of R&D to make it more inclusive and reflect the work Berkeley startups are doing today in labs and offices. The new definition will be:

Research and Development:

An establishment engaged in the following activities: 1) industrial, biological or scientific research; and/or 2) product or process design, development, prototyping, or testing. This may include labs, offices, warehousing, and light manufacturing functions as part of the overall Research and Development use. 

The updated definition of R&D allows the use of office space and will be more consistent with current business practices and R&D regulations in other cities.

Listen to the recording of the public hearing (timestamp 3:26:15- 3:58:26).

Read more in The Daily Cal and on Patch.com.

Creating an Optimal Internship -

for Your Company and the Intern

The Berkeley Startup Cluster, in partnership with the CITRIS Workforce Innovation Program, hosted an event on March 30 at Bonneville Labs to help companies organize a successful internship program that provides value to staff while contributing to the intern’s own personal and professional development. The presentation was led by Learning & Development Specialist Nicole-Marie Cotton from CITRIS and gave participants valuable tips for recruiting, evaluating, and supporting interns. Part of the Berkeley Ventures, Berkeley Values (BV²) programming, we hope everyone who attended will put their learnings into practice with interns this summer!

If you would be interested in hosting a similar event for your company or organization, reach out to Nicole-Marie Cotton.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Berkeley Business Forum: State Disability Insurance Webinar TODAY, April 5 10am Join the Berkeley Chamber and the CA Employment Development Department to learn more about Disability Insurance and Paid Family Leave and implement those in your business. Register for this Zoom webinar.

Berkeley SkyDeck Demo Day

TOMORROW, April 6 3:00 - 6:30pm
Zellerbach Hall on UC Berkeley's campus

SkyDeck will be hosting accredited investors interested in hearing from SkyDeck’s current Batch 13 startups for an in-person Demo Day. A few alumni startups seeking funding will also participate. 

Apply for an invitation to attend in-person or via virtual livestream.

SynBio Beta Built With Biology Global Conference

Tuesday April 12 - Thursday April 14
Oakland Marriott City Center

Students and startup founders can attend “Race Against the Clock” at the SynBio Beta Built With Biology Global Conference to hear from and celebrate the next generation of bio innovators. 

Sign up to participate.

Recruiting in a Job Seekers Market Wednesday, April 13 10-11:30am For Berkeley businesses, learn how to recruit quality talent and learn key strategies that increase job satisfaction and employee engagement to retain your best at “Recruiting in a Job Seekers Market”, an event sponsored by the Alameda County Workforce Development Board. Register for this event.

Berkeley SkyDeck Virtual Summer Intern Fair

Friday, April 22 9am-12pm For UC Berkeley students, find your spring 2022 internship with a SkyDeck startup at the SkyDeck Virtual Intern Fair. Over 90+ SkyDeck startups will be seeking motivated and qualified Cal students to help their companies develop solutions for the future in the realms of AI, enterprise software, robotics, health, bioscience, and consumer solutions. Register on Eventbrite to find your summer internship.

Berkeley Today and Tomorrow Thursday, April 28 4:45-7pm DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel at the Berkeley Marina Join the Berkeley Chamber for “Berkeley Today and Tomorrow”, an annual event bringing businesses together to share success stories, advocate for the best of Berkeley, and connect the entire Berkeley business community together in one place. This event will feature a panel discussion focused on planning for a post-pandemic world and significant networking opportunities. Purchase tickets today ($40 for Berkeley Chamber members, $55 for non-members).

RESOURCES & DEADLINES

Intro to Lean Startup: Bay Area NSF-I Corps

Application deadline: Friday, April 29
Course dates: May 16, 18 & 23

For early-stage Berkeley startups, the Bay Area NSF-I Corps offers a course to help you identify and refine your value proposition and target customers. There will also be a second training available to food-related teams which includes resources such as 1:1 advising and a 10-week food business startup accelerator.

Apply now.

Host a STEM CareerX tour for Berkeley High School students

The Berkeley Startup Cluster has partnered with the Cal State University Institute for STEM Education to organize “STEM CareerX” tours of local innovation companies for Berkeley High School students to learn how their STEM skills will apply in the workplace. Thanks to All Power Labs, Cell Valley Labs and Caribou Bio for hosting the first three this year! Contact the City of Berkeley Office of Economic Development if your company would like to host a student tour this month or next. Find other ways to engage in and give back to the local community, based on your interests and time constraints, on the Berkeley Startup Cluster Give Back page.

West Berkeley lab space available Norheim & Yost has a new 820 sq. ft. lab space available for lease in West Berkeley at 1456B Fourth Street with benches, hood, sink, polished concrete floors, carpeted office mezzanine, natural light and a private restroom, plus water and garbage.  Check out the space.

Jobs at Bayer

Looking to work for a large, global, innovative company in Berkeley? Multinational pharmaceutical and life sciences company, Bayer, is hiring! Check out the open roles in Berkeley.

Employment Opportunities at Caribou Biosciences

Looking to join a company developing therapies for devastating diseases through novel genome editing in Berkeley? Groundbreaking biotech company Caribou Biosciences is hiring! Explore their open roles.

BERKELEY INNOVATORS MAKING NEWS

Demetrix and Evonik Sign Supply Agreement for Cannabinoids

Demetrix, a Berkeley-based biotechnology company, initiated its 2022 commercial manufacturing campaign to support sales of cannabigerol (CBG), a rare cannabinoid. In March, the company announced that initial global customers in the personal care and nutrition segments had agreed to purchase approximately 70% of their total production this year – a figure expected to bring multi-million dollars of revenue in 2022.

Just today, the company announced a supply agreement with German global specialty chemicals company, Evonik, for cannabinoids to be used in beauty and personal care products. 

Learn more in the company’s two recent press releases.

SkyDeck Closes $60 Million Fund II

Berkeley SkyDeck has raised its second fund since launching a decade ago, securing at least $60 million, nearly tripling the amount of its first fund. The fund will support highly capable founders within the University of California system and abroad who are ready to see their big ideas grow.

Read more in Business Wire.

Action Face takes top prize at the SXSW Pitch

SkyDeck alum Action Face took top prize and was declared the winner in the Entertainment, Gaming & Content category at the 14th annual SXSW Pitch held in Austin, Texas. The event featured 45 finalists within 9 distinct categories with more than 650 entries in all.

Read more in Investing News.

Keep in Touch

To submit information or questions about Berkeley Startup Cluster contact: oedmailbox@cityofberkeley.info

You are subscribed to the Berkeley Startup Cluster News Releases.  Update or cancel your subscription on our subscription administration page. If you have questions or problems, contact webmanager@ci.berkeley.ca.us.