Berkeley Opportunities & Events for Innovators + Founders

Apply by October 15

Are you an experienced startup founder, tech-entrepreneur or social sector leader looking to support the next generation of game-changing innovations and entrepreneurial leaders? Are you interested in getting a first-hand look at the top social ventures being launched by talented UC Berkeley students? The Big Ideas Contest, UC Berkeley's leading social venture pre-accelerator program, is currently inviting industry and startup professionals to join its judge and mentor network.

Learn more about the Big Ideas program, judge and mentor requirements and apply by October 15 or inquire by email.

Tuesday, September 10, 12:00-1:30 pm
Foundry 31, 940 Folger Ave., Berkeley 

Building a relationship with regulatory agencies and inspectors can lead to smoother permitting processes and increased compliance. Join Biocom California for an important in-person discussion with local regulators that monitor life science facilities, including hazardous waste disposal, fire preparedness, and site safety. 

Biocom members can register to attend here.  If you are not a Biocom member but would like to attend as a guest of the City of Berkeley Office of Economic Development, email Christine Shirilla, Biocom's Bay Area Manager of Public Policy.

Tuesday, September 10, 12:00-1:15 pm
Zoom

Digital listings are your business’ online details like name, address, phone number, and website on platforms like Google My Business and Yelp. Accurate listings help customers find you easily, boost your online presence, improve local SEO, and increase traffic to your locations.

Common issues include inconsistent information, outdated details, and errors. These problems can confuse customers, reduce search engine rankings, and impact your business credibility and sales. Join this webinar to learn how to keep your listings accurate and up to date.

Register here. 

Monday, September 16, 4:00-6:00 pm
Novel Farms, 2988 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley

Join the Women Entrepreneurs of Berkeley for the final tour of the Summer 2024 Meet the Founders series. A unique opportunity to explore and celebrate women-owned businesses in Berkeley, the last stop in the tour series will feature Novel Farms, a Berkeley startup creating cultivated meat from animal cells.

See details here on this event series and this sold out event! Email the Berkeley Chamber to join the wait list.

Tuesday, September 17, 5:00-7:00 pm
Freight & Salvage, 2020 Addison St., Berkeley

Join the Berkeley Chamber at Freight & Salvage for a cool, fun & inspiring event to unwind after your long workday. Mingle with other members of the business community while enjoying refreshing beverages and delicious food.

Register to attend here.

Thursday, September 19, 4:00-6:00 pm
PLANK, 98 Broadway, Oakland CA

Celebrate the fall season at Biocom California’s Bay Area Oktoberfest. This gathering will celebrate the tradition of Munich’s famous annual festival, while you enjoy a cold beer, food, and networking!

Register to attend here.

Calling for entrepreneurs, startups, and founders (no UC affiliation required) to apply to Berkeley SkyDeck accelerator Batch 19! Joining the SkyDeck leading global tech accelerator at UC Berkeley can help you get $200K and access to an unparalleled pool of 700+ advisors/mentors.

Apply here today.

This fall, Biocom California's 9th annual Catalyst Awards will turn the spotlight to the next generation of life science trailblazers who are helping to accelerate the industry in California. Biocom is looking to identify the most inspiring and driven young minds who are sparking meaningful change in human health through their leadership, research, discovery and entrepreneurship prior to their 40th birthday.

Nominate someone you know who is igniting innovation and fueling the growth of the life science industry!

Activate transforms scientists and engineers into founders, empowering them to reinvent the world by bringing their research to market. Activate Fellows get two years of funding, technical resources, and unparalleled support from a network of scientists, engineers, investors, commercial partners, and fellow entrepreneurs, including many from the Berkeley Lab. In fact, Activate fellows broke $2.4B in total follow-on funding in 2024!

Sign up to learn when the application period opens.

Berkeley-headquartered KoBold Metals informed its business partners that their find is likely the largest copper discovery in more than a decade. According to their estimates the mine would produce at least 300,000 tons of copper a year. That corresponds to a value of billions of dollars a year, for decades.

Read more on The NY Times. 

Jacobi Robotics has pioneered a new kind of AI-powered motion planning technology that requires 1000x less computational time and enables the deployment of robots in less than one day, compared to one month with existing programming tools. The startup launched the availability of its groundbreaking technology and robotics AI software platform, and announced it has raised a $5 million seed round.

Read more on Business Wire.

Berkeley startup Jiminy's — a pet food company that makes dog food, dental chews and treats from insect protein — is ranked among the fastest-growing private companies in America in the 2024 Inc. 5000 list.

Read more Patch.

A new induction stove blends cutting-edge technology with a dash of nostalgia. Developed by Berkeley-based startup Copper, the Charlie range aims to make kitchen electrification more accessible and appealing to home cooks who are hesitant to bid their gas stoves farewell.

Read more on Trend Watching. 

Congrats to Berkeley-based nonprofit Activate for accepting its largest cohort to date! This year the fellowship program will have a record number of 62 new fellows with 50 groundbreaking companies. 

Read more on Business Wire. 

Southern Manatee Fire & Rescue are the first ever to use robotic device as part of a pilot program with Squishy Robotics, in collaboration with NASA. The robot device is designed to reduce response time and keep first responders safe. 

Read more on Bay News 9.

Congratulations to Plastus, UC Berkeley Hult Prize OnCampus winner, for winning the Boston Summit! They will be heading to London in September to compete for the $1M finals. Plastus makes PHA biodegradable bioplastic by re-purposing organic waste.

Read more on LinkedIn.